Reflexivity in Prospective Special Needs Teachers: Processes of Professional Identity Construction

Abstract

The study, grounded in reflective professionalism and transformative learning, examines how future support teachers develop their professional identity. It explores identity and reflective dimensions in Italian CSS trainees and their contribution to a reflective teaching identity. The exploratory-interpretive design involved 114 trainees who completed a validated five-dimension questionnaire. Analyses reveal strong intrinsic motivation, clear sense of social role, openness to experimentation and technology use, while assessment skills and school–family collaboration are weaker. The findings offer insights to strengthen the CSS curriculum, supporting reflective writing, assessment for learning and collaborative digital design.