PEDAGOGY AND SPECIAL TEACHING WITH LABORATORY M - ZModule PEDAGOGY AND SPECIAL TEACHING
Academic Year 2026/2027 - Teacher: VALENTINA PERCIAVALLEExpected Learning Outcomes
The course aims to provide a theoretical and practical framework of special education pedagogy, understood as a body of essential knowledge for reflecting on education and on the inclusive education and training of everyone and of each individual. Furthermore, it seeks to enable students to develop didactic competencies and capabilities for designing inclusive educational interventions in school and extracurricular contexts, particularly for early childhood and primary education.
In particular, the expected learning outcomes, defined according to the Dublin Descriptors, are the following:
Knowledge and understanding (DD1)
To know and understand the theoretical models and methodological approaches of special education pedagogy.
To be able to use the specific terminology of special education pedagogy.
To know and understand the contexts and timing of the profession of the pedagogical educator for early childhood, in relation to the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Applying knowledge and understanding (DD2)
To be able to relate the theoretical and methodological contents learned to the interpretation of past, present, and future events and processes.
To be able to observe and interpret different educational phenomena through the perspective of special education pedagogy.
To be able to use the acquired knowledge to design pedagogical projects aimed at promoting and supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the various contexts of lifelong and widespread education.
Making judgments (DD3)
To be able to synthesize the different approaches present in theories of education and training.
To be able to read, understand, and critically select texts and documents of special education pedagogy for inclusion, and relate them to different educational and training contexts.
Communication skills (DD4)
To be able to communicate the acquired knowledge using technical and specialized language.
To be able to communicate pedagogical reflections on the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Learning skills (DD5)
To be able to learn how to learn the theoretical constructs of special education pedagogy for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
To be able to develop and re-elaborate pedagogical strategies to promote educational actions aimed at the inclusion of people with disabilities.
To be able to apply the knowledge of special education pedagogy for inclusion in order to design the special educational action of the pedagogical educator in different contexts of formal, non-formal, and informal education.
Course Structure
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Course presentation and the meaning of the specific object of study of special education pedagogy;
Epistemological debate between school and disability in special education pedagogy;
From remedial pedagogy to special education pedagogy;
Semantic reflection and reference models of integration/inclusion;
National and international legislation on special education pedagogy;
Disability and the role of the family;
The life project of the student with disabilities;
Education for autonomy and the social and work inclusion of people with disabilities;
Self-development and identity formation;
Affective–relational dynamics in learning processes;
Special education teaching in the inclusive school;
Profile and competencies of the inclusive teacher;
Design of inclusive educational pathways in school and extracurricular contexts.
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The written exam has a total duration of 60 minutes and consists of 5 open-ended questions. The suggested time management is approximately 10–12 minutes per question.
The exam aims to assess the achievement of the following learning outcomes:
LO1 (Knowledge and understanding): Acquisition and mastery of the theoretical concepts, conceptual frameworks, and empirical data addressed in the course.
LO4 (Communication skills): Ability to present knowledge clearly, concisely, and formally correctly, using the subject-specific terminology with precision.
Evaluation Dimensions:
Synthesis Ability (Conciseness and relevance)
Critical Analysis (Independent elaboration)
Disciplinary Lexical Rigor (Appropriate use of language)
Scoring Criteria The final grade (out of 30) is the sum of the points awarded for each question (maximum of 6 points per question):
5–6 points (Excellent/Very Good): Complete, focused, and concise answer. Impeccable use of subject-specific terminology, excellent analytical capacity, and critical processing.
3–4 points (Satisfactory/Good): Correct and focused answer, but with only partial synthesis or critical analysis skills. Terminology is correct but basic.
1–2 points (Sufficient/Below Satisfactory): Partial, overly verbose, or off-topic answer. Presence of conceptual inaccuracies or use of generic and imprecise language.
0 points (Unsatisfactory/No Answer): Completely incorrect answer, missing answer, or entirely lacking relevance to the question.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
To understand the foundations of special education;
To understand the transition from curative pedagogy to special education;
To know the main reference authors/theorists;
To understand Special Educational Needs (SEN) and the relevant legislation;
To understand the key elements of inclusive education;
To know inclusive teaching methodologies.