Pages: 46

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 24

Educational psychology seems to be a rather mysterious profession. An education officer who claimed to have read over 1,000 reports written by educational psychologists (EPs) wrote an article (Wood, 1998) entitled ‘Okay then, so what do educational psychologists do?’ UK governments have appeared similarly baffled. Six reviews of the role, function and training of educational psychologists have been carried out since the turn of the century, one in Scotland (Scottish Executive, 2002) one in England and Wales (DfEE, 2000), and a further four in England (Farrell et al., 2006; DfE, 2011a; NCTL & HEE, 2016; Lyonette et al., 2019). Indeed, a fifth is currently underway in England as part of a review of the system that supports children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Our main objective is that by the end of this chapter you will be able to answer the question in the title and will have gained an appreciation of some of the issues in the professional practice of educational psychology that led to the question being asked.

Pages: 20

This chapter begins by considering the differing types of evidence that can be used to support practitioners seeking to inform their practice with evidence, as raised in Chapter 1. The journey from evidence to practice (and practice to evidence) will lead us to consider the varying methods used in the evidence bases for applied educational psychology, and to touch on different paradigms of knowledge. Some of the considerations for controlled evidence in educational psychology are explored, leading to a particular focus on single-case experimental designs, and how EPs can be involved in generating practice-based evidence. The growth of qualitative approaches and the way in which they may illuminate questions faced by EPs are then addressed. Turning specifically to evidence-based practice, the chapter reviews a number of challenges to the notion, particularly as they relate to applied psychology. A distinction is drawn between the evidence available through controlled methods on the one hand and exploratory qualitative methods on the other, and between the extent to which researchers wish to understand the effects of an intervention versus the mechanisms of change, or its implementation, or indeed altogether more exploratory questions to help understand the contexts where professional practice is located. The implications for evidence-informed approaches and for implementation science are considered. The chapter offers this overview of methodological issues in research evidence in order to assist with critical evaluation of some of the evidence presented later in this volume, and of the research-based issues within educational psychology.

Pages: 116

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 19

In this chapter you will learn about various ways that educational psychologists have attempted to employ ‘instructional psychology’ (IP) to help raise educational attainments in schools, especially with pupils whom teachers have traditionally found to be the hardest to teach. We will begin by considering how the term ‘underachievement’ has been used and how educational psychologists have supported the employment of IP-based interventions to overcome it. The term IP refers to aspects of a young person’s learning environment, and particularly to actual teaching style and methods, such as the use of behavioural objectives, task analysis, direct instruction, and precision teaching as they relate to the learning of core skills. Each of these approaches will be examined and the basic tenets illustrated by individual case examples. Finally, the results from larger-scale applications of IP aimed at lower-achieving children across a number of classrooms and schools will be explored, which highlight the potential for this type of IP to support achievement by supporting the attainments of all learners.

Pages: 23

This chapter will examine some of the complexities and controversies surrounding the prevailing international policy of inclusion. Though inclusion in fact pertains to all students, the focus here will be upon the inclusion of children with special educational needs. Definitions of inclusion will be explored, the history of inclusive education will be outlined, and current practice will be described. Research into the efficacy of inclusion, typified by investigations comparing mainstream placements with segregated ‘special’ schooling, will be considered. Discussion will illustrate the range of methodological challenges encountered in research of this type and the need for more varied methodological approaches in future research. Further discussion will examine how psychological theory has been conscripted to support arguments on both sides of the inclusion debate and will consider the contribution that psychological theory has made, and could make, to this area of social policy and educational psychology practice.

Pages: 17

The effective use of language is fundamental to school learning, but the language of school is very different from the language that many children acquire within their families. That difference is experienced in an extreme form by children whose family speak a different language at home from the main language of instruction at school. But even children in a majority language community have to learn to vary their use of language in different environments. This chapter will review how monolingual children learn to communicate in infancy and will examine how the language they learn at that stage differs from the language that they will later need at school. Do differences between home talk and classroom talk inhibit students’ engagement with the curriculum? In the final section of the chapter we will see how ideas from sociocultural theory based on the work of Vygotsky have been applied to help teachers to overcome these challenges.

Pages: 18

Some children find reading more difficult than others. Some struggle to read well even after well-designed and focused interventions have been used. What causes these difficulties? What do we mean when we say a child has ‘dyslexia’? Can children get better? What do we know about how to help children like this? In this chapter we explore these and other, often controversial, questions. In the chapter you will discover some of the extensive psychological and educational research that has helped us move closer to a full understanding of why children find reading difficult and what we can do about it. We explore the neuropsychology of reading, how teaching might help or hinder children, and how factors such as genetics might play a part.

