Senso de autoeficácia de professoras de alunos com autismo na educação infantil

Abstract

This work is a case study that aims to understand the sense of self-efficacy reported by five teachers of children with autism, in a School of Early Childhood Education in the city of Belo Horizonte. Initially, the concept of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), its characteristics and its manifestation in early childhood are presented. Subsequently, the concept, legislation, objectives and main characteristics of Early Childhood Education are presented as a privileged space to provide the integral development of children aged up to 5 years. In briefly addressing the legislation of Inclusive Education in Brazil, the role of the teacher is highlighted in its importance and in its challenges for an effective performance with regard to the inclusion of children with autism. Based on the Sense of self-efficacy, formulation present in Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, data collected in interviews with the teachers are presented and analyzed according to the emerging contents and categories such as: initial and continuing education, previous experience, feelings, behaviors in the face of challenges and motivation to seek support. Finally, the discussion and results are presented, seeking to understand from the perspective of human functioning, analyzing the speeches in the aspects of direct personal agency, delegated agency and collective agency, keeping the focus on the teachers' self-efficacy belief.