美国早期特殊教育师资培养体系反思及启示

Early Childhood Special Education Teacher Preparation in the US:Implications for China

早期特殊教育不仅在促进每个障碍儿童的发展和提高其家庭生活质量方面起着至关重要的作用,而且有着巨大的社会效益和经济效益,是和谐社会的重要组成部分。美国法律规定0-21岁的所有障碍儿童有权获得免费和适当的教育,由具有专业化水平的相关人员为这些儿童提供服务和支持。本文从政策层面到实践层面对美国的早期特殊教育师资培养体系进行了系统、全面地分析,了解其现状和存在的挑战,以及未来发展的趋势,以期为促进我国早期特殊教育师资培养体系的发展提供一些理论和实践上的参考。

Early Childhood Special Education （ECSE） plays a significant role in the development of children with disabilities and in the improvement of the life quality of their families. Also, it can achieve great social and economic results, as an important integral part in building a harmonious society （a concept pop^ar now in China, put forward by the Chinese government）. The United States mandates a free and appropriate public education for all children with disabilities aged zero through 21, and there are specially trained personnel who provide services and support for these children. Through both macroscopic and practical perspectives, the current system of ECSE teacher preparation in the US is given a systematic and complete analysis, using such comprehensive methods as literature reviews, case study, interviews, and group discussions. The research aims to be aware of the current situation of ECSE in the US, the existing challenges and the future trends, for the purpose of providing theoretic and practical reference for the development of ECSE and its teacher preparation in China.