Pages: 16

Within the school curriculum mathematics presents particular challenges that some people find intimidating. This chapter analyses the concept of maths anxiety, a general construct that may have distinct foci, including anxiety around the task of processing numerical concepts and anxiety about situations involving the execution of maths. Its causes may be identified at the individual level (e.g. neuropsychological vulnerability, cognitive readiness, the management of working memory, personality factors), while its development may be exacerbated by environmental factors (e.g. negative school experiences, teacher anxiety, social and cultural factors). Intervention may take the form of adjusting how the subject is taught or presented as well as strategies to modify an individual’s attitudes and perceptions. It is possible for schools to lay the basis for “mathematical resilience” rather than contributing to negative feelings about the subject.

Pages: 21

In this chapter we begin by asking ‘what is autism’; discussing terminology, describing and illustrating key characteristics and reflecting on how conceptualisations have changed. We will consider what might cause autism, recognising in particular the role of cognitive-level explanations. Three well-known cognitive theories of autism are introduced: theory of mind, executive dysfunction and central coherence. The double empathy theory which takes a broader, neurodivergent perspective is also briefly highlighted. Finally, we examine the role that psychological theory and research have played so far in developing approaches to the education of children with autism. Two distinct strands of influence are discussed, one that draws on behavioural psychology and takes no specific account of diagnostic features and one that draws directly on cognitive theories. Examples of approaches to support children with autism are described, together with ethical and methodological issues relating to their aims, implementation and evaluation.

Pages: 100

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 18

In this chapter, we argue that educational psychologists (EPs) have always played a role in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in schools although there have been variations in how this has been conceptualised and recognised by others. In the 1990s, for example, children’s mental health was primarily seen as being the remit of specialist child and adolescent mental health services, whereas EPs were positioned within education, with a role primarily focused on the assessment of special educational needs and disability. More encouragingly, recent policy initiatives promoting mental health in schools have provided a context for a clearer recognition of the many and varied forms of educational psychology practice which support children’s mental health, both new and old. To begin with, the chapter will review the terms and definitions used to describe mental health and wellbeing, before considering the prevalence of various kinds of mental health need. After framing wider policy developments relating to the provision of mental health support for children and young people, we examine specifically how EPs make a unique contribution to this agenda through working with schools and educational settings.

Pages: 25

In this chapter we explore a number of psychological perspectives upon classroom behaviour – including behavioural, cognitive and psychodynamic – and how they can help EPs understand behaviour that is perceived to be difficult, informing interventions aimed at achieving calm, well-regulated, and positive learning environments. Ecological systems theories are noted to help in guiding individual, group, and whole school approaches, and a distinction is drawn between reactive and preventive approaches.

Pages: 22

Surveys consistently identify bullying as an important issue for the wellbeing of children and young people. With the growth of accessible technology, cyberbullying is a method of bullying which is providing new challenges for society. School bullies have historically been portrayed as large, physically stronger individuals, and victims of bullying as weak, sensitive and timid individuals. However, psychological research relating to both traditional and cyberbullying suggests that these stereotypes are oversimplifications. Some students identified as bullies are also victimised. Also, the incidence of negative outcomes associated with bullying and cyberbullying is high for all involved, not just for pupils who are victimised. Increasingly, it is recognised that a focus on within-child factors alone is unhelpful in developing understanding of bullying situations, given that bullying is a complex social phenomenon. Theories of bullying range across explanations at the levels of the individual, family, peer group, school system, as well as wider socio-cultural perspectives. A range of interventions have been developed, although there can be disagreement over intervention principles for children identified as engaging in bullying behaviour, and it is here that the overlap between bullying behaviour and victimisation has particular implications. A systemic perspective leads to a need to explore a broad range of foci for interventions and there is growing evidence for the effectiveness of multi-level approaches. In addition, calls for schools to consider their own culture and ethos in order to promote respect and inclusion for all are warranted.

Pages: 17

Young people who feel unable to attend school have always been a concern, and the incidence of this concern has heightened since the Covid-19 pandemic. In this chapter we explore psychological explanations for what may be happening when a young person avoids attending school. We begin by considering various terms that have been adopted in relation to explaining extended school non-attendance. The particular focus here is the form of school non-attendance that is often known as school refusal, or by practitioners as extended or emotionally based non-attendance. Considering a range of theoretical formulations for persistent non-attendance will lead us to understand how these may in turn influence interventions. The literature guides us to a particular focus on the role of anxiety, and this is reflected in interventions, which are recommended to be optimal when multi-component. We shall see the influence of contexts upon a young person refusing to attend for education, for example family and school, and explore what this may imply for the work of a practitioner. Throughout, the individual and varying nature of the problem for young people with extended school non-attendance will be acknowledged.

Pages: 16

In this chapter we examine different ways of describing a school’s ethos and culture and different ways of investigating them. We reflect on how the ethos of a school is expressed in its day-to-day life. A school exists for its pupils. The chapter also examines how an institution’s ethos may impinge on the experiences of its students and the development of their identities as academic learners.