Ideological Dilemmas in Special Needs Education: practitioners’ views

Abstract

This study explored what sense groups of educators from Pennsylvania, USA and Northamptonshire, England made of policy issues in the special needs education field. The aim was to find out first, to what extent individual educators recognised the presence or not of dilemmas associated with the identification of pupils with special educational needs, a common curriculum for all, parent‐professional relationships and integration in mainstream classes; and second, whether they believed that these dilemmas could be resolved and how they would resolve them. It was found that educators in both countries saw dilemmas associated with the identification, common curriculum and integration, but not with parent—professional relationships. Resolutions of the dilemmas showed a similar set of contrasting perspectives in both countries. These findings are interpreted as illustrating the ideological nature of the dilemmas which underlie policy issues in special needs education.     

Predicting Girls’ Learning Behaviour in Secondary School Mathematics Lessons from Motivational and Learning Environment Factors

Previous studies in secondary schools in disadvantaged areas have shown that learning intentions and behaviour in lessons could be predicted from factors related to the classroom context, such as prior learning behaviour and self efficacy judgements. However, attitudes and perceived pressures do not predict intentions and behaviour. In addition to investigating these relationships in an independent girls’ school, this study also explored the significance of goal orientation and perceived learning environment for learning intentions and behaviour. Seventy pupils aged 12‐14 years from two age groups, each with two ability groups, took part in a repeated measures study during maths lessons over 7 weeks. The results confirmed that attitudes and subjective norm did not predict intention and learning behaviour. Past learning behaviour related predictively to lesson behaviour and self efficacy judgements about being able to engage in learning behaviours. Self efficacy, which was itself predicted by perceptions of class cohesion and reports of goal orientation, was the best predictor of learning intentions, which was in turn the only predictor of learning behaviour. The results are discussed in terms of the possible significance of learning attitudes when there is subject choice. They also point to the need for further study of the relationships between perceived learning environment, self efficacy and learning intentions.     

Evaluating Children’s Participation in SEN Procedures: Lessons for educational psychologists

This paper reports the findings from a study of the participation of children with special educational needs (SEN) in decision‐making about their needs in a sample of mainstream schools which were self‐selected for having promising practices. The findings show promising practices in eliciting views, the importance of a school participation ethos and inconsistencies between policy and practices. The study also illustrates the complexity and challenge of consulting and sharing decision making with children and young people. The outcomes are discussed in terms of educational psychologists becoming involved in research and in supporting whole school developments of participation practices.     

Teacher Support Teams for Special Educational Needs in Primary Schools: evaluating a teacher-focused support scheme

This paper reports on part of an evaluation of teacher support teams (TSTs) as a special education needs (SEN) support strategy in primary schools. Using a mixture of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods, it focuses on areas derived from a theoretical framework for understanding schools’ approaches to SENs. TSTs were set up and run in six of the eight schools, with meetings of between 30 and 45 minutes, usually during lunchtime or after school. Most of the referrals were about behaviour problems, though many were about learning difficulties. The support included providing emotional encouragement, specific approaches to managing behaviour, teaching strategies and consulting others. Referring teachers reported that their TST experience led to increased confidence and some improvements in the children, while TST members themselves believed that they had gained much from the TST experience. Overall the study showed the feasibility and benefits of setting up TSTs in primary schools. The findings are discussed in terms of the wider benefits of TSTs and their relevance to special needs policies and the implementation of the SENs code of practice.     

Dyslexia‐friendly schools and parent partnership: inclusion and home–school relationships

This paper summarizes an action research project in five local areas in the south‐west of England which aimed to support parents of children with dyslexic difficulties who were experiencing problems in obtaining appropriate provision in mainstream schools. It was based on the importance of effective parental partnership and quality inclusive practice for children having dyslexic difficulties. A development officer worked over two years in the five participating LEAs that were selected to represent a range of professional practice with a mix of urban and rural populations. As part of the evaluation, the authors also examined longitudinally the educational experiences of a sample of parents. The paper includes a conceptual framework of parental agency in this field in terms of knowledge, identity and parental strategies, and the conditions under which parents escalate their strategies to secure appropriate provision for their children. The support provided by the development officer is analysed in terms of the kinds of support requests received, the kinds of support offered and qualitative evidence of the impact of this support. This research is theorized in terms of current ideas about parent‐partnership and theories about parent–teacher relations in terms of the diversity of parents. It highlights the significance of thinking about inclusive schooling and parent–school relations in terms of the interconnections between general systems for all, for those with special educational needs and those with specific difficulties. The policy and practice implications are interpreted in terms of the importance of a system of extended professionalism, which is inclusive of parents with learning difficulties and disabilities.     

The Connotation of Special Education Labels for Professionals in the Field

Brahm Norwich, Professor of Educational Psychology and Special Educational Needs at Exeter University (formerly Professor of Special Education, at the Institute of Education, University of London) discusses ways in which labelling can affect attitudes to, and provision for, pupils with special educational needs. He gives details of an in-depth study on the attitudes of experienced teachers, trainee teachers and trainee educational psychologists.     

Schooling For All In South Africa: Closing The Gap

It has been widely assumed that South Africa has achieved universal basic education. Through an analysis of the 2001 census and two national enrolment datasets rather than statistical projections, this study re-examines this assumption and provides new estimates of enrolment levels in primary, basic and secondary education. Using GER, NER, and ASER indicators, disaggregated by gender and province, the study shows that access to education in South Africa is not as widespread as published sources note. While statistics show that national access levels are lower than prevailing estimates, the relatively high levels of access in some of the most disadvantaged provinces suggest the need to re-evaluate assumptions about targets for universal access for developing regions. In addition, the analysis reveals South Africa’s unexpected and provocative gendered patterns of access and participation.     

Changing policy and legislation and its effects on inclusive and special education: a perspective from England

This article, by Brahm Norwich of the Graduate School of Education, University of Exeter, sets the recent legislative changes in the special education system in England, the Children and Families Act (2014), in the context of wider changes in the school system, such as changes in curriculum–assessment, the governance of schools and inspection arrangements. It also sets out the recent legislative changes in terms of the recent history of the Labour period of government, with its adoption of market principles with social inclusion as key policy commitments. A case study of a secondary school is presented to illustrate some of these points. Despite the new legislative system being described as a radical approach involving aspiration and support for special educational needs, the article argues that proposed changes promise to be marginal and defined by policy commitments to markets and small government. Moreover, there are continuing and unresolved issues from the Labour Government period that are still to be fully addressed. Research is also presented on the distribution of pupils with Statements in secondary schools and the recent rising pattern of special school placement for the first time in 30 years.