**4. Discussion**

Analyzing the peculiarities of future teachers' education, scholars [46–48] often emphasize that cooperative environment and student support ensure a more successful adaptation to the profession and help to avoid problems encountering the reality in practice. The analysis of the data obtained during the research clearly highlighted not only the level of relationships between the participants of education processes, based on close relations, but also other areas of the professional activity and their content relevant to the student during his/her studies (see Figure 1).

**Figure 1.** Areas and sources of cognition of professional activity subtleties.

During practice, four essential professional activity areas were relevant for students: Areas related to cognition of the child as a subject of the educational process, personal professional self-education and socialization possibilities, resolve and motivation to study, and professional "field" subtleties. Teachers who already had pedagogical experience in the places of practice were the most active participants and information providers in the process of children's education and personal characteristics. Family members and activities with children also helped to ge<sup>t</sup> a better understanding and knowledge of this area. The number of distinguished themes proves that this area was the most important and significant for students. It is evident and natural that the area of cognition of the professional "field" subtleties was not less important. Difficulties in promoting research activities were emphasized by family members and working teachers, while feedback in assisting to evaluate practical activities was accentuated by university teachers.

Entrenchment in the profession both emotionally and psychologically was determined by relationships with children and colleague students. Future special educators had possibilities to evaluate their professional choice and suitability for the profession in the relation with colleague students and on their personal initiative. Reflecting on the performed actions, university teachers and family members, as the main participants of this process, helped to evaluate personal preparation for further study activities. It is often emphasized that prospective specialists' practical training is

significantly influenced by cooperation between the university teacher (tutor), mentor in the place of practice and student [49–51], which helps to better understand and know the professional field. The data of the conducted research disclosed that, during their practice, students had received the best knowledge of the subtleties of practice and the perception of their role in the profession from family members. This enables to assume that the influence of the family in the process of education is often devalued, although this significantly contributes to the wider extension of knowledge in one's field and more successful formation of the professional identity. General discussion of practice problems with family members, psychological support, promotion of professional resolve, and investigative activities helped students to adapt more successfully to practice places, avoid unpleasant emotions, and negative experiences. Cooperation with family members through sharing experiences led to greater self-confidence of students as future specialists and enhanced motivation to go deep into their study area.

Information provided by special educators and teachers and meaningful cooperation at school created situations that warranted the students to go deep into the study area and enabled them to perceive strategies of communication with children, and to evaluate their roles as future specialists with personality traits that are needed to work with children. They also learnt to understand the specificity of organization of teaching and learning activities, and how to apply concrete working methods. Sharing of professional experience broadened the understanding of the ways of children's involvement in learning, situation managemen<sup>t</sup> and task differentiation. Conditions created for students to personally involve themselves in concrete activities helped them to understand positive and difficult moments of implementing their future professional roles by learning from experience. Scholars notice that absence of external assistance during practice often causes many social, psychological and other problems [52–57]. Quite often these causes become the reason for termination of studies; therefore, practice mentors' and other teachers' assistance namely during observational practice was particularly important and necessary.

Subtleties of the future specialty unfolded through relations with children with special educational needs: Knowledge of children, understanding of ways of acting with children in a concrete situation, acquisition of communication skills in individual communication, children's attachment and provision of assistance for them were the main factors that determined better professional roles and emotional-psychological entrenchment in the profession of the students as prospective special educators.

Student colleagues' moral support was particularly needed for students who were still in doubt of their choice. Discussion of problems and personal experiences through students' cooperation helped to prevent distanced students from making spontaneous decision to quit their studies. Curiosity and personal initiative during practice enabled students to identify difficulties of their professional activities, also is the issue of independently communicating with children, and systematizing received information. The efficacy of reflective learning is determined not only by the relationship between the university teachers, teachers of the institution and students but also by the relationship between the very learners-practitioners. Cooperation between the latter in the reflective learning process is emphasized by Fisher and Somerton [21] and Dempsey et al. [58], who state that sharing ideas and attitudes with other people who outlived similar experiences is the basis of reflection. Student-student communication facilitates learning and application of existing knowledge. Students, purposefully simulating experienced teachers' activities, developed professionally, took over the methodological experience of education, deepened their understanding about children's special educational needs, and improved their skills of behavior with children and tactics of solving problems.

Analysing the features of manifestation of the teacher education process, it is emphasized that while learning there must be an environment ensuring the learner's autonomy and independence, clear system of incentives and activity priorities, effective feedback, and comprehensive communication and cooperation possibilities for the participants of the educational process [59–61]. One of the ways in which the administration of the higher education institution can facilitate effective relationships is

simulation of reflective practices [32]. Teachers of the higher education institution (tutors), practice supervisors in schools (mentors) should create conditions for students to see and hear them reflecting in the classroom, practice places and individual meetings. Since reflection is often a personal process, its simulation requires willingness and abilities of the teacher and practitioner who is already working at school to unfold.

Based on the obtained results, it should be recommended that, considering the aims of the first—observational—students' practice, the content of organization of studies should be adjusted: The first week before the observational practice should be dedicated not to studying separate subjects, but to cognitive-practical sessions, providing the basics of application of self-reflection in practice. It is recommended that the teachers who are responsible for practical studies should provide information to practitioners about the problems faced by students, necessary theoretical and methodological information about reflection as a reflective learning tool and its application possibilities during practice in the interaction with the trainee. This can be implemented by attending a concrete educational institution during the student's practice. It is recommended to develop didactic mentoring competencies of practitioners who supervise the student's practice, applying various possible teaching/learning forms. It is recommended to systematically plan and arrange meetings of working specialists and students at least once a month before the beginning of the study practice, through cooperation to find out and discover a general understanding of the aims and nature of the foreseen practice, combining students' and practitioners' expectations, needs and possibilities.
