PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON SUPPORTING MENTAL WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN MACAO

ABSTRACT

本研究旨在探討澳門幼稚園教師對《本地學制正規教育學生評核制度》（以下簡稱《評核制度》）的態度，了解教師對《評核制度》的認知與理解、情感體驗與支持度，以及教師在幼稚園推行《評核制度》時的情況，包括面對的一些困境和挑戰。研究者利用質性研究中的「半結構式訪談法」收集了八位幼稚園教師的訪談資料，並運用「主題分析法」對訪談資料進行深入分析。 研究結果顯示，教師們普遍認同《評核制度》的理念價值，認為《評核制度》有助全面評估學生的學習過程與能力發展，令教師更了解學生的不同長處和潛在能力，從而提供適切教學，同時也能改善傳統評核方式對學生造成的學習壓力。但在具體的認知層面上，多數教師對《評核制度》具體內容的理解仍顯不足，往往僅停留在「多元評核」等關鍵概念的表面認識，對於評核依據的細節掌握有限，甚至有部分教師的認知與法規要求存在明顯落差。從實踐層面來看，受訪教師均表示其任職學校有實行《評核制度》，但各校對《評核制度》的內容理解不同，訂定的評核項目數量差異大，建立了非常不同的評核指標體系。另外，教師們表示實踐中面臨時間壓力、工作繁重、主觀性對評分的影響、理想與現實的落差和家長溝通等挑戰。 總體而言，在《評核制度》推行的五年間，受訪的八所學校均有按法規推行，但教師們對《評核制度》理念的理解與其在教學實務中如何推行，部分與法規之間存在一定程度的落差，研究者建議加強政府、學校與教師三方的持續溝通與協作來逐步改善，讓法規能真正發揮效用，推動澳門教育發展邁向新階段。 THIS STUDY AIMS TO EXPLORE MACAU KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS “STUDENT ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FOR FORMAL EDUCATION OF LOCAL EDUCATION SYSTEM” (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM), EXAMINING THEIR UNDERSTANDING, EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES AND THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR THE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES THEY FACE IN IMPLEMENTING IT IN KINDERGARTENS. USING A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACH, DATA WERE COLLECTED THROUGH SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH EIGHT KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS AND ANALYZED USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS. THE FINDINGS REVEAL THAT TEACHERS GENERALLY RECOGNIZE THE CONCEPTUAL VALUE OF THE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM, BELIEVING IT FACILITATES A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF STUDENTS’ LEARNING PROCESSES AND DEVELOPMENTAL CAPABILITIES. THIS ENABLES TEACHERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND STUDENTS’ STRENGTHS AND POTENTIAL, PROVIDE TAILORED INSTRUCTION, AND ALLEVIATE THE LEARNING PRESSURE ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT METHODS. HOWEVER, AT THE COGNITIVE LEVEL, MOST TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM, OFTEN GRASPING ONLY SURFACE-LEVEL CONCEPTS SUCH AS “DIVERSE ASSESSMENT,” WITH SOME SHOWING CLEAR DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. IN TERMS OF PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION, ALL INTERVIEWED TEACHERS REPORTED THAT THEIR SCHOOLS HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM, BUT INTERPRETATIONS OF ITS CONTENT VARY SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS SCHOOLS, RESULTING IN DIVERSE ASSESSMENT ITEMS AND INDICATOR SYSTEMS. TEACHERS ALSO HIGHLIGHTED CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTATION, INCLUDING TIME CONSTRAINTS, HEAVY WORKLOADS, THE INFLUENCE OF SUBJECTIVITY ON GRADING, DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN IDEALS AND REALITY, AND DIFFICULTIES IN COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS. GENERALLY SPEAKING, ALL EIGHT SCHOOLS HAVE IMPLEMENTED IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATIONS OVER THE FIVE YEARS SINCE THE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM WAS INTRODUCED. HOWEVER, THERE REMAINS A GAP BETWEEN TEACHERS’ UNDERSTANDING OF THE SYSTEM’S PRINCIPLES AND ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATION IN TEACHING, AS WELL AS SOME MISALIGNMENT WITH REGULATORY EXPECTATIONS. THE RESEARCHER SUGGESTS ENHANCING ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AMONG THE GOVERNMENT, SCHOOLS, AND TEACHERS TO GRADUALLY IMPROVE THE SYSTEM’S EFFECTIVENESS, THEREBY ADVANCING MACAO’S EDUCATION SYSTEM TO A NEW STAGE.