Session Information
01 SES 03 B, Neuro-education Implications for Professional Development
Paper Session
Contribution
The focus of this paper is the evolving nature of the role of Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) in the context of the practices of their teaching colleagues. SENCOs in England, were first introduced in schools following the 1994 Special Education Needs (SEN) Code of Practice (DfE, 1994). This stated that all mainstream schools must have a person responsible for coordinating services around children with SEN and helping teachers develop and implement appropriate provision for them.
However, the SENCO role in the UK has changed as various policies continually redefined SEN provision (DfES, 2001; DfE, 2014). Transitions include an evolving set of qualifications that the post holder must possess. Initially a role that could be undertaken by parent volunteers, it is currently a formal professional recommended-leadership position in schools, which must be filled by a qualified teacher. Additionally, SENCOs must also undertake the ‘National Award for SEN Coordination’, a mandatory professional development postgraduate level course (DCSF, 2009). Other changes include policy and legislative requirements regarding SEN initiatives, which have a subsequent impact on the nature of provisions made for inclusive education by all teachers within schools. This research project therefore makes significant contributions to research within the transitional and dynamic inclusive educational environment in England. The issue is timely as recent legislation has put in place radical reforms of the current system for identifying, assessing and supporting children and young people who have SEN, which has a resultant impact on the SENCO-teacher dynamic. (DfE, 2014)
There is a significant European Dimension to the issue, as a similar role in respect of SEN management already exists in countries such as Ireland (McGillicuddy and O'Donnell, 2014), Sweden (Lindqvist, 2013) and Finland (Sundqvist and Strom, 2015), whilst in other countries, such as Italy, an introduction of the SENCO role is currently under discussion (Devecchi et al., 2012). Furthermore, this research is particularly relevant in a European context in view of contemporary initiatives regarding teachers to be more proactive in addressing social inclusion and tackling underachievement and early school leaving (EADSNE 2012).
Research into the evolution of the work of SENCOs over the last three decades (Male, 1996; Rose, 2001; Szwed, 2007; Mackenzie, 2012), illustrate the shift towards professionalism and the conflict around the boundaries of roles and power relations. SENCOs are increasingly recognised as a key part of the senior management team (SMT) and “the heart of the [inclusion] process.” (Szwed, 2007, p.159).
The specific research question to be answered is: how do SENCOs motivate teachers to take the initiative in addressing the needs of children with SEN in their classrooms? The research focus within which the answers to this question are sought, emphasises the evolving nature of the role. This paper therefore, draws upon doctoral research data gathered through interviews relating to the impact that SENCOs have on teachers’ capacity to address SEN in their classrooms. Since SENCOs are central to supporting children’s inclusion and achievement, the main aim of inquiry is whether SENCOs are backseat drivers or front-line motivators for change in terms of the enhancement of teachers’ skills.
The theoretical framework of the project is that of interpretivism, since I “...(begun) with individuals and set out to understand their interpretations of the world around them... (and) particular situations.” (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2011, p. 18). I also believe that through an interpretivist approach, I acknowledged the various ‘relative-ness’ of diverse elements and social issues that impact upon my research findings. As Robson (2002, p. 24) maintains, “what (people) actually do, has to be interpreted in the light of (their) underlying ideas, meanings and motivations.”
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Boyatzis, R. E. (1998) Thematic Analysis and Code Development: Transforming Qualitative Information. London: Sage Publications. BERA. (2011) Revised Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research. Southwell: BERA. Cowne, E. (2005) What Do Special Educational Needs Coordinators Think They Do? Support for Learning. 20 (2): 61-68. Creswell, J., and Plano Clark, V. (2007) Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. London: SAGE Publications, Inc. Council of the European Union (CEU). (2009) Council Conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a Strategic Framework for European Cooperation in Education and Training (ET2020) (2009/C 119/02) Brussels: EC. Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). (2009) The Education (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2009. London: HMSO. Devecchi, et al. (2012) Inclusive Classrooms in Italy and England: The Role of Support Teachers and Teaching Assistants. European Journal of Special Needs Education. 27 (2): 171-184. Department for Education (DfE). (2014) The (0-25) Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. London: HMSO. Department for Education (DfE). (1994) Code of Practice for the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs. London: HMSO. European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education (EADSNE). (2012). Raising Achievement for All Learners – Quality in Inclusive Education. Brussels: EADSNE. Lindqvist, G. (2013). SENCOs: Vanguards or in Vain? Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. 13 (3): 198-207. Male, D. (1996) ‘Special Needs Coordinators’ Career Continuation Plans.’ Support for Learning. 11(2): 88-92. McGillicuddy, S., and O'Donnell, G. M. (2014) Teaching students with autism spectrum disorder in mainstream post-primary schools in the Republic of Ireland. International Journal of Inclusive Education. 18(4): 323-344. Qureshi, S. (2014) Herding cats or getting heard: The SENCO-teacher dynamic and its impact on teachers’ classroom practice. Support for Learning. 29(3): 1-13. Robson, C. (2002) Real World Research. 2nd Ed. Oxford: Blackwell. Rose, R. (2001) Primary School Teacher Perceptions of the Conditions Required to Include Pupils with Special Educational Needs. Educational Review. 53(2): 147-156. Rosen-Webb, S. (2011) Nobody Tells you How to be a SENCO. British Journal of Special Education. 38(4): 159-168. Sundqvist, C., & Strom, K. (2015). Special Education Teachers as Consultants: Perspectives of Finnish Teachers. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. DOI: 10.1080/10474412.2014.948683 Szwed, C. (2007) Remodelling Policy and Practice: The Challenge for Staff Working with Children with Special Educational Needs. Educational Review. 59 (2): 147-160. Tissot, C. (2013). The Role of SENCOs as Leaders. British Journal of Special Education. 40 (1): 33-40.
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