Abstract:

Since 2009 the law of inclusion was implemented in Israel, by the Ministry of Education. The intention was to lead a policy of integrating pupils age 3-21, with special needs, in the regular education classrooms. Yet, there are still segregated classrooms in regular schools. The inclusion in such classrooms is mainly of individuals according to their capabilities. As a development of this process, in 2017 the law was broadened in order to reach full inclusion of these pupils.

Obviously, the inclusion of pupils with special needs in a populated classroom requires embedment of new strategies, methods and approaches. It requires a pedagogy that is aware to the emotional needs of pupils. We take in account that the pupils that are going through this process of inclusion, need psychological support in order to back their resilience and assist them in feeling coherent in the populated classrooms. Moreover, they need new and integrated teaching methods as a mean in order to facilitate the learning of standardized subjects.

In this paper we will describe two new therapeutic professions, that emerged from the main theories of psychology. It reveals the evolution of these professions and the practical influence of techniques and concepts of art therapy (AT) and animal assisted psychotherapy(AAP) integrated in education and teaching.

Art therapy and AAP are two approaches that are successfully practiced in groups and with individuals. Art therapy has already gained its legitimacy in the psychotherapy and educational arena .AAP, however, is an occupation that has not yet undergone through professionalization process in Israel. And yet it is well known that it has a very effective practice with impacts on psychological, sensory regulation, attention span and assimilation of concepts and subject contents.

We will demonstrate practical examples that show the use of practices derived from art therapy and animal assisted theAAP, in schools and kindergartens. We will describe the use of these practices in subjects from the regular curriculum, how it assists the learners to show their knowledge in a multiple expressive ways.

Keywords:

Inclusive learning, Art therapy, Animal assisted psychotherapy, emotional pedagogy.