Research Of The Professional Ability Structure Of Teachers In Secondary Vocational Schools Of Special Education

Shanghai vigorously develops vocational education for people with disabilities at the high school level,requiring each district to establish at least one district-owned special secondary vocational education school or school site,but there is no professional standards for special secondary teachers and few corresponding studies on professional competencies.This study combines qualitative and quantitative research.Firstly,in-depth interviews with teachers in special education secondary schools;Secondly,analyze relevant teacher professional standards,and literature a predictive structure of what constitutes professional competence for special secondary teachers was developed;Lastly,the predictive model was tested through exploratory factor analysis.The conclusions of the study are as follows:1.The professional competencies of special secondary teachers consist of seven professional competencies,including teaching competencies,educational management competencies,educational research competencies,self-development competencies,curriculum development competencies,assessment competencies and career guidance competencies.The exploratory factor analysis showed good structural validity and reliability.2.Teaching competence occupies the most important position in the professional competencies of special secondary teachers,the professional standards of special education teachers and the professional standards of secondary vocational school teachers.3.Existing relevant professional standards for teachers do not focus on teachers’ curriculum development and assessment competencies.4.The importance scores of special secondary vocational teachers on various professional abilities are generally at a high level.In terms of teaching subjects,teachers of basic cultural subjects scored higher than teachers of professional and technical subjects and teachers who teach in multiple subjects at the same time;special vocational school teachers whose majors did not match their teaching subjects scored higher.The study makes the following recommendations at both policy and teacher levels: firstly,to accelerate the development of professional standards for special secondary vocational education teachers;secondly,to improve the training system for special secondary teachers;and thirdly,to enhance the professional competencies of special secondary teachers through developing personal career growth plans and learning from a variety of sources.