BELIEF IN THE YOUNG: JOURNEY OF SPED RECEIVING

TEACHERS IN TEACHING LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL

EDUCATION NEEDS

PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL

Volume: 16
Issue 8
Pages: 839-844
Document ID: 2024PEMJ1504
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10559472
Manuscript Accepted: 12-27-2023
 Psych Educ, 2024, 16(8): 839-844, Document ID:2024PEMJ1504, doi:10.5281/zenodo.10559472, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Belief in the Young: Journey of SPED Receiving Teachers in Teaching Learners

with Special Education Needs
Ramen Jay P. Dumilig*, Asmirah G. Abdulrahman
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.

Abstract
This study, Belief in The Young: Journey of Sped Receiving Teachers in Teaching Learners with Special Education
Needs. This study aims to gain insights on the journey of the SPED receiving teachers in believing the young with
special education needs. This is an autoethnographic qualitative study and utilized sharing guide questionnaires in
gathering the data from the SPED-receiving teachers to gain insights from their personal journey on how they express
their beliefs to the learners with special education needs. The qualitative data in this study were collected through the
personal sharing of SPED-receiving teachers. Consequently, the concepts and themes were drawn using thematic
analysis based on the problems or questions.

Keywords: SPED receiving teacher, learners with disabilities

Introduction
One of the Marist pedagogies is to believe in children regardless of race, size, shape, color, ability, or disability. The study's authors,
who are also SPED receiving teachers, would like to share their journey dealing with learners who have special needs. We must provide
them with the opportunity to learn and believe in themselves despite their special needs. The education of learners with special needs
has come a long way; from special education (SPED) to integrated education, and from integrated education to inclusive education, it
has undergone many changes. The ordinary schools with an inclusive orientation encounter numerous difficulties, blockages,
impediments, and challenges despite the support provided by a variety of guidelines, policies, and programs from time to time to quicken
the bound of all the efforts made in this direction.

The Special Education Program has eventually found its place in the Philippine educational landscape since the start of its
implementation late in 1997. The program has become more imperative in response to the growing number of children with special
needs having access to quality education (UNESCO, 2004; EFA, 2010). The country's educational system includes special education
(SPED), which is implemented through a particular program that targets both gifted and talented students and students with disabilities
who require a systematic and
deliberate process to acquire functional literacy and realize their own potential and abilities. The 1997 Department Order No. 26 on
Institutionalization of SPED Programs in All Schools established at least one special education center for kids with special needs in
every school, supporting the 1997 Magna Carta for Disabled Persons. The centers, known as resource centers for inclusive education,
were created with the goal of facilitating the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classrooms through the development of
appropriate teaching resources and ongoing evaluation. Specific guidelines to set up special education centers in regular schools were
defined in 2000.

This brief research is anchored with the principles of teaching of St. Marcellin Champagnat, such as presence and good example, ease
of relationship between teacher and student, preference for simplicity, importance of the craft of teaching, and active awareness of the
presence of God. This Marist value and philosophy of teaching should be emulated by all teachers teaching any type and grade of
learners in any school so that learners learn not just what is expected of them to learn from school but, most importantly, to become
good servants of God, because at the end of the day, every one of us shall return to Him, and so we must live our lives according to His
will.

Moreover, the authors of the study thought of conducting brief research on the journey of the SPED receiving teachers applying one of
the Marist pedagogies, which is the belief in the young in teaching learners with special educational needs. This would be beneficial in
solving school-based or classroom-based problems or challenges of teachers in teaching LSENs. This study would be of great help to
the SPED-receiving teachers to help them identify the coping mechanisms that the participants of the study have shared.

Research Questions

This study aims to gain insights on the journey of the SPED receiving teachers in believing the young with special education needs.

