Sophie: a story of inclusion

When I first met Sophie, I had been invited to meet her before she transferred into my Reception class (first year of primary school) to begin her full-time education. She was almost 5 years old and had been at a nursery school for two years. Her parents were concerned about the upcoming move to a mainstream school, as Sophie had so far only spoken to her immediate family and one close friend

A School Under Scrutiny: A Personal Account of The Impact of Inclusion on a Small Primary School in England

This paper presents a personal account of a teacher who has responsibility for the coordination of pupils with special educational needs. In this paper she has been referred to as Sally. Sally teaches in a school in England with a significantly high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The account demonstrates how current measures of school effectiveness in England have disadvantaged a small school which has an outstanding local reputation for inclusion. This has led to increased levels of surveillance for the teachers who have chosen to work in this school, whilst other local schools enjoy the benefits of having good reputations. The paper raises questions about whether inclusion is too much of a risk for schools given that they operate within a climate of performativity. Additionally, it raises questions about whether current measures of school effectiveness are fair on those schools with more diverse populations

The value of circle time as an intervention strategy

Literature on circle time emphasises benefits such as improved self-esteem, improvements in speaking and listening skills and social skills. However, evidence-based research is more limited and much of the available research is anecdotal. Whilst this paper does not offer a systematic evaluation of the impact of circle time on specific groups of children it does synthesise the key arguments in the literature. This paper concludes that is a need for more systematic research on the effects of circle time; particularly research that takes quantitative measures of gains in self-esteem

A critical interrogation of integration, special educational needs and inclusion

In this article, I have focused on presenting the key literature which has shaped my personal thinking and values around inclusion. Throughout the article, I draw on the perspectives of a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) who I have referred to as Jane. The perspectives are taken from a complete life history account which formed the basis of my doctoral research. To produce the narrative Jane documented her personal reflections over a period. Jane’s account illustrates the extent to which inclusion can present a risk for schools and in this case the powerful othering effect that it can have on the reputation of a school

A Critical Analysis of Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences and their Contribution to Inclusive Education

This paper will discuss learning style theory and Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. These theories have been influential on educational practice in recent years and they have offered potential solutions to educators in addressing issues of student disengagement and educational underachievement. However, this paper argues that both learning style theory and the theory of multiple intelligences should be treated cautiously. The paper explores both the strengths and limitations of each theory and concludes that there is insufficient convincing evidence to support their use in shaping pedagogy

The necessity for assessment and management of speech, language and communication needs to take account of cultural and multilingual diversity

This paper argues for the need for a culturally responsive approach to the identification, assessment and intervention processes for multilingual children with speech, language and communication impairment. It highlights the potential for misdiagnosis and identifies the specific difficulties which may be evident and thus, potential indicators of language impairment as opposed to language difference. The paper critiques the standardised tests which are often used by therapists in the formal diagnosis process and argues that dynamic assessment offers the best potential for an accurate diagnosis

From Integration to Inclusive Education in England: Illuminating the Issues Through A Life History Account

This paper provides a life history account of one teacher’s determination to make inclusion work. The account reflects on the policy discourses of integration and inclusion and demonstrates ways in which these were translated into practice within the remit of the informant’s experience. The account illustrates how inclusion can result in exclusive practices which categorise and marginalise learners on account of their impairments. The account also demonstrates how inclusion operates within a medical model of disability rather than a social model. Insights into the policy discourse of integration demonstrate how the informant was better able to meet pupils’ holistic needs at that time

Sport Management Student as Producer: Embedding Critical Management Studies in Sport through Contemporary Pedagogy

In recent years there has been growing interest over the role of major sport events and the sports industry. The aftermath of 2008 global crisis exposed the myth of ‘end of history’ and raised several questions over the role of management and organisational practices and theories in all aspects of human activity, including sport. This article reviews the emergence of critical management studies (CMS) as a field within management and organisational studies. We focus on critical performativity theory (CPT) as a key concept of re-configuring managerial practices. We add our voices to those asking for more critical output in sport management and point out the potential contribution of CMS in sport and especially of CPT. Finally, we propose ‘student as producer’ as a pedagogical framework to act as a possible basis for incorporating critical theories into higher education teaching. We argue that this framework can contribute significantly towards providing future graduates with the skills and knowledge to enable them to deal with the contemporary challenges of modern sport’s industry and wider society

Student perceptions of feedback in higher education

© 2019 The authors and IJLTER.ORG. All rights reserved. Text Feedback is critical to students’ academic development in higher education. Despite this, evidence suggests that students do not consistently engage with feedback or recognise the value of it. This study explored student perceptions of feedback in one university in England. Data were collected using focus groups. The results indicated that the participants valued feedback that is detailed and personal. They also demonstrated a preference for verbal feedback rather than written feedback. Participants recognised the benefits and limitations of peer feedback and there was evidence to suggest that participants valued the judgements of their lecturers above those of their peers. The data indicate that lecturers should utilise a range of feedback modes, including face-to-face, verbal, written, audio and video feedback. The study suggests that the use of written feedback in higher education may not be effective because students may not engage effectively with it, particularly if they achieve a high grade. Taking into consideration the important role that feedback plays in promoting learning, it is vital that modes of feedback are used which students are likely to engage with. Given the fact that students have different preferences, it is therefore suggested that lecturers utilise a variety of modes of feedback. The limitation of this study was the small sample size and therefore the results are not generalisable