THE PERSPECTIVE OF TEACHERS TOWARD THE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PROFICIENCY IN HANDLING LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN THE CONTEXT OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16151650Keywords:
Inclusive education, learners with special educational needs, behavior and classroom management, qualitative phenomenological design, Lapu-Lapu City, CebuAbstract
Inclusive education plays a vital role in achieving educational equity by integrating students with Special Educational Needs into regular classrooms, ensuring they receive quality education and equal opportunities, as mandated by the 1987 Constitution and related laws. This study examines the experiences of teachers in managing learners with special educational needs (LSEN) in mainstream settings. Adopting a phenomenological approach, one-on-one interviews were conducted with fifteen teachers at Bankal National High School in the Division of Lapu-Lapu City. A total population sampling was utilized since there are limited number of respondents in the district. The findings revealed the five key themes in this study: addressing classroom engagement in an inclusive environment, techniques in managing in an inclusive setting, accommodations to managing behavioral problems in an inclusive setting, establishing a helpful learning environment in the classroom, and embracing classroom management techniques to accommodate LSEN. Participants stressed the importance of establishing clear rules and routines, peer support, and interactive and accessible teaching materials in managing classroom dynamics. Likewise, strategies like modeling behavior, addressing the root cause of problems and collaborating with parents were found effective in handling behavioral challenges. The study concludes that inclusive education thrives on predictable routines, empathy, and cultural sensitivity. Its primary output is a training proposal focused on developing accessible teaching materials for inclusive classrooms. Recommendations include regular teacher training, strengthened parent-teacher collaboration, and the creation of a manual outlining strategies and resources to help new teachers manage inclusive classrooms effectively.
Keywords: Inclusive education, learners with special educational needs, behavior and classroom management, qualitative phenomenological design, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu
References
Aas, H. K., Uthus, M., & Løhre, A. (2024). Inclusive education for students with challenging behaviour: development of teachers’ beliefs and ideas for adaptations through Lesson Study. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 39(1), 64-78.
Alhazmi, A. A., & Kaufmann, A. (2022). Phenomenological Qualitative Methods Applied to the Analysis of Cross-Cultural Experience in Novel Educational Social Contexts. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.785134
Aqilah, H., Rosadah, A., & Majid, A. (2019). Learning Strategies for Twice - Exceptional Students. International Journal Of Special Education, 33(4). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1219411.pdf
Byrd, D. R., & Alexander, M. (2020). Investigating special education teachers knowledge and skills: Preparing general teacher preparation for professional development. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 4(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.33902/jpr.2020059790
Department of Education. (2013). DepEd Order No. 43 series of 2013. Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 10533 Otherwise known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DO_s2013_43.pdf
Koçdar, S., Hamutoğlu, N. B., Erdoğdu, E., & Uçar, H. (2024). Academic performance of learners with special needs in open and distance learning: a study in Anadolu University open education system. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 1-16.
Laerd Dissertation. (2024). Total population sampling | Lærd Dissertation. (2024). Laerd.com. https://dissertation.laerd.com/total-population- sampling.php
Lesley University. (2025). The Psychology of Emotional and Cognitive Empathy. Lesley.edu. https://lesley.edu/article/the-psychology-of-emotional-and-cognitive-empathy
Lorenzita, C. (2023). Mainstreaming in the Senior High School Classrooms at Legazpi City National High School. Best Practices in Disability-Inclusive Education, 2(1). https://publication.seameosen.edu.my/index.php/diebook/article/view/379
McCoy, S., Shevlin, M., & Rose, R. (2020). Secondary school transition for students with special educational needs in Ireland. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 35(2), 154-170. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08856257.2019.1628338
Neubauer, B. E., Witkop, C. T., & Varpio, L. (2019). How phenomenology can help us learn from the experiences of others. Perspectives on Medical Education, 8(2), 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-019-0509-2
Saloviita, T. (2020). Attitudes of teachers towards inclusive education in Finland. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 64(2), 270-282. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00313831.2018.1541819#ab stract
Schwartz, A. E., Hopkins, B. G., & Stiefel, L. (2021). The Effects of Special Education on the Academic Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 40(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/pam.22282
School of Education Online. (2020, May 20). Role of Special Education Teachers in an Inclusive Classroom | American University. https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/promoting-an-inclusive-special- education-classroom/#main
Vaz, S., Wilson, N., Falkmer, M., Sim, A., Scott, M., Cordier, R., & Falkmer, T. (2015). Factors associated with primary school teachers’ attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities. PloS one, 10(8), e0137002.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0137002
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mat Niel P. Ganohay (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
