Julia R. Badger, Atiyya Nisar, Richard P. Hastings
Mainstream anti-bullying interventions can reduce primary school-level victimisation by 15–16% and bullying perpetration by 19%–20% (Aggression and Violent Behavior, 2019; 45: 111–133). Less is known about anti-bullying interventions for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) even though they are at least 2–4 times more likely to be involved in bullying. This systematic review aimed to identify reported anti-bullying approaches for pupils with SEND, what the evidence is for these approaches reducing bullying and which design factors are linked to a reduction in bullying. We searched 10 databases and four grey literature sources for articles that evaluated school-based anti-bullying strategies for children and young people aged 4–18 years with SEND. This review included 15 studies and used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool for quality and risk of bias. Ten reported a reduction in bullying involvement, but the evidence was variable. A further 27 articles formed a ‘suggested strategies’ review which synthesised articles without evaluations of interventions but that suggested anti-bullying strategies for use with pupils with SEND. The main suggestion was encouraging social skills and networks. Interventions should be evaluated for feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness. High-quality randomised controlled trials are required to build an evidence base to support pupils with SEND.
{"title":"School-based anti-bullying approaches for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities: A systematic review and synthesis","authors":"Julia R. Badger, Atiyya Nisar, Richard P. Hastings","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12665","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12665","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mainstream anti-bullying interventions can reduce primary school-level victimisation by 15–16% and bullying perpetration by 19%–20% (<i>Aggression and Violent Behavior</i>, 2019; <b>45</b>: 111–133). Less is known about anti-bullying interventions for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) even though they are at least 2–4 times more likely to be involved in bullying. This systematic review aimed to identify reported anti-bullying approaches for pupils with SEND, what the evidence is for these approaches reducing bullying and which design factors are linked to a reduction in bullying. We searched 10 databases and four grey literature sources for articles that evaluated school-based anti-bullying strategies for children and young people aged 4–18 years with SEND. This review included 15 studies and used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool for quality and risk of bias. Ten reported a reduction in bullying involvement, but the evidence was variable. A further 27 articles formed a ‘suggested strategies’ review which synthesised articles without evaluations of interventions but that suggested anti-bullying strategies for use with pupils with SEND. The main suggestion was encouraging social skills and networks. Interventions should be evaluated for feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness. High-quality randomised controlled trials are required to build an evidence base to support pupils with SEND.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12665","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140379765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article investigated teachers' self-efficacy, educational practices, challenges and support for students with disabilities in the inclusive classroom. Students with disabilities face many adversities today, such as rejection, stigma, discrimination and lack of support in the classroom. We employed an interdisciplinary and pluralistic approach (Baglieri et al., 2011; Connor et al., 2011) embedded in disability studies in education (DSE) and self-efficacy theory to explore in-service teachers' experiences in the field of inclusive education. We used a phenomenological approach and conducted eight teachers' semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. We used purposeful sampling among teachers who work with students with disabilities. We used inductive analysis techniques to analyse the qualitative data collected from interviews and classroom observations. This study's findings reveal the importance of teachers' preparation, attitude and self-efficacy to support students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms; the use of differentiated instruction strategies to meet the student's needs and increase their academic outcomes; and highlight the challenges, which include the lack of professional development, lack collaboration among teachers lack of parents' communication and lack of regular IEP meeting.
