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The Challenges of Comparative Educational Research into Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Year 2009, Volume: 26 Issue: 1, 27 - 34, 02.09.2015

Abstract

European research demonstrates substantial differences in child well-being between countries and suggests that levels of child well-being are not inevitable but “policy-susceptible”. There would seem to be a need for studies that look in more detail at the differences in educational and social provision between developed nations, particularly for those children and young people who are most at risk and who represent the greatest challenges, such as those presenting with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, (SEBD). The United Kingdom provides an example of how even within national boundaries terms such as SEBD are difficult to define and inconsistently applied. The complexities of descriptive terms such as SEBD impact both on the research task and on educational practice. Comparative social research presents a complex task, particularly where there are linguistic and conceptual differences to overcome, but offers advantages to the research task through examining alternatives to provision ‘at home’, and questioning the ‘taken for granted’ assumptions under which educational systems operate.Vignettes could provide one methodological solution to the difficulties of comparative research.

References

  • Ansell, N. et al. (2007). UNICEF Child Poverty in Perspective Report: A view from the UK. Children’s Geographies 5(3), 325-330.
  • Barter, C. and Renold, E (1999 ) The Use of Vignettes in Qualitative Research. Social Research Update University of Surrey. Retrieved from http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru25.htm.
  • Cole, T, Daniel, H. & Visser, J. (2003). Patterns of provision for pupils with behavioural difficulties in England: A study of government statistics and behaviour support plan data. Oxford Review of Education, 29, 187-205.
  • Cooper, P. (2006). Setting the scene in Hunter-Carsch et al. (Eds). The handbook of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. London: Continuum.
  • Corbett, J., & Norwich, B. (1997). Special needs and client rights: the changing social and political context of special educational research. British Educational Research Journal, 23(3) 379-389.
  • Daniels, H. (2006). The dangers of corruption in special needs education. British Journal of Special Education, 33, 4-9.
  • Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (2001). Special educational needs: Code of practice (London, DfES).
  • Feiler, A., & Gibson, H. (1999). Threats to the inclusive movement. British Journal of Special Education, 26 (3), 147-152.
  • Finch, J. (1987). The vignette technique in survey research, Sociology, 21, pp.105-14.
  • Gower, S. (2000). Book review. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 177, 285.
  • Hantrais, L. (1995). Comparative Research Methods. Social Research Update. University of Surrey. Retrieved from http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru13.html.
  • Hazel, N. (1995). Elicitation techniques with young people, Social Research Update. University of Surrey. Retrieved from http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU12.html.
  • Jones, R. (2003). The construction of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Educational Psychology in Practice, 19, 147-157.
  • Lloyd, G. (2005). Problem girls:Understanding and supporting troubled and troublesome girls and young women. London: Routledge.
  • Malek, M. (1993). Passing the buck: Institutional responses to controlling children with difficult behaviour. London: The Children’s Society.
  • Meijer, J. W. (2003). Trends in provision in 18 European countries. European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education.
  • Ofsted. (1999). Principals into practice: Effective education for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. London: Ofsted.
  • Poulou, M., & Norwich, B. (2001a). Teachers' cognitive, emotional and behavioural responses to students with emotional and behavioural difficulties: A model of decision making. British Educational Research Journal, 28(1), 111-138.
  • Poulou, M., & Norwich, B. (2001b). The role of vignettes in the research of emotional and behaviour difficulties. Emotional and Behaviour difficulties 6(1), 50-62.
  • Postlethwaithe, T. N. (1988). The encyclopedia of comparative education and national systems of education. Oxford: Pergamon.
  • Soydan, H., & Stal, R. (1994). How to use vignette technique in cross-cultural social work research. Scandinavian Journal of Social Welfare, 3, 75–80.
  • Tobbell, J., & Lawthorn R. (2005). Dispensing with labels: Enabling children and professionals to share a community of practice. Educational and Child Psychology, 22, 89-97.
  • Tobin, J., Wu, D., & Davidson, D. (1989). Preschool in three cultures: Japan, China and the United States. London: Yale University Press.
  • Thomas, G., & Glenny, G. (2000). Emotional and behavioural difficulties: Bogus needs in a false category. Discourse: studies in the cultural politics of education, 21, 283-298.
  • Tomlinson, S. (1982). A sociology of special education. London: Routledge.
  • UNICEF (2007). Child poverty in perspective: An overview of child well-being in rich countries.
  • Visser, J. (2003). A study of children and young people who present challenging behavior. London: Ofsted.
  • Visser, J., & Stokes, S. (2003). Is education ready for the inclusion of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties: a rights perspective? Educational Review, 55, 65-75.
  • Watling, R. (2004). Helping them out: The role of teachers and healthcare professionals in the exclusion of pupils with special educational needs. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 9, 8-27.

