As I walk into the classroom, I see children – each with unique abilities, interests and an eagerness to learn. This Ontario classroom was designed to be inclusive; a space where all students, regardless of their needs, can thrive. Yet, as an educator, I find myself asking: Am I truly prepared to support every child? Have I received the training I need to guide each student on their learning journey? This is the reality for many teachers entering the classroom after graduating from teacher education programs in Ontario.
In the past, schooling for students with disabilities was accomplished through segregated schooling; however, in the last twenty years, Ontario has reformed its educational structure to include all students within the general education classroom (Mann et al., 2024). Shifts were made in teaching practices to include all types of learners and schools have adapted inclusion frameworks such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) to meet the needs of different learners within the classroom (Jovanovich, 2024). Although Ontario had created inclusive classrooms, a dual system still exists to date, which involves children with disabilities such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) being segregated or excluded from the rest of the class (Mann et al., 2024). As per Ontario education policies, programming of classroom education must be designed for all students, and inclusive approaches must students within the general education classroom (Mann et al., 2024). Shifts were made in teaching practices to include all types of learners and schools have adapted inclusion frameworks such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) to meet the needs of different learners within the classroom (Jovanovich, 2024). Although Ontario had created inclusive classrooms, a dual system still exists to date, which involves children with disabilities such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) being segregated or excluded from the rest of the class (Mann et al., 2024). As per Ontario education policies, programming of classroom education must be designed for all students, and inclusive approaches must be used to mitigate discrimination and exclusion (Government of Ontario, 2024).
FASD may be the most prevalent disability in Canadian classrooms, and one of the most challenging for teachers to support (Popova et al., 2019). FASD is a condition that occurs due to maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. It is irreversible, and as a consequence, children are born with brain damage and delays in neurodevelopment (Delatour & Yeh, 2017). The prevalence of FASD in Canada is between 1.4% and 4.4%, which is similar to current autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnostic rates (Flannigan et al., 2018). These children exhibit a range of symptoms and varying degrees of impairment such as difficulty with physical motor skills, sensory processing skills, communication, academic achievement, memory, executive functioning, abstract reasoning, hyperactivity, and adaptive behaviour (Millar et al., 2017; Watts & Brown, 2016). As children with FASD experience academic difficulties and behavioural challenges, they require multi-faceted supports including instruction designed according to their unique learning profile, individualized academic interventions, and modified curriculum according to the child’s developmental and ability levels (Millians, 2015). Teachers must be responsive to the needs of students with FASD and be proactive towards providing supports to promote success of the student (Pei et al., 2018).
In teacher education programs, teachers candidates receive training through a combination of coursework and placements (Queen’s University, 2022; Ontario Tech University, 2022). Although courses offered to teacher candidates reflecting special education may be compulsory, explicit instruction on specific disabilities such as FASD may be limited. As studies have been completed in the past on teacher knowledge to support students with disabilities, there is a lack of research completed in Ontario reflecting how teachers are prepared to support students with FASD. If teachers are not prepared to teach students with FASD within the classroom, children with FASD may not receive the support they require.
To gain deeper insight into the nature of teacher candidates’ knowledge and understanding of FASD and their preparedness to teach these students, I collected data through a questionnaire distributed to teacher candidates at a teacher education program in Ontario accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). In this questionnaire, I examined teacher candidates’ extent of knowledge, confidence in the knowledge they possessed, their sense of self-efficacy, and their overall sense of preparedness and readiness to support students with FASD as they enter the profession.
It was observed that teacher candidates felt that they were not adequately trained to support students with FASD, and most reported that they did not discuss FASD within their teacher education programs. Experiences with disabilities was variable, and specific knowledge of needs of students with FASD was limited. It was determined that a teacher candidate’s low confidence of knowledge was attributed to their lack of awareness of the condition and lack of experiences supporting students with the condition. While teacher candidates possessed knowledge of strategies to support students with disabilities such as ASD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they were largely unaware of challenges faced by children with FASD. Although teacher candidates were familiar with UDL and DI, there is a need for teachers to be flexible, be ready to advocate for their student, and adapt these frameworks towards the individual needs of the student with FASD.
