Researching into Some Primary School Children's Views About School: Using Personal Construct Psychology in Practice with Children on the Special Needs Register |
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| Authors: | TIM MAXWELL |
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| Institution: | Educational Psychologist, Somerset Education Authority, UK |
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| Abstract: | This article describes a research project, which collected the views of 13 junior aged children on the special educational needs register of one school about their education. The techniques used for eliciting their views were a series of personal construct psychology (PCP) conversations based on drawings produced by the children of themselves in school. A case study approach was taken within the naturalistic paradigm of 'constructivist inquiry'. The findings indicated that social activities were of greater importance for the pupils than formal learning experiences. Peer relationships were paramount and these defined the positive or negative experiences the pupils had of school in general. The pupils were able to describe a range of problem solving strategies for resolving peer group difficulties. The implications of the study are also discussed. |
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| Keywords: | personal construct psychology children's drawings pupil voice children with special needs |
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