COGNITIVE EFFICIENCY OF PRIMARY SCHOOL LEARNERS IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: PSYCHOLOGICAL, PEDAGOGICAL, AND INSTRUCTIONAL PATHWAYS
Keywords:
cognitive efficiency; inclusive education; primary school; attention; working memory; executive functions; universal design for learning; scaffolding; differentiation; formative assessmentAbstract
Inclusive education aims to ensure that all children—regardless of ability, learning difficulty, language background, or disability—participate meaningfully in the same learning community. A central quality indicator of inclusion is learners’ cognitive efficiency: the extent to which pupils can sustain attention, process information, use memory effectively, apply strategies, and demonstrate progress in academic tasks. This article examines cognitive efficiency in primary grades through psychological and pedagogical lenses, explaining how inclusive classroom conditions influence attention control, working memory, executive functions, motivation, and metacognition. The article also proposes a practical framework for teachers to support cognitive efficiency via universal design for learning (UDL), scaffolding, differentiated instruction, cooperative learning, formative assessment, and strategy teaching. Finally, it discusses ethical considerations in assessment and highlights evidence-informed diagnostic tools suitable for inclusive settings.
Downloads
References
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 7–74.
Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2011). Index for inclusion: Developing learning and participation in schools (3rd ed.). Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education.
Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168.
Florian, L. (2014). What counts as evidence of inclusive education? European Journal of Special Needs Education, 29(3), 286–294.
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2009). An educational psychology success story: Social interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational Researcher, 38(5), 365–379.
Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Rose, D. H., & Meyer, A. (2002). Teaching every student in the digital age: Universal design for learning. ASCD.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners (2nd ed.). ASCD.
UNESCO. (1994). The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education. UNESCO.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wood, D., Bruner, J. S., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 17(2), 89–100.
