The Evolutionary Process of the Paraprofessional System in Inclusive Education

在融合教育中，专业助手又称为教师助手、教师辅助人员，在我国常称为“影子老师”。尽管称呼存在差异，但本质上都是为特殊儿童提供必要支持与保障的重要角色。而专业助手制度则是在融合教育背景下为帮助有特殊需求的学生更好地融入普通学校教育而设立的一种制度，在西方发达国家建立较早。文章介绍并总结了融合教育专业助手制度的起源、制度化、深化三个阶段，在此基础上分析他国专业助手制度演变历程发展的若干经验，结合我国学前融合教育“影子教师”当前所处的困境，认为可以从个人、社会、国家三个层面做出努力和改进，为我国融合教育的发展提供相应参考。In inclusive education, professional assistants, also referred to as teacher aides or paraprofessionals, are commonly known in China as “shadow teachers.” Despite differences in terminology, these roles fundamentally serve the same purpose: to provide essential support and safeguards for children with special needs. The paraprofessional system was established within the context of inclusive education to help students with special educational needs better integrate into mainstream schooling, and it emerged relatively early in developed Western countries. This paper introduces and summarizes the development of the professional assistant system in inclusive education through three key stages: its origin, institutionalization, and further development. On this basis, the paper analyzes the evolution and experiences of professional assistant systems in other countries. In light of the current challenges faced by “shadow teachers” in China’s preschool inclusive education, the study argues that improvements and efforts should be made at the individual, societal, and national levels. These insights aim to offer valuable reference points for advancing inclusive education in China.