Abstract:

The main purpose of the study was to diagnose the training needs of the teachers of the special education, taking into account organizational and educational aspects.

The respondents were teachers of the special education selected from various schools cooperating with The Maria Grzegorzewska University in the field of improvement of the qualifications of teachers and practical preparation of students. In total, 319 teachers (82% of them were women) with a teaching experience from 1 to 45 years participated in the study.

The study was conducted using the diagnostic poll method, and the survey technique was used to collect data. A questionnaire specially constructed for the needs of the survey included questions related to the teachers' previous experience in the field of the vocational training, preferred forms of improvement and the way of their implementation, motivation to improve qualifications. A large part of the questions served to determine the thematic areas of training, which in the opinion of the respondents are the most important for their professional development.
The teachers assessed the usefulness of the following thematic areas of training:
- Work planning with a student
- Organization of a didactic process
- Outcomes of work with a student
- Using new technologies in teaching/learning
- Teamwork
- Teacher’s effectiveness
- Education law
- School/institution development

The research results are as follows:
Almost all surveyed teachers (94%) participated at least once a year in various trainings organized in their work place as a part of the In-School Vocational Training.
E-learning courses are definitely less popular, only every fifth teacher (20%) used this form of professional development at least once a year.
Among the topics in the scope of Work planning with a student 67% of the teachers considered Individualization of the teaching process and adaptation of educational requirements as very useful. 60% of the teachers valued Constructing Individual Educational and Therapeutic Programs this way.
In the field of Organization of the didactic and educational process, 75% of the teachers found training on the methods of solving educational and behavioral difficulties as very useful.
The teachers showed high interest in improving their qualifications in the use of high technologies in teaching and learning. As very useful training topics they chose: Assistive technologies - devices and software for the disabled (62%); The use of interactive whiteboard (57%); Creating multimedia teaching aids (57%).
In the field of teamwork, 60% of respondents considered the improvement in Conflict solving as very important and 63% of them valued Cooperation with the student's family and the local community.
Half of the surveyed teachers were very interested in training on relaxation and concentration techniques as well as hygiene and emission of the voice in the teachers’ work.
The Education Law trainings turned out to be less attractive and only 36% of the researched group found them useful.
In the area of School/institution development 56% of the teachers chose the topic Adjustment of work conditions to the needs of students with disabilities as a very useful one. 45% of respondents chose Extending school's educational offer.

Keywords:

Teachers, special education, professional development.