Social Status of Students with Developmental Difficulties in the Classroom from the Perspective of the Vocational School Teachers

Abstract

The goal of the research was to get an insight into teachers’ perceptions of the social status of students with developmental difficulties in the classroom, as well as their views on the factors influencing that status. The sample consisted of 50 teachers teaching different school subjects in seven vocational schools in Serbia. These vocational schools specialise in different fields. A questionnaire with open-ended questions was used in the research, and the teachers were asked to describe the social status of the students with developmental difficulties, as well as to name the key factors influencing that status. A qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis was used for data processing. The key findings indicate that the social status of the students with developmental difficulties is less favourable than the status of other students, and that different factors have an impact on such status: students’ individual characteristics, unreasonably high or low parents’ expectations, the indifference of other peer students towards the students with developmental difficulties, the lack of support, negative attitudes and stereotypes in both school and social contexts. The teachers are particularly aware of their own role and responsibility in improving the social status of the students with developmental difficulties. It is necessary, at school and educational levels, to pay more attention to the training of teachers for implementing inclusive education and using a differentiated approach. It is important to raise the general level of competence of the students with developmental difficulties, improve the social skills of other students in the class, and implement the programmes for parental capacity encouragement.

Keywords

• inclusive education
• social acceptance
• peer interaction
• social skills