USING MEDIATED LEARNING EXPERIENCE (MLE) AS A SUPPORTING MODE FOR TEACHING ASSISTANTS TO EMPOWER STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS OF HONG KONG

Abstract

Teaching assistants (TAs) have been introduced to support special educational needs (SEN) students and classroom teachers for quality learning in Hong Kong recently. However, most TAs are not adequately trained to work for this goal and there lacks empirical evidence about how effective TAs support SEN students and teachers.
Among a wide range of effective support strategies for inclusion, the ‘Mediated Learning Experience’ (MLE) from Feuerstein’s theory is widely recognized in school practices in European countries and evidences from research show that it facilitates SEN students to learn better in inclusive settings. In this pilot study, this facilitation technique, that builds a child’s capacity how to learn more independently, has been chosen as an approach for TAs to support SEN students. The study is divided into 3 stages: the pre-test stage, the experimental stage and the post-test stage. Six pairs of teachers and TAs from six mainstream primary schools as well as two primary 4 (P.4) students with SEN from each school have been recruited. The effectiveness of MLE in improving TAs’ attitudes towards SEN students and their self-efficacy in supporting SEN students has been examined by using a combination of methods, involving measurements of students’ pre and post-test academic performances, analyses of focus group interviews and video recordings of classroom observation. We have also adapted a Mediated Learning Experience Rating Scale to monitor progress of the participant TAs. Preliminary findings indicate that MLE is a promising supporting mode for TAs in the integration of SEN students in Hong Kong mainstream schools.