Keys to engagement: a case study exploring the participation of autistic pupils in educational decision-making at school
Keys to engagement: a case study exploring the participation of autistic pupils in educational decision-making at school
Background: the UNCRC (1989) established the importance of listening to children’s views globally. In England, seeking the views of pupils with special educational needs and disability about their education, and involving them in decision-making, has been mandatory since 2015. Autistic children’s views and experiences are particularly underrepresented in this context.
Aims: to provide a detailed, exploratory analysis of practices that enable autistic pupils to participate in educational decision-making; and to generate new knowledge about pupil participation in a school context, using the Framework for Participation (Black-Hawkins, 2010) as an analytical frame.
Sample: Four male pupils aged 11-15, with autism spectrum diagnoses, and 11 staff members from a specialist, independent school took part in this case study.
Methods: observations were made of pupils in lessons, and pupils completed a photo-voice activity focusing on where they felt ‘most listened to’ in the school. Staff members participated in semi-structured interviews.
Results: a range of practices supported pupils’ participation in everyday decision-making, underpinned by a respectful and positive culture led by the senior management team. The focus was on what learners can do, and how they make decisions to facilitate achievement. Pupils and staff developed mutually respectful relationships, within which boundaries were negotiated and compromises offered. Flexibility through decision making was provided within the timetabling and content of the curriculum. Pupils’ special interests and expertise were valued as ‘keys’ to supporting their engagement.
Conclusions: these insights provide a tool for reflection by educators and Educational Psychologists for considering how they might promote the participation of autistic pupils in different educational contexts.
autism, code of practice, decision-making, participation, pupil voice, schools
770-789
Zilli, Chantelle
9b0c8536-765c-4f11-ace4-493a0ce30f2a
Parsons, Sarah
5af3382f-cda3-489c-a336-9604f3c04d7d
Kovshoff, Hanna
82c321ee-d151-40c5-8dde-281af59f2142
1 September 2020
Zilli, Chantelle
9b0c8536-765c-4f11-ace4-493a0ce30f2a
Parsons, Sarah
5af3382f-cda3-489c-a336-9604f3c04d7d
Kovshoff, Hanna
82c321ee-d151-40c5-8dde-281af59f2142
Zilli, Chantelle, Parsons, Sarah and Kovshoff, Hanna
(2020)
Keys to engagement: a case study exploring the participation of autistic pupils in educational decision-making at school.
British Journal of Educational Psychology, 90 (3), .
(doi:10.1111/bjep.12331).
Abstract
Background: the UNCRC (1989) established the importance of listening to children’s views globally. In England, seeking the views of pupils with special educational needs and disability about their education, and involving them in decision-making, has been mandatory since 2015. Autistic children’s views and experiences are particularly underrepresented in this context.
Aims: to provide a detailed, exploratory analysis of practices that enable autistic pupils to participate in educational decision-making; and to generate new knowledge about pupil participation in a school context, using the Framework for Participation (Black-Hawkins, 2010) as an analytical frame.
Sample: Four male pupils aged 11-15, with autism spectrum diagnoses, and 11 staff members from a specialist, independent school took part in this case study.
Methods: observations were made of pupils in lessons, and pupils completed a photo-voice activity focusing on where they felt ‘most listened to’ in the school. Staff members participated in semi-structured interviews.
Results: a range of practices supported pupils’ participation in everyday decision-making, underpinned by a respectful and positive culture led by the senior management team. The focus was on what learners can do, and how they make decisions to facilitate achievement. Pupils and staff developed mutually respectful relationships, within which boundaries were negotiated and compromises offered. Flexibility through decision making was provided within the timetabling and content of the curriculum. Pupils’ special interests and expertise were valued as ‘keys’ to supporting their engagement.
Conclusions: these insights provide a tool for reflection by educators and Educational Psychologists for considering how they might promote the participation of autistic pupils in different educational contexts.
Text
BJEP_Manuscript_Author_Accepted_Version
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 7 November 2019
e-pub ahead of print date: 9 December 2019
Published date: 1 September 2020
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
Very many thanks to the participating school and pupils. This research would not have been possible without their interest and generosity with time. This project is part of the Autism Community Research Network @ Southampton [ACoRNS] initiative.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The British Psychological Society
Keywords:
autism, code of practice, decision-making, participation, pupil voice, schools
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 435805
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/435805
ISSN: 0007-0998
PURE UUID: 0f6c5d36-f5b9-4782-ad16-153fa872f8d4
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Date deposited: 21 Nov 2019 17:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 05:03
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Author:
Chantelle Zilli
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