Christodoulidou, Panayiota; (2020) An ethnographic case study of ‘inclusive’ teaching-learning practices for students with mild learning difficulties in the mainstream classroom at public secondary schools in Cyprus: Listening to the perceptions of coordinators, teachers and students. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This study explored the implementation of ‘inclusive’ teaching and learning practices for the students with mild learning difficulties in the mainstream classroom at public secondary schools in Cyprus. It explored the experiences and perceptions of coordinators, teachers and students with mild learning difficulties about the current ‘inclusive’ teaching and learning practices and their understanding of the notion of inclusive education, which has informed their perceptions about the inclusive educational approaches. The objectives of this study are concerned with the basic premise of inclusive education that the ‘learning needs’ of these students can be met effectively in the mainstream classroom, since the classroom adaptations needed are no more than good general teaching practices. Particularly, this study seeks to question the for-granted assumptions regarding the mainstream classroom practices and adaptations required for the students with learning difficulties. It also aimed to contribute to a better understanding of how these assumptions affected the design and the implementation of ‘inclusive’ teaching and learning practices. To explore these objectives, an ethnographic case study was conducted at three public mainstream schools of Cyprus. Eleven teachers of Modern Greek and three coordinators were questioned and individually interviewed. Twenty-nine students with mild learning difficulties aged from twelve to fifteen years old, were also interviewed. The participants were also observed over a series of lessons in the mainstream classroom and the resource room. This made it possible to identify the effects of the teachers’ assumption about the need for ‘special’ and ‘distinct’ pedagogy for the students with learning difficulties, on the consistency of their mainstream classroom adaptations and their expectations towards the learning of these students. By listening to students, it has unpicked the effects of the current ‘inclusive’ practices on the students’ learning profile and it signalized their (further) stigmatization as being less academically able learners.

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