Supporting the inclusion of pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in the primary school: the role of teaching assistants

During the past ten years in the UK there has been a considerable increase in the number of teaching assistants (TAs) appointed to work alongside teachers in schools. A significant number of these colleagues are appointed to support pupils with special educational needs (SEN), including those with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). This paper reports on the ways in which the role of the teaching assistant in supporting pupils with SEBD has been developed in schools for pupils aged 7–11 years in one English Local Education Authority (LEA). It suggests that there are several models of support emerging and that the role of the teaching assistant is perceived as crucial to the effective inclusion of pupils with SEBD in mainstream classrooms.     

The 1981 Education Act in Derbyshire

Derbyshire Local Education Authority reviews its arrangements for providing a service to pupils with special educational needs. Julien Kramer, assistant education officer, special needs, reports that while the new procedures find general acceptance there are some warts that need to be treated.     

The role of the special needs assistant supporting pupils with special educational needs in Irish mainstream primary schools

In this article the author describes a small‐scale study into the role of the special needs assistant (SNA) supporting the inclusion of pupils with learning difficulties in the Irish Republic. The findings regarding the perspectives of teachers, principals, SNAs, pupils supported by SNAs and their parents on the support offered to three pupils are also described. The actual (as distinct from the prescribed) role of SNAs, including the issue of SNAs working in a general rather than a pupil‐specific capacity, and the nature of the SNA‐teacher relationship are discussed. The main findings emerging from the data were that the role of the SNA is one of both education and care and that SNAs are a welcome support for inclusion. Issues emerging from the study include the need for effective communication and planning, shared understanding of the role and responsibilities of SNAs and ongoing monitoring of the way in which support is provided.     

Statistical trends and developments within inclusive education in Turkey

The education of students with special needs in an inclusive environment is becoming more widespread throughout the world. Similarly, in Turkey, the inclusion of students with disabilities has also improved. However, current statistical trends and developments within inclusive education are not well known. The purpose of this study is to provide a statistical analysis of special education data, which were obtained from the Ministry of National Education of Turkey. The findings indicate that some statistical components of special education are missing from most official publications of educational statistics and the number of students and the proportions of special education categories in inclusive education vary from year to year. However, in Turkey, the percentage of students in inclusive education, of all students with special needs, is higher than many European countries. The results show that the number of students with special needs, as well as students in inclusive education, has rapidly increased. Turkey needs to focus on improving the schooling rate of students with special needs, and the quality and variety of special education services within inclusive education.     

全纳学校中的辅助教师

全纳学校的成功在很大程度上取决于辅助教师的工作。辅助教师在全纳课堂中的作用主要是辅助任课教师的教学 ,满足有特殊需求学生的各种需求 ,促使有特殊需求的学生更好地融入普通学校中。辅助教师的任务十分艰巨 ,不仅在准备上课、课堂教学、辅助医疗、健康教育、班级管理等方面给学生提供帮助 ,而且在学生活动、个人卫生、人际交流等方面都要提供辅导和帮助。辅助教师和任课教师在全纳课堂中既相互合作又责任明确。但在辅助教师工作方面也还有许多问题值得探究。     

Country Briefing: Special education in Denmark

Denmark is a country with a relatively high expenditure on education, and was one of the first countries in the Integration movement. Now the country is including all but 1.25 per cent of all pupils in a comprehensive school. The 1.25 per cent are attending special schools or special classes. To make this possible, 13 per cent of all students in regular schools on a yearly basis receive special needs education support as a supplement to regular education. Special education within the regular school system has existed for 99 years, and special teacher training has a 66-year history, originating in training of speech therapists. At present, the prevalence of special needs education is between 25 and 35 per cent, and this gives rise to questions about the relation between special needs education and differentiation of instruction which, in turn, has implications for training of teachers in special needs education.     

Ordinary Schools: Some Special Help

Birmingham's endeavours to meet some of the special needs of children are described by Dennis Gray, inspector (special education), and Juliet Reeve, assistant general inspector (special educational treatment)     

Teaching Transfer Strategies to Children with Moderate Learning Difficulties

Dr David Sugden is the tutor to courses in special educational needs at the School of Education, Leeds University. Mrs Margaret Newall teaches in a special school; in 1984–5, as a research assistant at Leeds University, she took part in a study of ways to improve learning and memory in pupils with moderate learning difficulties.     

Financing special needs and inclusive education – from Salamanca to the present

ABSTRACT

The focus of this paper is upon an examination of the ‘direction of travel’ in European countries from special needs education to inclusive education – a development influenced by the Salamanca Statement. The 1994 Salamanca Statement argued that inclusive schools provide ‘an effective education for the majority of children and improve the efficiency and ultimately the cost-effectiveness of the entire education system’ (ix). Underpinning this assertion are issues around special needs and inclusive education are financed. The paper will examine the degree to which the critical issue of financing has – or has not – changed across European countries since Salamanca. This examination takes retrospective look at key issues identified in the European Agency 1999 study of funding models for special education in 17 European countries, compared and contrasted with those identified in a 2016 study of approaches to funding inclusive education in 18 European countries. This paper argues that the essential issues underpinning their financing mechanisms have changed very little. For many European countries, changing systems of financing of inclusive education can still be seen as a key lever for achieving the goal of more widespread inclusion of learners with special educational needs, as outlined in the 1994 Salamanca Statement.     

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.     

Stimulating Children to Write

This paper attempts to point up the importance of writing, in its several aspects, for children with special educational needs. Roy Edwards, assistant education officer for special services, Staffordshire, discusses something of the nature of writing and its purposes, and anecdotally describes ways that have worked with these children in special and ordinary schools.     

