Teachers’ and parents’ meaning making of children’s learning in transition from preschool to school for children with intellectual disability

Abstract

This study aimed to explore parents’ and teachers’ meaning making of children’s learning in transitions from preschool to school, for 5-7-year-old children with intellectual disability (ID). Although educational transitions is a growing area of research there is limited research about educational transitions of children with ID. These children often need individual adaptations in pedagogical settings and children with ID are most dependent on supportive persons for learning. In a Swedish context, the transitions from preschool to school of eight children with ID were studied during one year. Forty-seven interviews with parents, preschool- and school teachers were performed on three occasions pre- and post-transition. The interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results showed that the master themes ‘Organising for Child Well-being’, ‘Adapting Strategies for Learning’, and ‘Processing Time’ constituted how parents and teachers perceived and responded to the children’s learning. Individualisation of transitions is needed and should be built up by close and tentative adaptations that prevail over transitions. This study shows that for children with ID learning is a social process where close partners are very important for child well-being, and thus learning.