{"title":"‘I never feel like I am prepared enough’: Teachers' self-efficacy, challenges and experiences teaching students with disabilities","authors":"Hind Alharbi, Shehreen Iqtadar","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12666","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12666","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article investigated teachers' self-efficacy, educational practices, challenges and support for students with disabilities in the inclusive classroom. Students with disabilities face many adversities today, such as rejection, stigma, discrimination and lack of support in the classroom. We employed an interdisciplinary and pluralistic approach (Baglieri et al., 2011; Connor et al., 2011) embedded in disability studies in education (DSE) and self-efficacy theory to explore in-service teachers' experiences in the field of inclusive education. We used a phenomenological approach and conducted eight teachers' semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. We used purposeful sampling among teachers who work with students with disabilities. We used inductive analysis techniques to analyse the qualitative data collected from interviews and classroom observations. This study's findings reveal the importance of teachers' preparation, attitude and self-efficacy to support students with disabilities in inclusive classrooms; the use of differentiated instruction strategies to meet the student's needs and increase their academic outcomes; and highlight the challenges, which include the lack of professional development, lack collaboration among teachers lack of parents' communication and lack of regular IEP meeting.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140380131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kathryn Fradley, Jeremy Oldfield, Julie Marshall, Umar Toseeb
Young people with developmental language disorder (DLD) often have poorer mental health compared to those without DLD. However, not all young people with DLD experience such difficulties. Two hundred and eighty-one young people at risk of DLD (45% Female; 53% White British) were identified from a UK based population-cohort. Main caregivers completed questionnaires about their early life (<5 years) and their mental health (at 14 years). Parent–child conflict was revealed to be an early risk factor for all mental health outcomes, at age 14. Additionally, harsh discipline and second-hand smoke predicted worse externalising problems, and gender differences predicted worse internalising problems. Further findings demonstrated that, as the number of risk factors increased, so did the severity of mental health difficulties.
{"title":"Early life risk factors for adolescent mental health difficulties for individuals at risk of developmental language disorder","authors":"Kathryn Fradley, Jeremy Oldfield, Julie Marshall, Umar Toseeb","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12654","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12654","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Young people with developmental language disorder (DLD) often have poorer mental health compared to those without DLD. However, not all young people with DLD experience such difficulties. Two hundred and eighty-one young people at risk of DLD (45% Female; 53% White British) were identified from a UK based population-cohort. Main caregivers completed questionnaires about their early life (<5 years) and their mental health (at 14 years). Parent–child conflict was revealed to be an early risk factor for all mental health outcomes, at age 14. Additionally, harsh discipline and second-hand smoke predicted worse externalising problems, and gender differences predicted worse internalising problems. Further findings demonstrated that, as the number of risk factors increased, so did the severity of mental health difficulties.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12654","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140202969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marisa Carvalho, David Simó-Pinatella, Helena Azevedo, Ana Luisa Adam Alcocer
This study examines Portuguese teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education and how teachers' self-efficacy towards inclusion and other sociodemographic and professional variables relate and predict teachers' attitudes. In total, 539 Portuguese teachers participated. Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education scale, Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire were used to collect data. The results indicate that teachers' attitudes towards inclusion were generally positive. However, teachers-related variables (e.g., teachers' self-efficacy, teaching experience, previous training, and knowledge about educational laws and policies) influence teachers' attitudes in a complex and dynamic way. Implications for policies, practices and research are presented.
{"title":"Inclusive education in Portugal: Exploring sentiments, concerns and attitudes of teachers","authors":"Marisa Carvalho, David Simó-Pinatella, Helena Azevedo, Ana Luisa Adam Alcocer","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12663","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12663","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study examines Portuguese teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education and how teachers' self-efficacy towards inclusion and other sociodemographic and professional variables relate and predict teachers' attitudes. In total, 539 Portuguese teachers participated. Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education scale, Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire were used to collect data. The results indicate that teachers' attitudes towards inclusion were generally positive. However, teachers-related variables (e.g., teachers' self-efficacy, teaching experience, previous training, and knowledge about educational laws and policies) influence teachers' attitudes in a complex and dynamic way. Implications for policies, practices and research are presented.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12663","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140202847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Linda Kashikar, Lara Soemers, Timo Lüke, Michael Grosche
Teachers' expectations influence students' outcomes. Studies demonstrate that teachers lower their performance expectations of students with learning problems when these students are labelled with a 'Learning Disability' (LD) diagnosis. Our study aims to investigate whether these effects can be replicated in N = 429 special and regular education teachers. We also investigate whether positive implicit and explicit attitudes towards inclusion mitigate the negative effects of the LD label on teachers' performance expectations. Teachers were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 214) or control group (n = 215). Both groups read the same description of a fictitious student with learning problems. In addition, the student was labelled as ‘learning disabled’ in the experimental group only. Results show that teachers' expected graduation level and school track recommendation were negatively affected by the LD label. It also led to a more frequent assumption that the student has an LD. Regardless of the LD label, special education teachers had lower performance expectations than regular education teachers. A positive implicit attitude towards inclusion reduced the likelihood that teachers believe that the labelled student has an LD. The findings are placed in the context of international research on disability labels and inclusive education.
