In-service teachers' use of graphical accounts to illuminate aspects of their practice in special educational needs

Abstract

Much has been written concerning the reflections of teachers about their professional role. This paper provides an example of a further means by which they can obtain insights into their work. Teachers on in-service education and training (INSET) courses in special educational needs (SEN) were asked to record their perceptions of what they saw as the key issues in working with children who have SEN by using drawings rather than words. The resulting ‘concept maps’ or ‘mind maps’ provide both information concerning how these teachers view their role and also the dilemmas concerned in doing their job effectively. The premise on which this method of data-gathering is based is that it provides an alternative means of uncovering the subconscious thinking of a group of teachers about the work they do, thereby helping them to develop new strategies to deal with the problems they encounter.