Books by Simoni Symeonidou
Το βιβλίο παρουσιάζει τα αποτελέσματα έρευνας η οποία επικεντρώθηκε στην κατανόηση των παραγόντων... more Το βιβλίο παρουσιάζει τα αποτελέσματα έρευνας η οποία επικεντρώθηκε στην κατανόηση των παραγόντων που συνέβαλαν στην κατασκευή της έννοιας της αναπηρίας στην Κυπριακή κουλτούρα, στις εμπειρίες των ακτιβιστών στη συγκεκριμένη κουλτούρα και στις εμπειρίες τους ως μέλη ενός αναδυόμενου αναπηρικού κινήματος. Το θεωρητικό υπόβαθρο των Σπουδών στην Αναπηρία και των κοινωνικών κινημάτων που πλαισιώνει την έρευνα, η ερμηνευτική προσέγγιση της ανάλυσης των δεδομένων και η πρόταση για ένα θεωρητικό μοντέλο που θα μπορούσε να εξηγήσει θέματα αναπηρίας και πολιτικής, κάνουν το βιβλίο αυτό μοναδικό στο είδος του. Στόχος είναι η καλύτερη κατανόηση και ερμηνεία των εμπειριών μέσα από τις δυνατότητες που προσφέρουν οι συνεντεύξεις προφορικής ιστορίας σε συνδυασμό με έντυπο αρχειακό υλικό. Το βιβλίο είναι χρήσιμο για τα ίδια τα άτομα με αναπηρία, τους ερευνητές και τους φοιτητές σε συναφή γνωστικά αντικείμενα, αλλά και τα άτομα που επηρεάζουν τη ζωή των ατόμων με αναπηρία, λαμβάνοντας αποφάσεις για τη ζωή και το μέλλον τους.
Purpose, Process and Future Direction of Disability Research brings together the collective exper... more Purpose, Process and Future Direction of Disability Research brings together the collective experience of an international network of early career researchers who set out to discuss the complexity of researching disability. As newcomers to the research process, the researchers detail their apprehensions about embarking on doctoral research, together with the struggles they experienced along the way, and importantly the motivation that drove them to complete their projects.
Contributors present an open and honest reflection on their research experience. Interests, motives and values which underpinned the direction of their research projects are explored, questioning whether their beliefs were subsequently challenged, changed or validated. Research decisions were driven by a range and combination of personal experience of disability and professional experience of working with disabled people. The influence of personal and professional approaches within research is addressed, along with subsequent dilemmas. Ideological battles are detailed, which include: the place of the social model of disability in research; and the oppressive nature of doing disability research. The researchers identify and examine their experience throughout the process of analysis, writing-up and presenting data and question how far their data resulted in confusions or conclusions. Contributors explore their moral and political position as researchers, and the potential influence on the validity of their findings. Issues about dissemination and the impact of their findings are also considered. Future research aims and challenges are identified with each contributor critically questioning the unfinished business that their research has involved.
Essential reading recommended for students and supervisors engaged in disability studies and inclusive education.
Στο βιβλίο αυτό καταγράφεται μια από τις συστηματικότερες ερευνητικές προσπάθειες που έχουν γίνε... more Στο βιβλίο αυτό καταγράφεται μια από τις συστηματικότερες ερευνητικές προσπάθειες που έχουν γίνει μέχρι τώρα στον ελληνόφωνο χώρο για την ανάπτυξη προγραμμάτων επιμόρφωσης εκπαιδευτικών σε θέματα ένταξης των παιδιών με ειδικές ανάγκες στο γενικό σχολείο. Αρχικά, παρουσιάζεται το θεωρητικό πλαίσιο που σχετίζεται με το θέμα της εκπαίδευσης για την ένταξη. Ακολουθεί αναλυτική παρουσίαση της έρευνας, η οποία περιελάμβανε τη συλλογή και ανάλυση ποσοτικών και ποιοτικών δεδομένων σχετικά με τις γνώσεις, τις στάσεις και τις δεξιότητες των εκπαιδευτικών σε θέματα ένταξης με στόχο την ανάπτυξη και εφαρμογή ενός προγράμματος επιμόρφωσης για την ένταξη. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας αποτελούν τη βάση για την ανάπτυξη μιας ουσιαστικής συζήτησης σχετικά με την αναπροσαρμογή των υφιστάμενων επιμορφωτικών προγραμμάτων. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο αναλύεται η επιχειρηματολογία που συνδέεται με την ανάπτυξη ηθικής δέσμευσης των εκπαιδευτικών για την παροχή ίσων ευκαιριών εκπαίδευσης σε όλα τα παιδιά, η οποία ωστόσο ενδυναμώνεται μέσα από τις απαραίτητες γνώσεις και δεξιότητες. Το βιβλίο μπορεί να αποτελέσει σημαντικό εργαλείο φοιτητών παιδαγωγικής κατεύθυνσης, εκπαιδευτικών, ακαδημαϊκών και ατόμων που ασχολούνται επαγγελματικά με την επιμόρφωση εκπαιδευτικών ή συμμετέχουν στη λήψη αποφάσεων σχετικά με την εκπαίδευση για την ένταξη.
