Rediseño de arquitectura con persistencia local

The researcher was based in Year 5 and Year 6 classrooms throughout the two-week research period. Four children from Year 5 and four children from Year 6 were chosen to undertake the photography task and follow up research conversation with the researcher. This method was discussed in detail in section 5.5. The

researcher had intended to sample students according to their SEN status, with children identified with SEN best placed for involvement in this study. However, as was discussed in chapter 4, the heterogeneous nature of individuals makes ‘labelling’ of children under the umbrella category of ‘SEN’ problematic. Thus, the researcher found that each child considered for involvement in this study presented with a number of characteristics relevant to this study that were not always ‘labelled’ as

138 ‘SEN.’ Additionally, there were some instances in which children that did fall within the label of ‘SEN’ appeared to display well-developed social skills and were not experiencing profound teacher-identified difficulties with social inclusion in their school. Thus, the researcher deemed it inappropriate to involve children in the study who may have SEN status, but who were displaying well-developed social skills. It was often the case that these children did not work for significant periods of time with a TA; this was also a reason for non-involvement in the study.

As the sampling of children was a more problematic process than had been anticipated when formulating the methodology of this study, the researcher had a greater number of conversations than anticipated with staff members who worked closely with the children under consideration for involvement, such as Teachers, TAs and/or Senior Leaders. Additionally, the researcher made sure to be in as many

lessons as was possible under the observation method, so as to observe which children were experiencing problematic social inclusion within the school, and those working with a TA regularly. This ensured that the children chosen were best placed to provide data relevant to answering the pertinent research questions for this study:

Q2 What is the current influence of TAs on the social inclusion characteristics of pupils identified with SEN?

Q3 What strategies can be implemented to effectively allow TAs to promote successful inclusion of pupils identified with SEN?

Pupil 1: Brad

Day to day, his Teacher (Heather (T1)) finds Brad’s behaviour the most challenging of the pupils in her Year 6 classroom. Brad frequently struggles with anger, which make it difficult for him to complete work in the classroom. Brad works in a small group of six pupils, outside the Year 6 classroom, with Kath (TA1) during daily English and Maths lessons. Until this academic year, Brad frequently soiled himself at school. He is particularly friends with Jamie (Pupil 2).

139 Pupil 2: Jamie

Jamie is in Heather’s (T1) Year 6 classroom. Jamie has been diagnosed with Attachment Disorder and is a Child Looked After (CLA). Jamie has a moderate learning delay and works with Kath (TA1) every morning, in a small group of 6 children, working on English and Maths based interventions. Jamie is often disruptive in a classroom setting and finds it difficult to form and maintain relationships inside the classroom. However, Jamie does appear to form good relationships on the

playground, with the other boys who spend their break times playing football. He is a particular friend of Brad (Pupil 1).

Pupil 3: Simon

Simon has been at Birchwood for 5 academic terms; after being bullied in his previous school he wanted to experience a new environment. He is in Heather’s (T1) Year 6 class and works with Kath (TA1) in a small group out of the classroom for Maths every morning. Simon has not been diagnosed or ‘labelled’ with any particular additional need, however, it is the professional opinion of all those who work with him, and of the researcher, that Simon displays many characteristics of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He is currently undergoing assessment for ASD. Simon finds it very difficult to build relationships with other children in school and is almost always alone on the playground at lunchtime.

Pupil 4: Cole

Cole is in Heather’s (T1) Year 6 class. He is currently looked after by his Grandmother, having come from a home struggling with drugs and alcohol

dependency. He has been ‘labelled’ by the school as having a severe learning delay, and is supported by Anne (TA2) on an individual basis every morning. Cole has a Statement of SEN, which provides the funding required for Anne to support him on an individual basis every morning. Most playtimes, Cole plays football with other children in his year and the year below.

Pupil 5: Lewis

Lewis is a very quiet member of Sharon’s (AH/SENCO) year 5 classroom. He has a Statement of SEN, which diagnoses him with a ‘Moderate Learning Delay.’

140 Lewis finds it difficult to interact with other children, both inside and outside the classroom. He has one particularly good friend, as identified by him and the professionals who work with him. They frequently play football together at break times. Lewis’ Statement provides the funding required for one to one support from Nicola (TA4) for 20 hours a week. This affords support during daily Maths and English lessons in the mornings.

Pupil 6: Fred

Fred is a pupil in Sharon’s (AH/SENCO) Year 5 classroom. He has been diagnosed as having Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD). Under the reforms to the SEN system, the Children and Families Act (2014) terms this category of need as ‘Emotional or Behavioural Difficulties (EBD) (20:163). Fred’s EBD manifests itself most prominently as anger. Fred frequently becomes angry, both inside and outside lesson time, when he finds a situation difficult to deal with. This has meant that Fred has had difficulty in forming effective relationships with other children in school, due to aggressive and domineering behaviours. In the mornings, Fred works with Claire (TA3), in a small group of 5 pupils, on English and Maths based interventions.

Pupil 7: Mark

Mark has only been receiving additional support in Sharon’s (AH/SENCO) Year 5 class this academic year. He is a very quiet child and the professionals

working with him suspect that he has quite severely underdeveloped speech, language and communication skills (SLCN). Mark has recently begun working with Lewis (Pupil 5) and his TA (Nicola, TA4) most mornings during English and Maths lessons. He appears to form reasonably successful relationships with other children on the playground through football, however, is very quiet during lesson time and infrequently speaks to other children.

Pupil 8: Rebecca

Rebecca is one of the quietest children in Sharon’s (AH/SENCO) Year 5 classroom. Rebecca rarely speaks to other children or the professionals working with her unless she is spoken to. She has been diagnosed by the school as having delayed

141 speech; therefore her difficulties are placed under the SEN category of ‘Speech, Language and Communication Needs’ (SLCN). Rebecca works with Claire (TA3) all morning, out of the classroom, in a small group of 5 pupils on English and Maths interventions.