Disabled students’ experiences of ‘inclusive’ school education Lizzie Walker Centre for...

Disabled students’ experiences of ‘inclusive’

school education

Lizzie WalkerCentre for Educational Studies

University of Hull

Lizzie Walker, 4th June 2015 2

Inclusion

A philosophical ideal

The practice of schools which aim for this ideal

Therefore, the practice of inclusive education varies from school to school.


The studentsWeek Age Gender Statement FSM

1 17 M Band 4 Yes

2 17 F Band 4 Yes

3 12 F Band 2

4 12 M Band 2 Yes

5 15 M Band 4

6 15 M Band 3 Yes

7 14 F Band 2 Yes

8 13 M Band 2

Eminem

Horrid Henry

Thomas the Tank Engine

Elsa

Lydya2

James

Student

Bob

Bella


Barriersa. Impairment related barriers (e.g. Reiser 2011)

Often linked to restrictions to access (e.g. stairs)

b. Regulatory barriers (e.g. Alexander 2010)Requirement for schools to meet external targets viewed as restricting their flexibility to respond to pupil needs. Includes Pedagogical barriers (e.g. Evans and Lund 2002)

c. Social barriers (e.g. Pijl et al 1999; Evans and Lund 2002)Teachers have been concerned that disabled students have a limited peer group in mainstream.


a. Impairment related barriers

Difficulty managing their own behaviour, or understanding the social ‘rules’ led to some students getting in trouble:

“Well … Like, I used to ignore everyone. ‘Cos I was young then.” James, Interview 1. [Primary]

For some students, this resulted in being subject to school disciplinary procedures (detention, being sent home) which did not improve things.


b. Regulatory barriers

One noted a ‘cycle of failure’ at a mainstream secondary:

“Erm … exams all the time. Which was quite hard. But it was always maths, and I’m not really keen on maths. But you did the same thing all the time. In maths, so … It was alright – quite hard. … Always used to fail at [Mainstream Secondary].”

Bella, Interview 1.


Pedagogic issues (regulatory barriers)Lessons were at the wrong pace because of external requirements: too fast, too complicated and too much work:

“I mean, you feel thick! ‘Cos you can’t catch up. You feel down, ‘cos you can’t – they – you can’t perform like them.” Bob, Interview 1. [Mainstream secondary]

“Bored. I didn’t really like that school. ‘Cos all you had to do, every afternoon, every day … before lunch and breaktime you have to do work and work and work and work.” Elsa, Interview 1. [Primary].


Internalised barriers? - pedagogySwitching off to some subjects:

“I hate English. … Don’t like it. [What do you hate about it?] All of it!” Eminem, Interview 2

Feeling positive about their abilities:“I take after me dad! (he smiles) … I like … working something out” James, Interview 1 [On ‘being good at Maths’]“I am clever. I like working very hard. I am clever at Maths” Horrid Henry, Interview 2 [writing about herself during exercise]


c. Social barriers

Isolation:“[I] used to have no friends at all” Lydya2 Interview 1 [Primary school]

Bullying:“I used to get bullied a lot … They was in different class. Break time and dinner time they used to pick on me” Eminem Interview 1 [Mainstream secondary]


Internalised barriers? - social

Some students who had experienced bullying reported feeling fear during lessons. This made it difficult to engage with learning:

“Now it’s not so bad. But when it first all started … It has like … took my mind off it … [a] little bit. … As it’s gone on, it is getting easier.” James, Interview 2 [Special secondary]


Protective social factors (1)

Family friends (children who have grown up together) starting school together:

“Yeah, but I knowed her when she was a baby, ‘cos she’s nearly my cousin, but we call each other cousins, but we’re not!” Horrid Henry Interview 1 [Mainstream primary]

Friends from playgroup/nursery/primary school continuing on:“Most of them was probably ... play with when I was probably little ... We used to go to this ... not a nursery … It’s like a ... playgroup.” Thomas the Tank Engine Interview 1 [Friends at primary school]


Protective social factors (2)

Siblings providing wider social networks:“Only my brother … take me to town. Do you know, to - so I can get some PlayStation games? … And sometimes going to cinema with ‘im … with ‘is mates.” Eminem, Interview 2 [Friends outside school]

Thank you for listening

Any questions?


References

• Alexander, R., 2010. Children with Special Needs. In: R. Alexander, ed. 2010. Children, their World, their Education: Final Report and Recommendations of the Cambridge Primary Review. London: Routledge.

• Evans, J. and Lund, I., 2002. Inclusive education: are there limits? European Journal of Special Needs Education 17(?),1-14.

• Pijl, Y.J., Pijl, S.J. and van den Bos, K.P., 1999. Teachers' motives for referring students to special education. In: K. Ballard, ed. 1999. Inclusive education: International voices on disability and justice. London: Falmer Press.

• Reiser, R., 2011. Disability, human rights and inclusive education, and why inclusive education is the only educational philosophy and practice that makes sense in today’s world. In: G. Richards and F. Armstrong, 2011. Teaching and Learning in Diverse and Inclusive Classrooms: Key issues for new teachers. Abingdon: Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

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