{"title":"Influence of the ‘Learning Disability’ label on teachers' performance expectations—a matter of attitudes towards inclusion?","authors":"Linda Kashikar, Lara Soemers, Timo Lüke, Michael Grosche","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12664","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12664","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Teachers' expectations influence students' outcomes. Studies demonstrate that teachers lower their performance expectations of students with learning problems when these students are labelled with a 'Learning Disability' (LD) diagnosis. Our study aims to investigate whether these effects can be replicated in <i>N</i> = 429 special and regular education teachers. We also investigate whether positive implicit and explicit attitudes towards inclusion mitigate the negative effects of the LD label on teachers' performance expectations. Teachers were randomly assigned to the experimental (<i>n</i> = 214) or control group (<i>n</i> = 215). Both groups read the same description of a fictitious student with learning problems. In addition, the student was labelled as ‘learning disabled’ in the experimental group only. Results show that teachers' expected graduation level and school track recommendation were negatively affected by the LD label. It also led to a more frequent assumption that the student has an LD. Regardless of the LD label, special education teachers had lower performance expectations than regular education teachers. A positive implicit attitude towards inclusion reduced the likelihood that teachers believe that the labelled student has an LD. The findings are placed in the context of international research on disability labels and inclusive education.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12664","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140202843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This research explores how adolescent females who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience secondary education in England and make sense of their identity. Within schools, responsibility for supporting this population is placed in the hands of teachers, though prior research suggests that teachers feel underconfident in their ability to do so. Informed by a notion from the disability rights movement ‘nothing about us, without us’ (Charlton, Nothing about us without us: disability oppression and empowerment. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2000), this study places the voice of people with ADHD at the centre of research. Using an interpretivist approach, qualitative data was gathered through unstructured interviews with five participants and was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings suggested that participants' experiences of education and identity formation were shaped by internal cognitive differences in skills relating to executive function (EF) and sensory differences. The implications of social construction of the ADHD label had an impact, both on how participants understood their identities, and how teaching staff were reported to respond to ADHD-traits which participants felt they had little control over. Participants reported differences in their perceived ability to self-advocate and described experiences of attempting to adapt their ADHD-traits to reduce the risk of social or educational sanction in response to their differences.
{"title":"‘I have it, so I understand it, I feel it’: The secondary school experiences of adolescent females with ADHD in England","authors":"Eleanor M. G. Mansfield, Anita Soni","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12660","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12660","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This research explores how adolescent females who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience secondary education in England and make sense of their identity. Within schools, responsibility for supporting this population is placed in the hands of teachers, though prior research suggests that teachers feel underconfident in their ability to do so. Informed by a notion from the disability rights movement ‘nothing about us, without us’ (Charlton, <i>Nothing about us without us: disability oppression and empowerment</i>. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2000), this study places the voice of people with ADHD at the centre of research. Using an interpretivist approach, qualitative data was gathered through unstructured interviews with five participants and was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings suggested that participants' experiences of education and identity formation were shaped by internal cognitive differences in skills relating to executive function (EF) and sensory differences. The implications of social construction of the ADHD label had an impact, both on how participants understood their identities, and how teaching staff were reported to respond to ADHD-traits which participants felt they had little control over. Participants reported differences in their perceived ability to self-advocate and described experiences of attempting to adapt their ADHD-traits to reduce the risk of social or educational sanction in response to their differences.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12660","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140203149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Two educational trends that have had major impacts on school policies of the last few decades are inclusive education and digitalisation. To that end, the purpose of this study is to examine how inclusive education and the digitalisation of education are related, understood, and represented in one case of Swedish special education practice. Using activity theory as a theoretical framework, the results of this study suggest that the meaning of inclusive education has shifted, and that digitalisation has entailed both congruencies and contradictions in special education activities aiming for inclusive education. Although digitalisation was described as providing alternatives for inclusive school practices, new expectations and work assignments sometimes exceeded the special educators' professional knowledge.
