Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Filters

2013 - 20142

Settings

Subject: search.filters.subject.Special education teacher

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    In-school factors associated with the SENCO role that influence the rate of referral to the RTLB service : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Educational Psychology, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2014) Taylor, David
    This research investigates what responsibilities and supports allocated to the Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) are associated with lower referral rates to the Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) service. A SENCO that is referring at a lower rate will allocate less time to collaboration and liaison with RTLB and therefore will have more time to allocate to other tasks that can be supporting students with special education needs (SWSEN). This research compares the results from a survey of the responsibilities and supports for SENCO within 20 primary schools to the rate of referral to RTLB. The SENCO indicated what they considered influenced whether a student was referred to RTLB. Rates of referral less than the mean for the 20 schools were associated with experienced SENCO and SENCO that were part of a team referral process. The literature supports SENCO having a leadership role but this research shows that the SENCO who are part of a school management team do not always have influence or control of key special education decisions. The responsibility that was most frequently given a high priority by SENCO was liaison with external agencies. Experienced SENCO more frequently indicated that the most important factor influencing whether a referral was made to RTLB was the effect of the student on the classroom, which is an observation supported by literature on referral rates of boys to special education services. This research indicates that schools could decrease the amount of SENCO release time used for collaboration with RTLB by appointing an experienced SENCO and providing a team to support the SENCO in the referral process.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The role of the special education itinerant teacher : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Banks, Rebecca Jane
    This research is a qualitative case study examining the roles and responsibilities of the Special Education Itinerant Teacher on the support team of a student with very high and complex needs enrolled at a small, semi-rural, culturally diverse primary school. It utilises the ideas of social constructionism, that our 'reality' is constructed through our relationships and interactions with others. According to this paradigm knowledge about the role of the SEIT, like all knowledge, is co-constructed by the interactions and dialogue of the student's support team. Therefore semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 9 participants who made up key members of the student's support team. Some relevant documentation was also gathered. The data collected was analysed inductively for emerging patterns in the narratives around the activities of the support teacher and each participant's experience of the support. The data indicated that the support of the SEIT was greatly valued by all participants, but a construction of two separate systems of education -regular for the regular kids, and 'special' approaches for students with high and complex needs, presented barriers to inclusion and genuine collaboration between all members of the team. These barriers are discussed, along with a number of supports which were also identified.