What is meant by the term integrative pedagogy?
The starting point of integrative pedagogy is the concern to open up social participation and equal opportunities to all children, regardless of whether they have a disability or not. Children with and without disabilities learn and play together, with each child being equally included in the education and upbringing system with their individual characteristics, ways of thinking and behaviors. One of the basic assumptions of integrative pedagogy is that children with disabilities and children without disabilities equally benefit from the shared learning situation.
Diversity as enrichment
Right to community: The basic idea is that every child, regardless of their individual strengths and weaknesses, has a right to live and learn together with others. The diversity of the children is not only recognized, but also seen as an enrichment through which every child can learn from one another.
Together rather than separate: Children are different. While some are ahead of their peers, others show developmental delays, behavioral abnormalities or language difficulties, and still others are born with intellectual or physical disabilities. For a long time, children who supposedly did not fit into the 'normal' pattern were cared for separately. Integrative pedagogy wants to abolish such segregation and integrate all children equally into society.
Integration vs. inclusion: Today the term inclusion is heard more often, which as an approach extends the concept of integration. It is not only about including all children in a society, but about dissolving the division into 'normal' and 'different'. The goal of inclusion is that 'special' children do not have to fit into existing structures. Rather, the structures are designed to suit the child so that it no longer has a special role.
What does integrative pedagogy look like in practice?
High staffing levels: In general, in integrative institutions, in addition to one or more additional educators or teachers, special education teachers, occupational therapists or physiotherapists also work, who look after the group together with the other educators.
Integrated groups: The groups consist of children without disabilities and children with disabilities, whereby the degree and type of disability can vary greatly. Supported by the caregivers, all children equally participate in all activities – this makes diversity natural.
Support for cognitive skills: Integrative daycare centers and schools often have an extensive educational program for areas such as language, mathematics, ethical and religious education, media, art and music.
Social and emotional competencies: Integratively raised children learn early to assess and take into account the different abilities within the group. Mutual helpfulness and cooperation are promoted, as are a sense of responsibility and willingness to compromise.
Independence and initiative: Regardless of a disability, all children should be able to organize their everyday life as independently as possible; this is consciously promoted by the educators. Sport and physical activity play an important role in many integrative institutions.
Holistic developmental support: Each child is supported individually and at its own learning pace. Parents are supported in their parenting and are often involved in the educational work.
Participation instead of exclusion: By having the possibility to send children with disabilities to a regular daycare center or school, families are also better integrated into society. In addition, parents receive support from the institution and the educational professionals.
Does integrative pedagogy have disadvantages?
It is even prescribed by inclusion laws in many places. In practice, however, integrative pedagogy presents challenges. The biggest hurdle is the required mindset among parents, educators and the responsible authorities, which cannot be enforced merely by political directives: In integrative practice, every individual is called upon to question their notion of normal and not normal.
For a functioning implementation of integrative pedagogy, well-trained and, above all, sufficient staff are needed – this often causes additional costs for parents. In the effort to quickly cover the demand for new integrative institutions, the concept is sometimes implemented thoughtlessly or impractically, or not all parents and educators support the approach.
A danger of integrative pedagogy is also that educators may take the integrative idea too literally and 'overchallenge' children with impairments or put them under performance pressure. It is not always possible to integrate all children equally into everyday life. This too is a fact that integrative pedagogy must address with the necessary sensitivity and competence.
