‘What is the Problem Represented to Be’ in the educational policies relating to the social inclusion of learners with SEN in mainstream schools in England
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21723177 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Georgina Nnamani (0000-0002-4408-3907, University of Manchester Manchester UK, corresponding author), Sylvie Lomer (0000-0002-6541-4453, University of Manchester Manchester UK) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 1046-1059 |
| Publication date | 2024-10-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1471-3802 • E-ISSN: 1471-3802 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/1471-3802.12692 |
| OpenAlex | W4399679051 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 35 |
The social inclusion of learners with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has been a dominant discourse in global education and academic research. Concerns have been raised globally, and in England, that learners with SEN underachieve compared with non‐SEN learners. Studies have linked challenges faced by learners with SEN to inadequate training of teachers, delayed intervention and the lack of clarity in educational policies relating to learners with SEN. This paper draws on Carol Bacchi's (2009) ‘What is the Problem Represented to be’ (WPR) framework to analyse 10 policy documents relating to the education of learners with SEN in mainstream schools in England. This analysis aims to identify ‘problems’, tensions and gaps in educational policies relating to learners with SEN and to establish the effectiveness of these policies in addressing the social inclusion of learners with SEN in mainstream schools. The analysis revealed that the educational policies create ‘problems’ for learners with SEN due to their outcomes‐focused approach. There is little consideration given to inclusive education and the social inclusion of learners with SEN in mainstream schools. This paper argues that for successful social inclusion of learners with SEN, policies must prioritise empowering teachers to effectively promote inclusive education
CLARITY · Mainstream · Mainstreaming · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Special education · Special Educational Needs · Collaborative Teaching and Inclusion · Family and Disability Support Research · Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
Mending the (broken) Send system in England and repaying debts to children, families and professionals
School staffs' views on student non-attendance
Applying Bacchi’s WPR framework to analyse neoliberal multiculturalism in Ireland’s Languages Connect strategy
The ‘best of both worlds’? Perspectives on ‘inclusion’ from autistic pupils in a primary school resourced provision
A co‐produced analysis of Send policy for children and young people
Promoting inclusion and equity in education
Toward good practice in thematic analysis
Discourse Analysis
Social Work with Disabled People
Grading Goal Four
Foucault and Feminist Philosophy of Disability
Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis
Special education reforms in Ireland
The role of school and individual differences in the academic attainment of learners with special educational needs and disabilities
Fractured academic identities
Special and inclusive education in Ghana
How inclusion became exclusion
Policy, experience and change
Divergences in the framing of inclusive education across the UK
Discipline and Punish
Reaching the parts that other theories and methods can't reach
Problematizations in Health Policy
What Is Policy? Texts, Trajectories and Toolboxes
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 5 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |