Session Information
04 SES 04 B, Students’ Experiences in Education
Paper Session
Contribution
This initial study, on the subject of Hearing the Voice of the Child is located within the context of the English education system but will be developed to consider parallel developments in the wider European context. It is centred in the work of the SEN/Inclusion team of the largest provider of initial teacher education in England. The contributors of this proposal have recently published material on Voice (Bradbury, et al, 2010).
This material has been developed further, in an attempt to theorise the processes involved; an emergent typology, on responses to the heard voice, suggests a range from imposed to enabled (Feeney, 2010). This typology has led to further questions: for example, around Voices that are difficult to hear, that say what we find it hard to hear, or communicate using behaviour which challenges us; and around the context in which the Voice is expressed, for example, that Professionals may need to understand their own ‘personal and culturally determined constructions of reality’ in order to hear the Voice of the child, that an adjustment of the dynamics of power may be needed in such conversations, and that the Voice, when heard, will be allowed to make a difference. It is felt that this material is in sharp contrast to literature currently extant on the subject, which has tended to focus on voice in a more general or corporate sense, dealing with ideas around empowering pupils through student councils, or in helping to develop curricula (Aspin, 2011; Lindley, et al, 2011; Martin, et al, 2006); it is of interest that this appears to be the prevalent view obtaining in the broader European context (Sliwka and Istance, 2006).
In order to further develop this position, a small scale research initiative is in progress. This was instigated to provide some initial responses to questions around Voice, to frame further research work on a broader scale. Three Special Schools, which are well known to the contributors through the placement of students for school experience, were selected. Ethical permission having been obtained, the views of pupils were gathered using semi-structured interviews and observations, to gather perceptions of, and attitudes towards, eliciting and using the Voices of pupils who experience considerable difficulties in accessing education; in particular, processes for the personalisation of learning, the exercise of choice, and the ability to influence and change structures in the school were examined. This work will shortly be extended to include an interrogation of practice within the Case Study schools, through focus group interviews with staff, observation of classroom and school based interactions, and the review of school documentation.
This initiative is seen as the first stage of a wider project; in the second stage, the research process will be extended to a broader range of schools within the UK, including mainstream schools at all Key Stages, and further Special schools and Units addressing the full range of Special Educational Needs, including Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Aspin, P. (2011) ‘Involving Young Children in Behaviour Management Strategies’ in Miles, S. & Ainscow, M. (2011), Responding to Diversity in Schools: An Inquiry-Based Approach. London: Routledge pp. 91-103 Bradbury, B., Feeney, A. & Gager, A. (2010) ‘Hearing the Voice of the Child: Ensuring Authenticity’ in Hallett, F. & Hallett, G. (eds.) (2010), Transforming the Role of the SENCo. Maidenhead: Open University Press pp. 207-216 Feeney, A. (2010) Unpublished Research Seminar, University of Cumbria, November 2010 Kvale, S & Brinkman, S (2009) Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing: Second Edition. London: Sage Lindley, E. Brinkhuis, R. & Verhaar, L. (2011) ‘Too Young to Have a Voice? Exploring how to include young children in a school council’ in Miles, S. & Ainscow, M. (2011), Responding to Diversity in Schools: An Inquiry-Based Approach. London: Routledge pp.81-90 Martin, J., Van Dycke, J., Christensen, R., Greene, B., Gardeer, E. & Lovett, D. (2006), ‘Increasing student partiicpation in IEP meetings: establishing the self-directed IEP as an evidence-based practice’, Exceptional Children, 72(3) pp. 229-316 Sliwka, A. & Istance, D (2006) Parental and Stakeholder ‘Voice’ in Schools and Systems, in the European Journal of Education, 41, 1, pp 29 – 43. Yin, R. K. (1994), cited in Robson, C (2002) Real World Research, 2nd edn. Oxford: Blackwell
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