Dr. Halmat Faieeq

A Short Bio / زانیاری کەسیی / سيرة ذاتية قصيرة :

Biography: Halmat Darwsh Mahmood is a fourth-year PhD student at Nazarbayev University’s Graduate School of Education, specializing in inclusive education and special education. His research focuses on enhancing the educational experiences of children with disabilities. Halmat holds a master’s degree in Educational and Psychological Foundations from Valparaiso University, USA, and has seven years of experience teaching special education and educational psychology at the University of Garmian. He has also been a member of the Inclusive Education Project for Iraq, participating in three conferences in Germany and Turkey, which reflects his commitment to fostering inclusive educational environments.

Category / پۆلێن / الفئة :

Equity and Inclusivity in Teaching and Education

Seminar Title / ناونیشانی بابەت / عنوان الندوة :

Strategies for Enhancing Inclusive Education in Primary Schools in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Abstract / پوختە / الملخص :

Inclusive education, which promotes equitable participation of all students, fosters societal inclusion and equal opportunities. The Salamanca Conference in 1994 sparked a global commitment to inclusivity, influencing many countries, including Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), to adopt the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and supportive educational policies. The purpose of this study is to explore effective strategies for enhancing inclusive education in primary schools in the KRI, drawing on teachers’ experiences and insights. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with educators to explore their strategies for fostering inclusivity. To capture the complex dynamics shaping teachers’ experiences in inclusive education, this study employs Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1979). This theoretical framework facilitates a nuanced and context-sensitive exploration of the multiple layers within the educational ecosystem, enabling a comprehensive understanding of strategies for enhancing inclusive education. The findings highlight essential strategies, such as establishing peer support systems to enhance empathy among students, providing comprehensive teacher training to adapt methods for diverse learners, ensuring access to adequate resources, involving families to promote communication and support, employing innovative teaching approaches to address various learning styles, and cultivating a school culture that values diversity. This research contributes practical insights tailored to the KRI, informing policymakers and educators while offering a framework for improving inclusive practices that can be adapted in similar contexts.

Keywords / وشە سەرەکیەکان / الكلمات المفتاحية :

Inclusive education, primary schools, teachers strategies, Ecological system theory, Implementation