Lärares uppfattningar om specialpedagogens yrkesroll - En halvstrukturerad kvalitativ intervjustudie med åtta lärare

Abstract

Special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) and Special education teachers (SETs) (Abbott, 2007), which in Sweden are referred to as specialpedagoger and speciallärare – two different professions or just the same? In retrospect the field of special needs education (SNE) reveals a certain vagueness whether both categories are entitled and at times there has been only one education and one profession instead of two. At present there are two, but this study indicates that opinions on the working field differ when it comes to the interpretation of the professions. As a starting point the theory of professionalism (Abbott, 1988) was used as well as a qualitative method by interviewing eight teachers in the south and the middle of Sweden. The interviews were semi structured to enable possible supplementary questions. The main purpose of the study was to describe the conceptions of teachers when it comes to the role of the SENCO. There has also been an attempt to describe what the responding teachers would like to be included in the agenda of the SENCO. The results were organized according to the degree requirements of the SENCO. Most responding teachers had approximately the same understanding when describing this role. However, the issue is complex since they did not separate the role of SENCOs from the role of SETs. There was a general assumption that both roles work with pupils in need of special support in one way or another. Finally, an attempt has been made to determine whether SENCOs can be classified as a unique profession, which led to the conclusion that more research is needed before that can become a reality.