Understanding Special Educational Needs: A Teacher's Guide to Effective School Based Research

New and experienced teachers working with children with special needs in mainstream or special school settings are increasingly discovering the value of research to inform and improve their teaching. This highly accessible text features: identification of the key research issues which relate to different aspects of SEN and inclusion guidance on how to carry out research in order to enhance teaching and learning for children whose progress is causing concern explanations of a range of approaches to research, including empirical studies of individuals, groups and institutions with children, parents, teachers and other professionals advice on how to use and disseminate research findings The authors support their basic guidance with a variety of examples of published research and they offer a framework and practical suggestions for planning and carrying out school-based investigations with different purposes in mind. This text will be relevant to teachers and SENCOs, and to mentorsand tutors in their supporting role.

Roland Chaplain is senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge.