Formação docente e transtorno do espectro autista: desafios e possibilidades no cotidiano escolar

Abstract

This dissertation, part of the research project "Teacher Training and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Challenges and Possibilities in Daily School Life," conducted for a Master's degree in Education from the Catholic University of Santos, addressed the challenges faced by primary and secondary school teachers when working with the inclusion of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). According to data from the 2023 School Census, the number of students enrolled in regular education reached 1.7 million, with the highest concentration in primary education. Of these, 636,202 (35.9%) are students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Given this scenario, this qualitative, critical-humanistic research posed the following question: what are the training difficulties faced by primary and secondary school teachers in their work with the inclusion of students with ASD? The overall objective was to identify the training difficulties faced by primary and secondary school teachers in working with these students. The specific objectives were: to analyze the perception of teacher training for working with students with ASD; to identify the main challenges faced by teachers in the daily routine of inclusion; and to propose training material on ASD for teachers in service. The theoretical framework was based on legislation on educational inclusion and authors such as Maria Teresa Eglér Mantoan, Lucelmo Lacerda de Brito, Paulo Freire, Claudio Roberto Baptista, Tiago Castro, and Debora Kecher. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers from two public schools in Praia Grande – SP, from the initial years of elementary school, selected by the management teams. Thematic content analysis (Bardin's technique) was used for analysis. The results showed that teachers face significant challenges in the inclusion of students with ASD, mainly due to a lack of specific initial and continuing training, the absence of pedagogical resources, and limited institutional support. The development of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP), although recognized for its importance, still occurs in isolation and without the technical support that teachers would like. It was also observed that collaboration between teachers, professionals from Specialized Educational Services (SEN), and therapists is weak, hindering the development of integrated pedagogical practices. Furthermore, the school-family relationship still presents obstacles, especially given the resistance of some parents to accepting the child's diagnosis. On the other hand, teachers demonstrated a growing interest in pedagogical and therapeutic practices, as well as in the articulation between health and education. It is concluded that true school inclusion will only be possible when science, ethics, and critical thinking unite in favor of a truly emancipatory and humanizing education. It is hoped that this research can contribute to reflection on teacher training regarding the inclusion of students with ASD, through the identification of formative difficulties and obstacles that teachers face when working with these students.