Short Desciption

This project bring together 6 Special Schools from EU all with a slightly different area of focus and expertise but all school are aware of the social isolation of their pupils. Our project aims to tackle this issue and enable our pupils to play a more productive and involved role in our European society. Our efforts aim to ensure we raise skill levels of these vulnerable students and have a direct and life long impact on the connectivity with society in general.

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Mobility to Ptuj, Slovenia 20. - 24 . March 2023 - Activities

From 20th -24th March 2023 we carried out teacher mobility to a partner school in Ptuj, Slovenia. This record summarizes the activities carried out.

Activity 1: Presentation of the Slovenian Special Education System and the schools program through ppt. presentation and open discussion. The partners were get a knowledge about Slovenian school system for special needs. In this way they were able to compare Slovenian school system with their and see similarities or differences between school systems.

Special education system in Slovenia ( presentation)

Presentation of Primary school dr. Ljudevita Pivka Ptuj  ( presentation) 

SLOVENIAN SCHOOL SYSTEM

Activity 2: Presentation of the Halliwick Concept of swimming for disabled people. Partners were get familiar with the theoretical frame of the Halliwick concept of swimming in accordance with new experiences and scientific advances. It was also presented the connection of swimming with the expression of emotions and the importance of this activity for the regulation of abnormal behaviors. All participant will had chance to see this method in the swimming pool with our teachers and students in video and see how Halliwick concept of swimming for children work.

Our aim was to promote to the partners the Halliwick Concept of teaching swimming and rehabilitation in water throughout the partner's visit and develop a better understanding of the therapeutic needs of children with neuro developmental difficulties (Cerebral Palsy and similar conditions), how to address these needs using the Halliwick Concept of swimming and rehabilitation in water, at an advanced level.

The Halliwick concept of swimming  ( presentation )


Activity 3: Mobile service provided by disability experts : Within special institutions and schools with the adapted programme, there is a mobile service provided by disability experts. They are responsible for the provision of aid required to overcome deficiencies, barriers and disorders. Their job is to visit children, pupils and students at pre-schools. Special educational support is offered by specialized mobile teachers in mainstream elementary schools. This support is generally offered to special needs pupils with specific learning disabilities. All partners had a chance to hear from school expert Mrs. Aleksandra Serec Šijanec,  mobile teachers, how this work with students takes place.

Our goal was to show Slovenian idea about individual support to the students with SEN in Mainstraim schools and how this support works. Partners also learned about the process of identifying children with special needs.

 Individual support for SEN students in mainstram schools ( presentation) 

 Activity 4: Presentation of Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) This is a type of therapy that involves animals as a form of treatment. The our mobile teachers, how this work with students takes place.. Activity 4: Presentation of Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) This is a type of therapy that involves animals as a form of treatment. The use of therapy animals in schools has just recently become popular.The goal of AAT is to improve a patients social, emotional, or cognitive functioning. Surveys about therapy animals have proven to lower anxiety and motivate participation of SEN pupils. In school education, the pupil may be motivated to brush the animal or walk with it.The purpose of this activity is to explore how animal-assisted therapy in schools, specifically using dogs, could be a complimentary and supportive form of intervention provided by social workers in a school setting. The animal is seen as a friend and ally, thus presenting a safe atmosphere for sharing and interaction. Therapy animals serve as non-judgmental companions in the process of learning and development. They are used for everything from help with lessons to teaching social skills and responsibility. They help pupils with emotional problems that interfere with school, including grief and personal crisis theory. Slovneian techer Mrs. Tanja Kaučevič has got a lincec for activities with dog, so she presented her work with his dog Vilma in the school, also partners saw the video how our students also socialize with other animals in and out of school.  All partners had opportunity to see the benefits of having therapy dogs in the classroom which are: -Physical benefits. Interaction with therapy dogs has been shown to reduce blood pressure, provide physical stimulation and assist with pain management. –Social benefits. A visiting therapy dog promotes greater self-esteem and focused interaction with other students and teachers. -Cognitive benefits. It has been empirically proven that therapy dogs stimulate memory and problem-solving skills. -Emotional and mental health benefits. A recent national survey of adolescent mental health found that about 8 to 10 percent of teens ages 13 to 18 have an anxiety disorder. A therapy dog can lift moods in the classroom, often provoking laughter. The therapy dog is also there to offer friendship and a shoulder to lean on for students.

Animal assisted therapy ( presentation) 






Sunday, March 26, 2023

March WITH BLUE BALLOONS - dr. Ljudevita Pivka Ptuj, Slovenia

On Tuesday, March 21, we celebrated World Down Syndrome Day in Ptuj with a march with blue balloons.

We colored the city with blue balloons and hearty smiles. On the Town Square in front of the town hall, we prepared a short cultural program with musical performances by students - a choir, a dance and a drum group.

As every year, we were joined this year by the mayor of Ptuj Municipality, Mrs. Nuška Gajšek, who herself wore two different socks. The slogan of this year's day is "With us, not for us" and carries a message about the desire for inclusion and active participation in the community.

Having Down syndrome means having something more. Not just an extra chromosome in every cell of the body, but also an extra pinch of tenderness, light and infinite, different beauty. Anyone who takes the time to get to know people with Down syndrome notices this.

This year's march was also joined by our partners from the GET TO KNOW US project from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Germany, Austria and Croatia.

foto: T.N.

foto: T.N.


foto: T.N.


foto: T.N.


foto: T.N.


foto: T.N.


foto: T.N.


foto: T.N.


foto: S.K.L.

foto: S.K.L.

foto: S.K.L.

foto: S.K.L.

Mayor, Mrs. Nuška Gajšek; foto: S.K.L.

foto: S.K.L.

foto: T.N.





Tuesday, March 21, 2023

World Down Syndrome Day - Tomislav Špoljar, Varaždin Croatia

On Tuesday, March 21, students marked Down Syndrome Day. Children from the Bambi Kindergarten came to their guests, so they painted socks together and played games.