Gentle teaching: when affection has a place in education

Abstract

The concept of Gentle Teaching first appeared in professional journals in 1985, as a non-aversive behavioral intervention strategy for people with intellectual disabilities. This approach is based on four fundamental pillars: safety, affection, being able to be affectionate, and commitment or attachment. The application of Gentle Teaching differs from traditional ways of intervening in behavioral problems, proposing to create spaces for inclusion for those who live marginalized. It is an approach still little known in the educational context. However, its principles, aligned with learner-centered thinking, can be applied to learning and inclusion contexts, allowing students to feel safe, loved, and accepted in their unique way of being. The Gentle Teaching methodology uses four essential tools: presence, eye contact or gaze, touch, and verbal communication or words. This paper was developed to understand how Gentle Teaching has arisen, its course and development, the concept, principles, objectives, and the potential for application to educational contexts.