{"title":"Expanding the special education professional toolbox: A case study of a digitalised special education practice in Sweden","authors":"Martin Holmgren","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12662","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12662","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Two educational trends that have had major impacts on school policies of the last few decades are inclusive education and digitalisation. To that end, the purpose of this study is to examine how inclusive education and the digitalisation of education are related, understood, and represented in one case of Swedish special education practice. Using activity theory as a theoretical framework, the results of this study suggest that the meaning of inclusive education has shifted, and that digitalisation has entailed both congruencies and contradictions in special education activities aiming for inclusive education. Although digitalisation was described as providing alternatives for inclusive school practices, new expectations and work assignments sometimes exceeded the special educators' professional knowledge.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12662","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140170422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ali Golding, Zoe Ambrose, Joanne Lara, Christina Malamateniou, Dido Green
This study explores the expectations of dance therapists/practitioners and parents and teachers of autistic children engaging in a developmental dance programme. Information gathered will support development of an evaluation tool aligned with the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A qualitative study included a convenience cohort of teachers (n = 6), parents (n = 2) of children with ASD and therapists (n = 3). Three role specific focus groups were undertaken considering potential benefits and challenges of the programme. Content and thematic analysis was undertaken using NVivo12. Findings reflected four positive themes relating to behaviour, skills, social interaction and environmental supports. Therapists, teachers and parents focused differently on stereotypical and restricted behaviours, environmental supports and habits and routines respectively. These themes also emerged as challenges (to implement/achieve); with parents identifying more emotional and behavioural restrictions. A fourth challenge theme of transferability of skills emerged from teachers and therapists. Items mapped against 28 ICF Core Sets (across the lifespan) and six to ICF categories, with creativity and imagination mismatched. Findings highlight need for a specific outcome measure for dance and/or movement programmes for autistic individuals that captures meaningful functions across ICF domains for differing stakeholders.
{"title":"Expectations and experiences of a dance programme for autistic children: A qualitative study of parents, teachers and therapists","authors":"Ali Golding, Zoe Ambrose, Joanne Lara, Christina Malamateniou, Dido Green","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12661","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12661","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study explores the expectations of dance therapists/practitioners and parents and teachers of autistic children engaging in a developmental dance programme. Information gathered will support development of an evaluation tool aligned with the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A qualitative study included a convenience cohort of teachers (<i>n</i> = 6), parents (<i>n</i> = 2) of children with ASD and therapists (<i>n</i> = 3). Three role specific focus groups were undertaken considering potential benefits and challenges of the programme. Content and thematic analysis was undertaken using NVivo12. Findings reflected four positive themes relating to behaviour, skills, social interaction and environmental supports. Therapists, teachers and parents focused differently on stereotypical and restricted behaviours, environmental supports and habits and routines respectively. These themes also emerged as challenges (to implement/achieve); with parents identifying more emotional and behavioural restrictions. A fourth challenge theme of transferability of skills emerged from teachers and therapists. Items mapped against 28 ICF Core Sets (across the lifespan) and six to ICF categories, with creativity and imagination mismatched. Findings highlight need for a specific outcome measure for dance and/or movement programmes for autistic individuals that captures meaningful functions across ICF domains for differing stakeholders.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12661","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140170323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Parthiban Govindasamy, Therese M. Cumming, Noraini Abdullah
Despite the acknowledged importance of integrating creativity into school curricula, students with learning disabilities often lack the skill of creativity, due to its absence in classroom instruction. To address these gaps, the authors developed a needs analysis questionnaire assessing the necessity of a creativity module for primary school students with learning disabilities, focusing on Torrance's four creativity elements: (a) Originality, (b) Fluency, (c) Flexibility, and (d) Elaboration. This study, emphasizing content validity and reliability testing, comprised rigorous validation by a panel of nine special education experts, resulting in high content validity scores. In Part II, all items were accepted, yielding an overall S-CVI score of 0.97, indicating a ‘very suitable’ construct. In Part III two items were rejected; the overall S-CVI score remained at 0.80, signifying ‘very suitable’. A pilot test with 30 special education teachers demonstrated Cronbach's Alpha values 0.87, indicating high reliability for all questionnaire parts. The study emphasizes the questionnaire's efficacy in assessing teachers' understanding of creativity skills and their perspectives on the importance of a customized creativity module. This tool holds substantial potential for educators and curriculum developers, providing insights to address specific student needs, foster creativity in classrooms and enhance overall educational experiences.
