Luận Văn Luận án tiến sĩ: Inclusion in english language teacher training and education

NTRODUCTION
This study was born out of a unique set of events in my professional life and
was designed to answer specific questions that arose from my experiences as
both a teacher of English as a foreign language (EFL) and an academic support
tutor. These two areas of education share many common features, which
distinguish them from the compulsory education system, often referred to as the
‘mainstream’. They both have much to contribute to debates about pedagogical
excellence, as well much to learn from each other (Ganschow & Sparks, 2000;
Norwich & Lewis, 2001) and this study is my attempt to bring the two closer
together, with a long-term view of combining what I see as the best aspects of
both. Although some research has been done in America which considers the
impact of disabilities and learning differences on foreign language learning
(notably by Leonore Ganschow, Richard Sparks and their colleagues (ibid)), very
little has been done in this country, almost nothing specifically on English
language learning and nothing at all that focuses on how teachers of English
approach the issue of including disabled learners in their classes. In this respect,
this study is unique and has an important contribution to make to ELT
professionals’ understanding of the inclusion debate in this country, and the role
we can play in it.
Although stemming from a personal quest which could have arisen at any
point, the timeliness of this investigation on a national and international scale is
worth noting. During the four years that the project has been underway, several
momentous changes have occurred in British ELT circles, including the
introduction of a new national curriculum (DfES, 2003) new qualifications for
2
teachers and learners and Skills for Life projects that have investigated disability
amongst ESOL learners (DfES, 2006a). Not only is English language teaching in
Britain in a state of reform and transition, but inclusive education and disability
issues are very much on the agenda in Britain, across Europe and for international
organisations, such as UNESCO (Potts, 2000). Indeed, inclusion has been
described by one proponent as being “the major issue facing education systems
throughout the world” (Ainscow, 2003; p.15). In this first chapter I intend to present
the circumstances in which my questions emerged, in order to explain the
motivation for and the aims of the research. I will give a preliminary sketch of the
context of the study and introduce some of the key concepts that are central to it.
Finally I will provide a ‘route-map’ that indicates the structure of the rest of this
thesis

LUẬN ÁN GỒM 288 trang

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE THESIS 1
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background to the Study 2
1.2 Research Questions 7
1.3 Parameters of the Study 9
1.4 Outline of the Thesis 16
CHAPTER 2: THE DEVELOPMENT AND STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH
LANGUAGE TEACHING (ELT) IN THE UK
18
2.0 Introduction to ELT in the UK 18
2.1 The Origins of ELT in the UK (circa 1550 – circa 1950) 20
2.2 ELT in Post-war Britain (1950 – 2000) 27
2.3 The 21ST Century 35
2.4 Conclusions : ELT in Transition 55
CHAPTER 3: TOWARDS INCLUSIVE EDUCATION 57
3.0 Introduction 57
3.1 Before Warnock 60
3.2 The Warnock Era’ (1978 onwards) 67
3.3 Discourses of Disability 80
3.4 Inclusion in ELT 88
3.5 Conclusions: Comparing ELT and ‘Special’ Education 94
vi
CHAPTER 4 : METHODOLOGY 96
4.0 Introduction 96
4.1 The Research Questions 97
4.2 The Methodological Approach 99
4.3 The Design of the Study 103
4.4 Conclusions 116
CHAPTER 5 : THE PARTICIPANTS 118
5.0 Introduction 118
5.1 The Interviewees 118
5.2 The Questionnaire Respondents 125
5.3 Conclusions 139
CHAPTER 6: THE VIEWS OF ELT PROFESSIONALS REGARDING
STUDENTS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES OR LEARNING DIFFERENCES
141
6.0 Introduction 141
6.1 Attitudes Towards Language Learners with ‘Learning
Difficulties’ and Disabilities
142
6.2 Employment Sector: Private Versus State 145
6.3 The Development of ‘Expertise’ 157
6.4 Experience of Working with Disabled Learners 160
6.5 Different ‘Learning Difficulties’ and Degree of ‘Need’. 166
6.6 Summary of Findings for Question 1 178
vii
CHAPTER 7: APPROACHES TO INCLUSION IN INITIAL ELT
TRAINING
181
7.0 Introduction 181
7.1 The Aims of the Initial Certificate Courses 181
7.2 Inclusive Aspects of the Courses 189
7.3 The Extent to which Courses are Successful in Fostering
Inclusive Practices
194
7.4 Summary of Findings for Question 2 205
CHAPTER 8: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
AVAILABLE TO ELT PROFESSIONALS
208
8.0 Introduction 208
8.1 Opportunities for Continuous Professional Development 209
8.2 The Uptake of CPD 217
8.3 CPD Opportunities in Supporting Disabled Learners 223
8.4 ELT Practitioners’ Views of the CPD Opportunities They Would
Like or Need to Pursue
225
8.5 Summary of Findings for Question 3 228
CHAPTER 9: DISCUSSION 230
9.0 Introduction 230
9.1 Summary of Findings 231
9.2 Discussion and Recommendations 234
9.3 What Does this Study Contribute? 247
9.4 Future Research and Action to be Taken 249
9.5 Conclusions: Final Thoughts 252