ISOTIS releases the report "Inventory and analysis of professional development and models related to inclusiveness", authored by Pauline Slot, Bodine Romijn and Olga Wysłowska. The report addresses European professional development initiatives that are either focused at the topic of cultural and linguistic diversity and inclusiveness, or that are considered promising regarding the approach used (i.e. including team-based models, using ICT in the intervention or targeting professionals working with hard to reach groups). The inventory included 81 interventions from ten countries (Czech Republic, England, Flemish Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Portugal). According to the report:

"Reflection appeared to be an important strategy for changing professionals' knowledge, skills and attitudes. Therefore, reflection should have a stronger and more prominent role in the organisation of continuous professional development within organisations. This requires providing ample time for reflection and constructively facilitating the reflection process, either by an external expert or by someone within the organisation.

A focus on professionals' knowledge, skills and particularly attitudes seems to be especially important when addressing topics that can be considered more sensitive, such as cultural diversity or inclusiveness, or when working with specific target groups, such as second language learners or Romani families.

A comprehensive approach involving a combination of theory and practice, together with combined face-to-face and online delivery modes as well as the use of different strategies, such as training, coaching and reflection, appears to work best when targeting different types of professionals and professionals at different levels in the organization.

Professionals working with the youngest children in Early Childhood Education and Care provisions could benefit from a stronger focus on multilingualism in professional development initiatives, as this appears to be scarce now.

The use of ICT could be enhanced in professional development initiatives, but at the same time face-to-face contact appears to be essential as well. Thus it seems important to strike a balance between the two in a way that they strengthen each other."

Read more:
Executive summary
Full report