{"title":"Validity and reliability of a needs analysis questionnaire for the development of a creativity module","authors":"Parthiban Govindasamy, Therese M. Cumming, Noraini Abdullah","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12659","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12659","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite the acknowledged importance of integrating creativity into school curricula, students with learning disabilities often lack the skill of creativity, due to its absence in classroom instruction. To address these gaps, the authors developed a needs analysis questionnaire assessing the necessity of a creativity module for primary school students with learning disabilities, focusing on Torrance's four creativity elements: (a) Originality, (b) Fluency, (c) Flexibility, and (d) Elaboration. This study, emphasizing content validity and reliability testing, comprised rigorous validation by a panel of nine special education experts, resulting in high content validity scores. In Part II, all items were accepted, yielding an overall S-CVI score of 0.97, indicating a ‘very suitable’ construct. In Part III two items were rejected; the overall S-CVI score remained at 0.80, signifying ‘very suitable’. A pilot test with 30 special education teachers demonstrated Cronbach's Alpha values 0.87, indicating high reliability for all questionnaire parts. The study emphasizes the questionnaire's efficacy in assessing teachers' understanding of creativity skills and their perspectives on the importance of a customized creativity module. This tool holds substantial potential for educators and curriculum developers, providing insights to address specific student needs, foster creativity in classrooms and enhance overall educational experiences.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12659","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140108086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Teachers agree on the pivotal role of inclusion for social justice, but reductive conceptualisations of neurodiversity as akin to deficit or impairment inhibit the capacity or willingness of teachers to adapt pedagogical strategies to meet diverse student needs. Existing research underscores the association between positive attitudes towards inclusion and effective inclusive practice. Less research focuses on ideological assumptions held by teachers arising from their own experiential narratives or engagement with theories underpinning social equity and neurodiversity as accepted facets of mainstream education. Several factors may influence teacher conceptualisations. Regulatory frameworks for teacher training and development can foster the internalisation of technicist approaches to teaching that are less personalised and responsive to a broad range of pupil needs. Explicit reflection on beliefs, goals and self-perceptions pertaining to teaching practice can broaden conceptualisations and galvanise change, but these aspects are frequently overlooked within teacher education programmes. Further research is needed to increase our understanding of prevailing conceptions and misconceptions of neurodiversity within the education landscape. By challenging societal assumptions of ‘normalcy’, future research should provide conceptual and pedagogical tools to advance understanding of the barriers to inclusive practice in schools and increase teachers' capacity to embrace a more inclusive pedagogical approach.
{"title":"Conceptualisations of neurodiversity and barriers to inclusive pedagogy in schools: A perspective article","authors":"Anna Cook","doi":"10.1111/1471-3802.12656","DOIUrl":"10.1111/1471-3802.12656","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Teachers agree on the pivotal role of inclusion for social justice, but reductive conceptualisations of neurodiversity as akin to deficit or impairment inhibit the capacity or willingness of teachers to adapt pedagogical strategies to meet diverse student needs. Existing research underscores the association between positive attitudes towards inclusion and effective inclusive practice. Less research focuses on ideological assumptions held by teachers arising from their own experiential narratives or engagement with theories underpinning social equity and neurodiversity as accepted facets of mainstream education. Several factors may influence teacher conceptualisations. Regulatory frameworks for teacher training and development can foster the internalisation of technicist approaches to teaching that are less personalised and responsive to a broad range of pupil needs. Explicit reflection on beliefs, goals and self-perceptions pertaining to teaching practice can broaden conceptualisations and galvanise change, but these aspects are frequently overlooked within teacher education programmes. Further research is needed to increase our understanding of prevailing conceptions and misconceptions of neurodiversity within the education landscape. By challenging societal assumptions of ‘normalcy’, future research should provide conceptual and pedagogical tools to advance understanding of the barriers to inclusive practice in schools and increase teachers' capacity to embrace a more inclusive pedagogical approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":46783,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1471-3802.12656","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140105125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}