The Challenges of Comparative Educational Research into Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Year 2009, Volume: 26 Issue: 1, 27 - 34, 02.09.2015

Abstract

European research demonstrates substantial differences in child well-being between countries and suggests
that levels of child well-being are not inevitable but “policy-susceptible”. There would seem to be a need for
studies that look in more detail at the differences in educational and social provision between developed
nations, particularly for those children and young people who are most at risk and who represent the greatest
challenges, such as those presenting with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, (SEBD). The United
Kingdom provides an example of how even within national boundaries terms such as SEBD are difficult to
define and inconsistently applied. The complexities of descriptive terms such as SEBD impact both on the
research task and on educational practice. Comparative social research presents a complex task, particularly
where there are linguistic and conceptual differences to overcome, but offers advantages to the research task
through examining alternatives to provision ‘at home’, and questioning the ‘taken for granted’ assumptions
under which educational systems operate.Vignettes could provide one methodological solution to the
difficulties of comparative research. 

References

  • Ansell, N. et al. (2007). UNICEF Child Poverty in Perspective Report: A view from the UK. Children’s Geographies 5(3), 325-330.
  • Barter, C. and Renold, E (1999 ) The Use of Vignettes in Qualitative Research. Social Research Update University of Surrey. Retrieved from http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru25.htm.
  • Cole, T, Daniel, H. & Visser, J. (2003). Patterns of provision for pupils with behavioural difficulties in England: A study of government statistics and behaviour support plan data. Oxford Review of Education, 29, 187-205.
  • Cooper, P. (2006). Setting the scene in Hunter-Carsch et al. (Eds). The handbook of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. London: Continuum.
  • Corbett, J., & Norwich, B. (1997). Special needs and client rights: the changing social and political context of special educational research. British Educational Research Journal, 23(3) 379-389.
  • Daniels, H. (2006). The dangers of corruption in special needs education. British Journal of Special Education, 33, 4-9.
  • Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (2001). Special educational needs: Code of practice (London, DfES).
  • Feiler, A., & Gibson, H. (1999). Threats to the inclusive movement. British Journal of Special Education, 26 (3), 147-152.
  • Finch, J. (1987). The vignette technique in survey research, Sociology, 21, pp.105-14.
  • Gower, S. (2000). Book review. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 177, 285.
  • Hantrais, L. (1995). Comparative Research Methods. Social Research Update. University of Surrey. Retrieved from http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/sru13.html.
  • Hazel, N. (1995). Elicitation techniques with young people, Social Research Update. University of Surrey. Retrieved from http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU12.html.
  • Jones, R. (2003). The construction of emotional and behavioural difficulties. Educational Psychology in Practice, 19, 147-157.
  • Lloyd, G. (2005). Problem girls:Understanding and supporting troubled and troublesome girls and young women. London: Routledge.
  • Malek, M. (1993). Passing the buck: Institutional responses to controlling children with difficult behaviour. London: The Children’s Society.
  • Meijer, J. W. (2003). Trends in provision in 18 European countries. European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education.
  • Ofsted. (1999). Principals into practice: Effective education for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. London: Ofsted.
  • Poulou, M., & Norwich, B. (2001a). Teachers' cognitive, emotional and behavioural responses to students with emotional and behavioural difficulties: A model of decision making. British Educational Research Journal, 28(1), 111-138.
  • Poulou, M., & Norwich, B. (2001b). The role of vignettes in the research of emotional and behaviour difficulties. Emotional and Behaviour difficulties 6(1), 50-62.
  • Postlethwaithe, T. N. (1988). The encyclopedia of comparative education and national systems of education. Oxford: Pergamon.
  • Soydan, H., & Stal, R. (1994). How to use vignette technique in cross-cultural social work research. Scandinavian Journal of Social Welfare, 3, 75–80.
  • Tobbell, J., & Lawthorn R. (2005). Dispensing with labels: Enabling children and professionals to share a community of practice. Educational and Child Psychology, 22, 89-97.
  • Tobin, J., Wu, D., & Davidson, D. (1989). Preschool in three cultures: Japan, China and the United States. London: Yale University Press.
  • Thomas, G., & Glenny, G. (2000). Emotional and behavioural difficulties: Bogus needs in a false category. Discourse: studies in the cultural politics of education, 21, 283-298.
  • Tomlinson, S. (1982). A sociology of special education. London: Routledge.
  • UNICEF (2007). Child poverty in perspective: An overview of child well-being in rich countries.
  • Visser, J. (2003). A study of children and young people who present challenging behavior. London: Ofsted.
  • Visser, J., & Stokes, S. (2003). Is education ready for the inclusion of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties: a rights perspective? Educational Review, 55, 65-75.
  • Watling, R. (2004). Helping them out: The role of teachers and healthcare professionals in the exclusion of pupils with special educational needs. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 9, 8-27.
There are 29 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Original Articles
Authors

Kathryn Evans This is me

Publication Date September 2, 2015
Published in Issue Year 2009 Volume: 26 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Evans, K. (2015). The Challenges of Comparative Educational Research into Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. Bogazici University Journal of Education, 26(1), 27-34.