The role of the support teacher in Australia

In Australia, similar to European countries, there has been a continuing increase in the number of students with special needs who are now being educated in regular schools. Regular classrooms have become more diverse with the inclusion of a greater proportion of students with a range of disabilities and learning difficulties. Support for these students is provided through a number of different avenues and varies between the states and territories. All jurisdictions, to some extent, provide support teachers whose role it is to assist these students. This paper firstly considers the education of students with special needs in the Australian context and the support that is available to them. A more detailed account is subsequently provided on the specific role of the support teacher in Queensland.     

Special educational needs support and consultancy in European schools

ABSTRACT

This article outlines the current state of development of special needs support and consultancy in four European countries: Holland, the Czech Republic, England and Wales, and Germany. Models of consultancy particular to the individual countries are also described. An attempt is made by the authors to determine the key features which allow for a common development in special needs support and consultancy work. They suggest that this might provide the basis for further critical     

Responding to students' needs in special schools in Ireland and England: findings from two schools

As more students with special educational needs attend mainstream schools, it is critical that the role and operation of special schools be examined. This article reports on two case studies, one special school in England and one in Ireland, which formed part of a national review of the role of special schools and special classes in Ireland. Two students, in each case study school, were shadowed and observed during two‐day visits by the research team. These students, and everyone belonging to them, were interviewed and relevant documents were analysed. Findings are discussed in terms of responding to students' needs through: organization of teaching and learning, curriculum, leadership, specialist staff, collaboration and links outside the special school. The implications are considered with reference to research, policy and practice and the authors conclude that the evidence provides support for maintaining the special school as an integral part of the continuum of educational provision for students with special educational needs.     

Opportunities for inclusion? The education of learners with special educational needs and disabilities in special schools in Uganda

The Government of Uganda aims to provide good quality education for all learners in inclusive schools. However, some learners who have severe disabilities, including those who are deaf, will, for some time, continue to receive their education in special schools. In this article, Kirsten Kristensen, consultant in inclusive and special needs education for many countries in East Africa, Martin Omagor-Loican, Commissioner for Special Needs Education, Negris Onen, Principal Education Officer for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, both at the Ministry of Education in Sports in Uganda, and Daniel Okot, co-ordinator for the Diploma in Special Needs Education at Kyambogo University, provide an account of their study of 15 such schools. The findings from the study indicate a striking need for reform and transformation. While Uganda has an advanced structure for training teachers in special needs education, the quality of education and educational materials in special schools, is poor. Often children are admitted to special schools without proper assessment of their educational needs and the resources are not available to provide them with an appropriate range of experiences. The authors of this article call for a thoroughgoing review of provision and make a series of coherent and persuasive recommendations for developments in policy and practice focused on enabling special schools in Uganda to play an essential role in future as resource centres supporting an inclusive education system.     

论一般性公共需要和特殊公共需要

公共财政的争论很多。实际上,发展中国家要赶超发达国家,必须更好地发挥政府参与市场的积极作用,这是一种进取型的公共财政,这种进取公共财政的根本在于寻求一种市场发展战略的意图,它对于落后国家或地区的发展是特别重要的“特殊的公共需要”。提出这一概念,有助于理解我们的公共财政。     

The Rules Keep Changing: Special Education in a Reforming Education System

The character of special education is being subjected to critical review in most countries. This scrutiny should take account of the impact on special education of reforms in education more generally, Equally, all education policy makers and school personnel should ensure that the interests of students with special educational needs are taken into account. This article considers how special education intersects with education reforms in general, with reference to such issues as choice, contestability, decentralisation, and accountability. Particular attention will be paid to events which have taken place in New Zealand since the institution of major reforms in educational administration in 1989.     

Supporting the education of pupils with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: the views of teaching assistants regarding their own learning and development needs

Learning support assistants or teaching assistants play a vital role in the education of pupils with complex learning disabilities, routinely supporting students on a 1:1 basis without the direct supervision of teachers. Despite the responsibility afforded these classroom support staff, there appear to be few training programmes designed for this specialised role. This qualitative study, by Trudi Martin of the Manchester Institute of Education, was undertaken at a special school in England. The study explored the views of 17 teaching assistants and five teachers regarding the extent to which teaching assistant training equipped them to support pupils with complex learning needs. The findings illustrated that much of the training, including that on the Qualifications and Credit Framework, provided inadequate information and guidance. Without sufficient knowledge to underpin their practice, teaching assistants are impeded in the educational support they can give to pupils, who face significant learning challenges, with a resultant impact on their students' ability to learn and develop new skills.     

Supporting Pupils in Finnish and Swedish Schools—Teachers’ Views

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the different support systems used by teachers in compulsory education. Class and subject teachers and special educators from Finland (N?=?57) and Sweden (N?=?57) participated in the study, in which both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Participants completed an electronic questionnaire to identify the supports and methods they use when working with pupils who have special educational needs. The findings indicate both similarities and differences between the two countries. One of the most common forms of support was individualisation, including pedagogical modifications. Methods of supporting academic skills such as reading differed from those used to support behavioral issues. Positive pedagogy and structuring the environment were used ways of supporting pupils with behavioral challenges. Results for both countries are compared and support needs are discussed.     

Tiered intervention: history and trends in Finland and the United States

This study explores the similarities and differences of relatively newly established tiered intervention models for the support of students with special needs in the United States (response to intervention) and in Finland (learning and schooling support). The current models in both countries consist of several tiers with fairly similar definitions. Despite the similarities, the history and political meaning of the tiered models are different in these countries. However, in both countries, part of the underlying political expectation is that the change to tiered intervention will promote inclusive education, but also diminish the number of special education students, and at the same time decrease the rising costs of special education funding. It is evident that there have been educational as well as political and financial objectives behind the restructuring in both countries. We conclude with a discussion on policy implications.