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Feeling in or out? Students' perspectives on learning support at secondary school. Jude MacArthur and Vijaya Dharan Massey University, Palmerston North Gill Rutherford University of Otago, Dunedin Aotearoa, NZ

Learning Support in Secondary Schools: Using students' perspectives to transform teacher practice 2 secondary schools Community of Practice o 4-6 subject teachers in Yrs 7 -11 (11-15 yr old students) o Learning Support staff o 3 researchers ★ ★

Student perspectives on their learning Action research cycle support Evaluate the Share effects of student changes in perspectives the and plan for community teaching in of practice the and start community second cycle of practice Initiate Collect changes to student and teaching teacher data and on the learning effects of and student the changes support

Index for Inclusion: student interview questions What are the things that help you to learn best in the classroom? (teachers, peers, teacher aides) Peers – tell me about when you learn with your • classmates, when you work together o I have some good friends. o In lessons children often help each other in pairs and small groups. o In lessons children share what they know with other children. o Children are interested in listening to each other’s ideas.

I lik I like e sc scho hool. I go got a lot lot of of fri friends nds he here, th there’s a lot lot mo more fun fun th thin ings to do to do ar arou ound sch chool, an and it it’s wa way funne funner co cos yo you ge get to to muck ck ar arou ound duri during ng cl class – so some meti time mes, s, no not all all th the time time. And it An it’s lik like re really go good an and th the teach chers ar aren’t th that seri se rious us all all th the time time. St Student 1 I I lik like e sc scho hool. So Sometimes. s. I I don’t rea eally like e it at times es. The e peo eople e her ere, e, and some e teach chers aren’t liked, but – I I dunno dunno. . … It’s s OK, , but but so some meti time mes s I do don’t n’t like it. t. It’s not my place ce. St Student B B

What I Wh I don’t lik like e ab about school. l. [Teach chers] could explain better, cos half the time they explain in a rush cos they want to get the learning done. ex … Th … Then th they y get t lots lots of of question tions s an and th they y get t an annoyed an and say “Ju Just t go o an and do o it! it!” St Student C C I I usually ha have to wait qui quite a whi while – so so ma many y othe ther r people [need help from the teach cher]. Student D St

Wh What I I don’t lik like e ab about school. l. • [I get] bullied at school – a lot. I tried to tell teachers, but they wouldn’t really do a lot of stuff. They said to ignore it, but I can’t, cos I’m so sensitive, it’s hard. Student B • The whole school system is mucked up now cos of bullying. … Years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 – that’s all the years that have bullies in them. It goes from arguments to like, fist fighting at this school. Basically, the yelling, that will just happen when you're walking round school, then a fight will happen on the back of the field. Student 1

School: All about learning? Sc g? Sometimes I So I don’t do an anyth thin ing. Stu Student t 4 How mu Ho much of the content would you pick up in Ma Math ths, , while waiting for teacher’s help? Ab Abou out ha half. . St te Student D D [Wh Whe n n ask asked ho d how m muc uch she h she unde understood o d of f cl class ss conten ent, t, B B re replied:] A A qua quart rter r of f it. An ? Ju Just th thin inkin king. And th the o oth ther th r thre ree q quart rters rs? I I dunno dunno, , it’s s like, , I coul uld d do do thi his s if f it was s easi sier r for r me me – de depe pends nds on n the he time time. St Student B B Learning going well? I’m not sure. Cos I fail most of my tests. Maths, Science – I get not achieved in all of them. It’s all like closed book . If tests were open book, could you do them? Probably. Student 1

Sc School: All about learning? g? [Teaching needs to be] more interactive. Half the time I tune out because the teacher talks for half an hour and doesn’t clarify things, so then you’re sitting there confused … I like it when she writes on the board or draws on the board . … But lots of the teachers don’t, they just speak it. Some other teachers get grumpy when you ask questions…I get confused because I don’t understand, like, we’re doing something that seems pointless to me. I ask the teacher “why am I doing this?” “Because you have to.” I want some meaning to learning. … I understand I have to do it, but I need to know the point of it, for using in the real world. If the teacher explains why it would be helpful, then I’m fine, but normally teachers say “Just go and do the work.” Student C

School: All about learning? Sc g? If [teacher] i If is h having a a g good d day, s she’ll e explain i it b better t than b bad days, a and y you c can t tell w whether a a t teacher’s h having a a b bad d day, c cos they’re e either g grumpy o or j just d don’t h help. St Student C C So Some people a are s scared t to a ask q questions, c cos t they g get s shouted a at by t the t teacher – the t teacher’s kind o of g grumpy so someti etimes. s. Student D St D [Groups a are] g good, c cos – no normally – someone h has l listened, o or understands t the t teacher, a and t then, b because t they u understand a and they k know h how y you l learn, t they c can e explain i it b better t than t the teacher, w who h has a a t thousand… Y Your f friends l learn [ [how y you learn], c cos n normally y you g go t through t the w whole s school w with t them from t the f first y year, w whereas t the t teacher, y you h have a a n new t teacher every y year, p pretty m much. St Student C

School: All about learning? Sc g? Basically, Ba , I’m a slow learner, , so I get given work and then expected to finish it by nex ex ext period. How Ho w do does th the t teach cher r wo work wi with y h you? Ba Basically, , the teacher goes to everyone else and gets som someon eone i e in f for or m me, e, t to h o hel elp m me w e with th m my w y wor ork. k. P Peop eople f e from om Le Learning Support. Student 1 Wh What would ld mak make e school l better er? … fo for th the p e peop eople t e to b o be n e nice t e to ea o each oth other er … …Not ot bully bully pe people ple. Student 4

UNCRC; UNCRPD; Index for Inclusion; NZ Disability Strategy Lens • Empower the child • Develop learning and other capabilities • Friendship, getting on well together • Confidence, feeling good about myself • Resilience • Determination • Dignity • Respect • Inclusive education • Receive required support • Protection from violence

Community of Space, voice, practice audience, influence? Significant barriers to learning: • unable to understand the teacher, content, written word • unable to access help in a timely manner • teachers grumpy, have ‘bad days’ • becoming disengaged

Community of practice Students value : • A positive, respectful social climate free from bullying (UNCRPD key priority) • RELEVANCE – teaching approaches/materials/content/ teacher time that are responsive to their learning characteristics and interests • Diverse teaching approaches (not just ‘speaking’) • Group work

Thank you

References Booth, T., and M. Ainscow. 2011. The Index for inclusion. • Developing learning and participation in schools. Bristol: The Centre for Studies in Inclusive Education. Lundy, L. (2007). ‘Voice’ is not enough: conceptualising Article • 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Educational Research Journal, 33 (6), 927–942 Ministry of Social Development (2016) New Zealand Disability • Strategy.https://www.odi.govt.nz/nz-disability-strategy/ United Nations. (1989). United Nations Convention on the • Rights of the Chi ld. https://treaties.un.org/pages/viewdetails.aspx?src=treaty&mt dsg_no=iv-11&chapter=4&lang=en-title=UNTC-publisher= United Nations. (2006). United Nations Convention on the • Rights of Persons with Disability http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventio nfull.shtml

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