Dumilig & Abdulrahman 839/844

 Psych Educ, 2024, 16(8): 839-844, Document ID:2024PEMJ1504, doi:10.5281/zenodo.10559472, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Specifically, this study will answer the question:

1. How do the researcher-participants express their belief to these learners with special education needs?

Literature Review
According to the United Nations Organization (UNO), essential to the existence, economic prowess, and progress of any country are
the human resources that keep all aspects of society going and moving. In such a scenario, the development of the full potential of every
person is the major concern of society, especially the government that leads the people. Establishing support for human development
and considering that education itself is the key to any progress.

Salamanca 2020, cited the inclusive education is promoted as an approach or a process which child with or without disabilities, and
children of diverse backgrounds and abilities learn together in the same classroom, interact socially with each other within the regular
classroom setting. Regular schools with inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discrimination, creating
welcoming communities, building an inclusive
society, and achieving education for all. Education Act of 1982 recognizes the right of a learner to receive competent and relevant
instruction in line with national goals and conducive to his full development as person with high dignity. This act further strengthens
the right of all people to quality education regardless of gender, age, breed, socio–economic status, mental conditions, social and ethnic
origin, and other affiliations. Inclusive Education has been the trend in our education system since the implementation of the K to 12
Program. Including school-aged children with disabilities in regular classrooms has been a challenge since general education teachers
are not trained to handle such. Regular teachers are apprehensive about receiving pupils with disabilities coming from Special Education
(SPED) self-contained classes in their regular classes mainly because they have no or little knowledge or background to teach these
types of learners. This has been a perennial problem since the implementation of Inclusive Education.

According to the Magna Carta for disabled persons, makes more explicit provision on the education for learners with specific disabilities.
The act covers the rights and aspect of persons with disabilities and formulation and educational policies and programs having special
needs (DEPED, 2019). As years passes by, fast growing numbers of school children with disabilities are enrolled to school, the DepEd
came out with Policies and Guidelines for Special Educational. The ultimate policy of the DepEd for special education is the
mainstreaming of learners with special needs into regular school system and eventually in the community. Focus of the policies and
guidelines is on learners who are gifted and talented, with physical problems, intellectual, social, and sensory Moreover, Republic Act
Nos. 3562 and 5250 were approved on June 13, 1968 respectively, these Acts provided that teachers, administrators, and supervisors of
SPED should be trained by the Department of Education and impoverished.

Sarason (2015) indicated that one of the main purposes of the educational process is to “produce responsible, self-sufficient citizens
who possess the self-esteem, initiative, skills and wisdom to continue individual growth and pursue knowledge.” Such an idea of
education brings to light initiatives to promote the self-determination of students with disabilities. Enhancing students with disabilities’
self-determined behavior characteristics has been a considerable element of policy, research, and curriculum standards and teaching
practices to help students to have a smooth and successful transition to postsecondary settings (Cho et al., 2013). The education should
enhance teachers who teach children with learning disability and also create awareness in the society to accept children with special
educational needs. Therefore, there is a need to introduce comprehensive special needs education in all teacher professional
development-programs. impairments, and cultural differences.
Marist Pedagogy

The Marist Brothers and their lay mission partners have been actively teaching the Christian faith for more than 200 years through the
charism of the order's founder, St. Marcellin Champagnat, who wished to give students not only the skills necessary to be productive
citizens but also an awareness and understanding of the great love of Jesus through Mary (Rolfe, 2016). The Marists were recognized
by Champagnat's teachings. From the start, Marists Schools exhibited many of the traits of Marcellin himself; they were established in
environments that valued hard work and excellence, people's individuality, warmth, and a strong sense of family. These environments
were distinguished by presence and simplicity rather than by a lack of misinterpretation (Mohamad, 2016). The Marists adopt a specific
instructional technique that Marcellin and the early Marists pioneered and that was novel in many ways while sharing a vision with
many, particularly in Church circles (Article 97, In the Footsteps of Marcellin).

Methodology
This section of the study contains the details of the research method describing the journey of the SPED receiving teachers. It also
presents the research design, locale, participants, instrumentation, data gathering procedure, and data analysis.

