CHILDREN WITH AUTISM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: STRATEGIES AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES

Abstract

The inclusion of autistic children in early childhood education requires not only the adaptation of teaching methodologies, but also the awareness and continuous training of educators from the perspective of the social model, along with the creation of a welcoming and stimulating school environment. Despite existing regulations, it is still perceived that inclusion is not being implemented more effectively in schools in our country, and there is a lack of professionals prepared to serve this population. In this context, this article aimed to discuss the gap in the understanding of autism from the perspective of neurodiversity and inclusion measures in the school environment. The topic is relevant to discuss because it is a reality for teaching practice. In this sense, this bibliographic research aims to analyze scientific productions that address teachers' conceptions of autism in early childhood education, its challenges, and their teaching practices. The theorists who supported the discussions and reflections presented in this work were: Monteiro (2024); Cordeiro (2017); Santos (2018); Portella (2022) among others. This work aims to incite reflections on the relevance of including autistic children in early childhood education, as well as the challenges that educators face. Furthermore, it seeks to highlight how teaching practices can facilitate the implementation of inclusion, transforming education into an environment of genuine acceptance and appreciation of differences.