Papers by Simoni Symeonidou
Disability & society, Jun 17, 2024
European educational research journal, Mar 11, 2024
Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Heilpädagogik, 2019
International Journal of Inclusive Education, Jul 1, 2002
ABSTRACT In this paper the values characterizing the society, the state and the stakeholders in r... more ABSTRACT In this paper the values characterizing the society, the state and the stakeholders in relation to the education of disabled children in Cyprus are outlined. A critical analysis is carried out, followed by examples deriving from the Cypriot context. The national context is placed within the international context, so that the discussion finds its place in a more broad framework. Value-driven action at all levels is related to current and prospective developments in Cyprus that are expected to provide further answers to the points made throughout the paper. Finally, it is argued whether or not having some of the existing values as a baseline for productive changes is possible, while the restatement of some other values is thought to be of equal importance.
Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, Mar 1, 2009
This paper reflects critically upon part of the findings of research about key activists' experie... more This paper reflects critically upon part of the findings of research about key activists' experience of disability politics in Cyprus from 1966 to 2004. Disabled activists' experience of politics is conceptualized through a critical analysis of the different stages they went through while struggling to develop the disability movement in the given social, cultural, political and historical context. Having located this research in the theoretical sphere of feminism and postmodernism I have developed a model to illustrate the strength of feminism and postmodernism in understanding disability, the contribution of feminism in explaining disability politics and the limitations of postmodernism in guiding powerful disability politics. Finally, I use this model to reflect critically on the need for theory to guide disability activism.
European Journal of Special Needs Education, Jun 1, 2002
ABSTRACT In this paper, the traditional role of the support teacher is analysed in regard to the ... more ABSTRACT In this paper, the traditional role of the support teacher is analysed in regard to the individual pupil view, and it is then contrasted with the new role of the support teacher in regard to the curriculum view. The framework in which the support teacher functions in the mainstream settings of Cyprus is set, and a particular example of professional practice is presented. The changing role of the support teacher is discussed in reference to the factors in favour of and against such change. Finally, the discussion goes a step further to provide a baseline on how such change might be managed and sustained in Cyprus.
European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Dec 28, 2022
Teaching and Teacher Education, May 1, 2009
This paper examines one important dimension of inclusive education: the development of in-service... more This paper examines one important dimension of inclusive education: the development of in-service teacher education courses. Using an example from Cyprus, it discusses the issue of contextualizing teacher training courses to suit teachers' prior knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about inclusion. The paper considers some of the findings of a survey about issues relating to inclusion. The findings suggest that teachers' conceptualizations of inclusion are problematic. According to the findings, teachers tend to think on the basis of a medical and charity model and they favour special schooling for specific groups of children. The discussion considers how a training course for inclusion can be academically robust and professionally useful, while at the same time taking into consideration teachers' prior knowledge and expectations.
Trends in Higher Education
In the process of ensuring inclusive education, teachers’ individual roles are shifting towards c... more In the process of ensuring inclusive education, teachers’ individual roles are shifting towards collaborative practice, involving sharing tasks and expertise among a wide range of educational professionals. Policies for inclusion have resulted in a sense of urgency among universities to better educate teachers for inclusive practice. Yet, the tools to support this demand appear to be quite limited, or do not address the gaps in teacher professional learning identified in the research. Proceeding from the outcomes of a policy review on teacher professional learning for inclusion in Europe, the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education explored the use and relevance of the Profile of Inclusive Teachers, developed in 2012, for all education professionals. This paper reports on the approach and the main findings of a study conducted in collaboration with European countries, leading to a new and complementary Profile for Inclusive Teacher Professional Learning developed i...