This presents a significant issue: if education is truly for all and meant to be inclusive, then educators should be ready to support all students. However, many teachers entering the profession graduate with limited training, knowledge, and practical experience to support students with FASD. These teachers may even face the challenge of supporting a child with FASD in their first year of teaching. The assumption that teachers are ready as they enter the classroom with the training they receive must be changed, and additional curriculum and/ or learning opportunities should be provided to further develop the knowledge and preparation of teachers entering the classroom.
As teacher candidates continue to prepare to support students with FASD in the classroom, there is a need to review curriculum taught in teacher education programs to ensure FASD is discussed with an emphasis on the nature of the condition and best practices to support the child. There is also a need to enhance professional development opportunities for teachers in Ontario to guarantee that they are provided the knowledge and strategies that will help them support a child with FASD. A great resource for both teacher candidates and current teachers in the classroom is the Canada FASD Research Network, as it provides evidence-based information on FASD. This resource includes past and current research completed in Canada on FASD, and provides tools and resources for parents/caregivers, educators, and professionals who may support individuals with FASD.
References
- Bachelor of Education. (2022). Ontario Tech University.
- Course Descriptions. (2022). Queen’s University.
- Delatour, L. C., & Yeh, H. H. (2017). FASD and Brain Development: Perspectives on Where We are and Where We Need to Go. OBM Neurobiology, 01(01), 1. doi.org/10.21926/obm.neurobiol.1701002
- Flannigan, K., Unsworth, K., and Harding, K. (2018). The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Can FASD, 1(1), 1-4.
- Government of Ontario. (2024). Considerations for program planning. Curriculum and Resources. https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/program-planning/considerations-for-program-planning/human-rights-equity-and-inclusive-education
- Jovanovich, S. (2024). Development of special education policy in Ontario: a policy analysis. Queen’s University.
- Mann, G., Carrington, S., Lassing, C., Mavropoulou, S., Saggers, B., Pied, S., & Killingly, C. (2024). Closing special schools: lessons from Canada. The Australian Educational Researcher, 51(1), 1729-1747. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-023-00661-5
- Millar, J. A., Thompson, J., Schwab, D., Hanlon-Dearman, A., Goodman, D., Koren, G., & Masotti, P. (2017). Educating students with FASD: linking policy, research and practice. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 17(1), 3–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12090
- Millians, M. N. (2015). Educational Needs and Care of Children with FASD. Current Developmental Disorders Report, 1(2), 210-218.
- Pei, J., Tremblay, M., Poth, C., El Hassar, B., & Ricioppo, S. (2018). Best Practices for Serving Individuals with Complex Needs: Guide and Evaluation Toolkit. PolicyWise for Children & Families in collaboration with the University of Alberta. https://canfasd.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Best-Practices_June12018.pdf
- Popova, S., Lange, S., Poznyak, V., Chudley, A. E., Shield, K. D., Reynolds, J. N., Murray, M., & Rehm, J. (2019). Population-based prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Canada. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 845. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7213-3.
- Watts, E. J., & Brown, J. (2016). Interrogative suggestibility in people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Neurocognitive and Behavioral Challenges. Forensic Scholars Today, 1(4).
Tanya A. Joseph (BEd, MEd ’22) is a PhD student at Queen’s University whose research focuses on supporting students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in the Canadian context. She holds a BHSc (Honours) in Biology and Pharmacology Co-op from McMaster University, a BEd ‘22 from Queen’s University and an MEd from Queen’s University. She is a member of the Ontario College of Teachers and is certified to teach 7-12 science, biology, and mathematics. Tanya is an occasional teacher for Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board (ALCDSB) and has taught as an instructor within the BEd program and the International Teacher Training (ITT) program at Queen’s University.