Formação e atuação docente diante do ensino de crianças com autismo em uma escola municipal de João Pessoa

Abstract

Debates on inclusive education and teacher education show that significant challenges still persist in preparing teachers to work with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study aimed to understand, based on the perceptions of teachers from the early years of Elementary School in a municipal school in João Pessoa, Paraíba, how these professionals analyze their training and teaching practices in the face of the challenges of including autistic children. The research, with a qualitative approach, was developed through interviews guided by a semi-structured questionnaire, articulating teachers’ narratives with theoretical and legal references on teacher education and inclusive pedagogical practice. These contents were analyzed in dialogue with authors who discuss inclusive education, teacher professionalization, and the specificities of pedagogical work, such as Coll (2000), Garcia and Martins (n.d.), Libâneo (1990; 2012), Martins (2011), Mendes (2010), Nóvoa (1992; 2019), and Veiga (2008). The results revealed gaps in initial teacher education, particularly due to the absence of specific content on autism, which corroborates António Nóvoa’s (2019) critique regarding the historical indifference of universities toward teacher education. In this context, teachers highlight continuing professional development as the main pathway for reconstructing teaching knowledge, reaffirming the need for such training to be ongoing, context-based, and practiceoriented. The participants’ statements also indicated that overcoming the gaps between theory and practice requires training that prioritizes adaptive methodologies, concrete teaching strategies, and collaborative spaces for reflection. Among the challenges identified are late diagnosis, lack of institutional support, and the need for stronger articulation among schools, families, and specialized professionals. Finally, the study underscores the need for further research in inclusive education, particularly regarding the teaching-learning process of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, with the aim of expanding the debate, strengthening teacher education, and contributing to the development of public policies that ensure the right to learning and participation for all students who require specialized educational support.