Towards an ecological model of inclusive practice for children with special educational needs in Vietnam: perceptions of primary school teachers

ABSTRACT Despite a high prevalence of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in primary school children in Vietnam, initial teacher training (ITT) and continuous professional development (CPD) for SEND is underdeveloped and largely inaccessible. This paper reports on a UK–Vietnam collaborative project that aimed to explore the views, perceptions and experiences of primary school teachers in Vietnam regarding ITT and CPD for SEND. We present findings from an online survey with 96 primary school teachers at different stages of their careers, from a diversity of schools and locations across Vietnam. Findings draw attention to the challenges of inclusive practice and opportunities for development in this area of professional practice. A surprising finding from the analysis of qualitative open questions was the notion of professional love from teachers towards children and families. Drawing on ecological systems theory, this paper establishes an ecological model of inclusive practice for SEND in primary schools in Vietnam and makes recommendations for the development of international SEND practice more broadly.