Continuing education for Special Education teachers: challenges to inclusive pedagogical practice in a public school in Parauapebas, Pará, Brazil

Abstract

This article analyzes the challenges and continuing professional development needs reported by teachers with specializations in Special Education or Inclusive Education who work in the early years of elementary education at a municipal public school in Parauapebas, Pará, Brazil. This is a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study conducted with 11 teachers through a questionnaire comprisigopenended and closedended questions. The closedended responses were organized into frequencies and percentages, while the openended responses were examined through interpretive reading and grouped into thematic categories aligned with the study’s objectives. The results indicated that teachers highly valued continuing professional development and demonstrated substantial participation, while also highlighting the need for more contextualized training initiatives connected to pedagogical practice: 100% of participants considered that new training methods could enhance their professional performance; 91% reported actively participating in professional development discussions; and all participants indicated, to varying degrees, the need to rethink the professional development processes offered by the municipal education system. Within the school context, only one participant perceived the effective involvement of all stakeholders in building inclusive education, while the others answered “perhaps” or “no.” The study concludes that, in the context investigated, the main gap lies less in teachers’ lack of interest and more in the need for professional development initiatives aligned with the concrete demands of planning, teaching methodologies, assessment, collaboration, and the removal of barriers to inclusion. As a contribution, the study provides a set of insights to inform the development of an online professional development prototype entitled “Cursos Livres” (“Open Courses”), presented as an educational proposal to be implemented and evaluated at a later stage.