Trends in Higher Education
In the process of ensuring inclusive education, teachers’ individual roles are shifting towards c... more In the process of ensuring inclusive education, teachers’ individual roles are shifting towards collaborative practice, involving sharing tasks and expertise among a wide range of educational professionals. Policies for inclusion have resulted in a sense of urgency among universities to better educate teachers for inclusive practice. Yet, the tools to support this demand appear to be quite limited, or do not address the gaps in teacher professional learning identified in the research. Proceeding from the outcomes of a policy review on teacher professional learning for inclusion in Europe, the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education explored the use and relevance of the Profile of Inclusive Teachers, developed in 2012, for all education professionals. This paper reports on the approach and the main findings of a study conducted in collaboration with European countries, leading to a new and complementary Profile for Inclusive Teacher Professional Learning developed i...
European Early Childhood Education Research Journal
Routledge eBooks, Nov 3, 2022
European Educational Research Journal
During the COVID-19 pandemic, children with disabilities were confronted with ableist discourses ... more During the COVID-19 pandemic, children with disabilities were confronted with ableist discourses that justified unfair policy measures. This study is concerned with the discourses recorded in a range of education documents, published during the pandemic within the Republic of Cyprus. It employs an interdisciplinary framework, informed by Critical Discourse Analysis, Inclusive Education, and Critical Disability Studies, to examine the powerful actors and the ideologies that influenced the formation of discourses. The paper undertakes a critical interpretation of the disability discourses developed in Cyprus during the pandemic, links this with other relevant research conducted in other European countries prior to and during the pandemic, and suggests policy actions/measures that value children with disabilities and their families.
This paper discusses theoretical ideas developed within the feminist paradigm of Disability Studi... more This paper discusses theoretical ideas developed within the feminist paradigm of Disability Studies and it draws on particular examples of women ́s art work. The argument is advanced that disability art reflecting how the personal experience of disability takes a political nature, can contribute in challenging disability stereotypes. The presentation focuses on the profiles and examples of paintings of three disabled women performers: Frida Kahlo, Riva Lehrer and Simona Atzori. These stories are discussed with reference to widespread disability stereotypes and points are raised with regard to the urgency of dismantling them. The paper ends with a discussion about the rationale behind politicized disability art. Introduction Disability has traditionally been conceptualized as a source of sadness with multiple recipients: the disabled person, the person’s family and the non-disabled population (i.e. teachers, classmates, citizens, colleagues and so on). History informs us that the ide...
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Books by Simoni Symeonidou
Contributors present an open and honest reflection on their research experience. Interests, motives and values which underpinned the direction of their research projects are explored, questioning whether their beliefs were subsequently challenged, changed or validated. Research decisions were driven by a range and combination of personal experience of disability and professional experience of working with disabled people. The influence of personal and professional approaches within research is addressed, along with subsequent dilemmas. Ideological battles are detailed, which include: the place of the social model of disability in research; and the oppressive nature of doing disability research. The researchers identify and examine their experience throughout the process of analysis, writing-up and presenting data and question how far their data resulted in confusions or conclusions. Contributors explore their moral and political position as researchers, and the potential influence on the validity of their findings. Issues about dissemination and the impact of their findings are also considered. Future research aims and challenges are identified with each contributor critically questioning the unfinished business that their research has involved.
Essential reading recommended for students and supervisors engaged in disability studies and inclusive education.
Papers by Simoni Symeonidou
Contributors present an open and honest reflection on their research experience. Interests, motives and values which underpinned the direction of their research projects are explored, questioning whether their beliefs were subsequently challenged, changed or validated. Research decisions were driven by a range and combination of personal experience of disability and professional experience of working with disabled people. The influence of personal and professional approaches within research is addressed, along with subsequent dilemmas. Ideological battles are detailed, which include: the place of the social model of disability in research; and the oppressive nature of doing disability research. The researchers identify and examine their experience throughout the process of analysis, writing-up and presenting data and question how far their data resulted in confusions or conclusions. Contributors explore their moral and political position as researchers, and the potential influence on the validity of their findings. Issues about dissemination and the impact of their findings are also considered. Future research aims and challenges are identified with each contributor critically questioning the unfinished business that their research has involved.
Essential reading recommended for students and supervisors engaged in disability studies and inclusive education.