What does it mean to support? : a study of how education auxiliaries interpret their experiences of supporting children with additional support needs in mainstream classes using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

摘要

The study of how education auxiliaries (EAs) make sense of their experiences ofudsupporting children provides an opportunity to consider how support processes couldudbe adjusted, thereby enabling more effective practice. Adult support in classroomsudhas been used extensively over recent years in the hope of removing the barriers toudeducation faced by some children. This area was chosen for study as, with such a highudlevel of both financial input and expectation, it seems appropriate that carefuludconsideration is given to the support process.udThe subjective experience and perspective of adult support has had little previousudinvestigation. Through detailed analysis of interviews, this study seeks to illuminateudwhat it means to support children with additional support needs, what influences thisudwork, what EAs believe they are doing through support and what the outcomes areudthat they hope to realise.udThree schools were approached and two participants volunteered from each school toudbe part of the study. Semi-structured interviews were recorded and transcribed.udInterpretative phenomenological analysis has been used as it allows an in depth,udidiographic analysis of the participants' account, while acknowledging theudresearcher's own interpretations of the participants' words.udThe four analysed themes are; communication. interface and role perceptionsudbetween class teacher and education auxiliary. development of and outcomes from audgenuine and reciprocal relationship with the supported child, judging the level ofudsupport, fulfilment and engagement with the role.udI hope that this study affords greater insight into an experience that few otherudprofessionals in education are a part of. As such, implications are outlined here for theudtraining of support staff and teachers as well as practice within schools.