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Whose participation is it anyway? Examining the context of pupil participation in the UK
Author(s) -
May Helen
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
british journal of special education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.349
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1467-8578
pISSN - 0952-3383
DOI - 10.1111/j.0952-3383.2005.00366.x
Subject(s) - pupil , context (archaeology) , intervention (counseling) , government (linguistics) , pedagogy , psychology , politics , sociology , public relations , political science , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy , neuroscience , psychiatry , law , biology
Helen May recently completed her doctoral studies at the University of Leeds. Her EdD thesis, written with the benefit of extensive experience of practice, focused on the engagement of children with learning difficulties in interactions in primary classrooms. In this article, Helen May draws on her familiarity with the literature to explore the topic of pupil participation. This issue has attracted considerable attention in recent years, especially since it is on the Government's agenda for education in the UK. Here, Helen May examines the political, research and pedagogical contexts in which pupil participation is currently being addressed. She notes that the adult role in bringing about pupil participation is currently emphasised in each of these contexts and expresses concern that pupil participation is therefore being portrayed as requiring professional intervention. By calling for greater exploration of pupil participation from the perspectives of pupils themselves, Helen May makes a persuasive case for seeking a more balanced recognition of the active roles that pupils and professionals can play in this area.