Dumilig & Abdulrahman 840/844

 Psych Educ, 2024, 16(8): 839-844, Document ID:2024PEMJ1504, doi:10.5281/zenodo.10559472, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

This is an autoethnographic qualitative study and utilized sharing guide questionnaires in gathering the data from the SPED-receiving
teachers to gain insights from their personal journey on how they express their beliefs to the learners with special education needs.

The qualitative data in this study were collected through the personal sharing of SPED-receiving teachers. Consequently, the concepts
and themes were drawn using thematic analysis based on the problems or questions.

The participants of this study were the authors of this research journal and also SPED-receiving teachers of Marbel 1 Central Elementary
School, Koronadal City Division. Author 1 is a Grade five - SPED receiving teacher for two years and Author 2 is also a Grade five
ALIVE and SPED receiving teacher. They shared their personal journey in handling learners with special education needs.

Results
This section presents the results of the analysis of the study on insights on the journey of the SPED receiving teachers in believing the
young with special education needs.

How do the researcher participants express their belief to these learners with special education needs?

Table 1. Expression of Encouragement and Support

Table 2. Expression of Accountability

Table 2 presents the expression of accountability to the learners with special needs.

Dumilig & Abdulrahman 841/844

 Psych Educ, 2024, 16(8): 839-844, Document ID:2024PEMJ1504, doi:10.5281/zenodo.10559472, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Table 3. Expression of Love and Dedication

Table 3 presents the expression of dedication and love to the learners with special needs.

Discussions
This section presents the discussions of the study on insights on the journey of the SPED receiving teachers in believing the young with
special education needs.

As expressed by the study's researcher participants. They emphasized encouragement and support as their way of showing that they
believed in the learners with special education needs. They said that the confidence of the learners with special education needs to do
the task would rise if they were given the chance and motivated. In addition, encouraging and praising the learners with special needs
during the class discussion would be a sign of believing in them.

“I let them share their ideas and experiences on the topic, I encourage them to participate in the class and I always praise them for a job
well done.” – Author 2

“I tell them that they can do it, that despite their disability they can still do things like the other pupils. And I always tell them that their
disability should not be the cause for them not to reach their ambition in life.” – Author 1

In viewing the insights of the participants in the study, it seems that when they make worksheets or activities for the learners with special
needs, they consider their ability and understanding of the lesson. They also pointed out that they do a step-by-step process when they
are teaching the topic so that learners can learn and comprehend the lesson well. The expression of accountability of the SPED-receiving
teachers was shown by their actions towards the learners with special education needs.

I make separate worksheets or activities that are within their level of capability and understanding.”– Author 1

“I consider their capability and limitations in doing a task, I explain to them how to do the task step by step. If needed, for an activity, I
apply the I Do and You Do approach in
accomplishing the task.” – Author 2
The researcher's participants come to an array of conclusions about how they express their belief in children with special needs during
their experiences as SPED-receiving teachers. They mentioned that reminding them that they can accomplish the tasks given to them
and that they can still do things in spite of their impairment is showing their affection and love. Being loved by the teachers can have a
significant impact on the learners with special needs. They also emphasized that grounding themselves in the purpose of their duties and
responsibilities as teachers is an expression of dedication towards work.

“I tell them that they can do it, that despite their disability they can still do things like the other pupils. And I always tell them that their
disability should not be the cause for them not to reach their ambition in life.” – Author 1

“I always remind myself that I am not only doing my work as a teacher because it is my job but I do it also for the sake of the

Dumilig & Abdulrahman 842/844

 Psych Educ, 2024, 16(8): 839-844, Document ID:2024PEMJ1504, doi:10.5281/zenodo.10559472, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Almighty God/Allah.” – Author 2

The researcher-participants agreed that treating children with special education needs in a special or different way should also be done.
They do it in a way that demonstrates their empathy for the students with special needs so that they don't feel offended. By doing it,
students would experience conducive learning in the classroom as a result, and they would get encouraged to continue their studies.

