DISABLIST BULLYING: AN INVESTIGATION OF STUDENT TEACHERS KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE

1 EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE 1 FUNDING 1 CASE STUDY #1 2 INTRODUCTION 4 Research into Bullying 4 Disablist Bullying 6 CASE STUDY #2 12 METHODOLOGY 13 Ethics 13 Methods 13 Participants 13 Focus Groups 13 Questionnaire Survey 14 CASE STUDY #3 16 RESULTS 17 FOCUS GROUPS 17 Theme 1: Special Educational Needs (SEN) 17 Theme 2: Bullying 20 Theme 3: Disablist Bullying 22 QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS 26 Knowledge of SEN Legislation 26 Training in SEN 26 Confidence In Meeting The Needs Of Students With SEN 26 Cognitive and Learning Difficulties 26 Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties 27 Communication and Interaction Difficulties 27 Sensory Difficulties 27 CONTENTS DISABLIST BULLYING: AN INVESTIGATION OF STUDENT TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE Physical Difficulties 28 Medical Conditions / Syndromes 28 Responding to SEN in the Classroom 28 Planning for SEN Provision in ITE 29 Management of Bully/victim Problems in School 29 Countering Bully/victim Problems in School 30 Training and Planning for Countering Bully/victim Problems 30 Disablist Bullying 31 Training and Planning for Countering Disablist Bullying 33 CASE STUDY #4 34 DISCUSSION 36 (i) The Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Student Teachers in 36 Relation to SEN (ii) The Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Student Teachers in 37 Relation to Bully/victim Problems. (iii) The Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Student Teachers in Relation to Disablist Bullying. 39 Conclusion 41 REFERENCES 43 Appendix A: Focus Group Interview Schedule 47 Appendix B: Questionnaire 48 CONTENTS DISABLIST BULLYING: AN INVESTIGATION OF STUDENT TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE 1 ABSTRACT This study set out to explore the knowledge and confidence of student teachers in relation to disablist bullying. Two centres for Initial Teacher Education, one in each jurisdiction, were selected for recruitment of participants. Stranmillis University College provided the sample of both primary and post-primary student teachers from Northern Ireland. The School of Education at Trinity College, Dublin and the University’s three Associated Colleges of Education (Marino Institute of Education, Froebel College of Education, and the Church of Ireland College of Education) provided the sample for the Republic of Ireland. Adopting a mixed methods approach of four focus groups and a paper questionnaire (n = 257), data were collected and analysed relating first to students’ knowledge and confidence in the discrete areas of special educational needs and bullying, and then in relation to disablist bullying. The study highlights the high importance attributed to SEN and bullying by student teachers but also the sporadic provision and low confidence in meeting the needs of children with SEN. The study also reveals that none of the participants in either jurisdiction have received any guidance at all in relation to disablist bullying as part of their Initial Teacher Education. The study concludes with recommendations to address this shortcoming, including the urgent need for practical, solution-focused and evidence-based courses at ITE and CPD level in both jurisdictions.