A proposal for a feasible evolution of the role of the support teacher in Italy

Abstract

Although inclusive education has now been endorsed as the model for current and future schools in many countries in Europe, there is still heated debate on the usefulness of a co-presence of support
teachers and mainstream teachers to facilitate the teaching-learning process and to sustain inclusive practices. Indeed, in this complex scenario of reflections the pedagogical community in
Italy is faced with a dilemma on the role of the support teacher within a full-inclusion model. Notwithstanding the differences between the educational systems, the reflections presented in this
article start from the English experience on this issue, it being the birthplace of the concept of special educational needs and is currently reviewing the training and roles of support teachers. The
proposed scenario of a double mission for support teachers presented in this paper stems from the consideration that currently the only training model rich in methodological and didactic content
in Italy is the one offered to support teachers, equipping them with the competencies necessary to facilitate an inclusive teaching-learning process by supporting both the mainstream teachers
and the students.