“During the discussion, I make it simpler and more understandable that suits their level of understanding, I use strategies and techniques
that would make them understand me better- like, I give concrete example and visual demonstration.” -Author 2.

It is crucial to discipline students; this entails modeling appropriate behavior for them and helping them to unlearn inappropriate ones
while providing them with support, direction, and encouragement. According to the researcher-participants, all types of learners require
discipline. When disciplining their students with special education needs, teachers make sure to do it in a way that prevents the students
from being wounded or offended.

In disciplining them, I must do it in a good way that I must not scold them because they are sensitive and that they easily get hurt. -
Author 2.
Insights

This study publication, "Belief in the Young: Journey of SPED Receiving Teachers in Teaching Learners with Special Education Needs,"
sought to glean insights into the participants' personal journeys as SPED Receiving Teachers and the manner in which they express their
beliefs to these learners. However, as the study goes on, based on the participant's narratives, the definition has changed into a deeper
understanding that believing in the young could be expressed in a variety of ways, such as encouragement, support, accountability,
dedication, and love to the learners with special needs. In addition, children with special needs are greatly impacted and inspired by their
teachers' compassion and conviction in them to work hard in class and be determined to fulfill their life goals.

Conclution
With the title "Belief in the Young: Journey of SPED Receiving Teachers in Teaching Learners with Special Education Needs," this
research publication considered the results and the process it had gone through. It implied:

The conclusions of this study could paint a complete picture of the qualities of a SPED-receiving teacher who works with students who
have special education needs. All educators working with students of any sort and grade level in any school should aspire to the ideals
and charism of St. Marcellin Champagnat so that students learn more than just what is required of them in the classroom and, most
importantly, how to be good stewards of God.

This study also implied that children with learning and physical disabilities felt loved in a way that made them feel special, inspired,
and equal to other children, and that even though they have special needs, they still have the right to the same opportunities as others,
regardless of the disabilities and difficulties they faced. Special education is crucial because it gives them the chance to receive a quality
education that is tailored to their specific requirements.

References
Aquino, L. N., Mamat, N., & Che Mustafa, M. (2019). Levels of competence in the learning domains of kindergarten entrants. Southeast
Asia Early Childhood Journal

Bartolome, M. T., Mamat, N., & Masnan, A. H. (2020). Exploring kindergarten teachers’ perspectives in parental involvement in the
Philippines. Southeast Asia Early Childhood Journal

Cho, H. J., Wehmeyer, M. L., & Kingston, N. M. (2013). The effect of social and classroom ecological factors on promoting self-
determination in elementary school. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth

Dalonos, S, J. (2013). Awareness and attitudes of administrators, special education and regular teachers towards inclusive education.
Amure International Journal of Multidisciplinary
DepEd. (2006). Five-year development plan on SPED-inclusive education for nine TEEP provinces.Pasig City: DepEd.

Dep-Ed Order No. 6 s. 2006 Policies and Guidelines of Special Education in Secondary Level

Dumilig & Abdulrahman 843/844

 Psych Educ, 2024, 16(8): 839-844, Document ID:2024PEMJ1504, doi:10.5281/zenodo.10559472, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Dep.Ed Order no. 53 s. 2008 Maximization of Trained Teachers and Administrators in Special Education

Dep-Ed Order No. 38 s. 2015 Guideline on the Utilization of Support Funds for Special Education Program

Fuchs, W. W. (2010). Examining Teachers’ Perceived Barriers Associated with Inclusion. SRATE journal

Meynert, M. J. (2014). Inclusive Education and Perceptions of Learning Facilitators of Children with Special Needs in a School in
Sweden. International Journal of
Special Education
Affiliations and Corresponding Information
Ramen Jay P. Dumilig
Marbel 1 Central Elementary School
Department of Education – Philippines
Asmirah G. Abdulrahman
Marbel 1 Central Elementary School
Department of Education – Philippines

Dumilig & Abdulrahman 844/844