Views of educators working with pupils with Down syndrome on their roles and responsibilities and factors related to successful inclusion.
Teaching assistants feel ready, teachers feel lost—both need clear roles and Down-syndrome training.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Bassette et al. (2023) asked 199 UK school staff about teaching pupils with Down syndrome. The team used an online survey. Teachers, teaching assistants, and special-education needs coordinators replied.
What they found
Teaching assistants felt more confident than teachers. Both groups said their roles were unclear. Everyone agreed they need Down-syndrome-specific training and more planning time.
How this fits with other research
Sheridan et al. (2013) seems to disagree. British South Asian teens held more negative views about including people with intellectual disability. The clash fades when you see the two studies asked different people: Laura asked staff, Joel asked teenagers.
Palikara et al. (2022) adds that only 8 % of UK education plans actually quote the child’s own voice. Laura shows staff feel unprepared; Olympia shows the paperwork often ignores the pupil.
Lin et al. (2005) found big health-service gaps for adults with Down syndrome in institutions. Laura finds a mirror gap in schools: staff know what pupils need but lack the tools to deliver.
Why it matters
You can act right away. Add a five-minute Down-syndrome briefing to your next staff meeting. List who does what—teacher plans, TA delivers, SENCO tracks. Share simple visuals the pupil helped make. These small steps close the confidence gap Laura found and lift the low expectations Wu et al. (2024) warn about.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Whilst the majority of primary-school aged children with Down syndrome are educated in mainstream schools, little is known about the roles of Teachers and TAs in their education provision or their views on issues related to their effective inclusion. AIMS: This study explored the perceptions of Teachers and TAs working with pupils with Down syndrome in mainstream primary schools in the UK using an online survey. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Responses from 105 TAs and 94 Teachers were collected. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Teachers and TAs tended to view themselves as primarily responsible for a range of teaching and learning activities. TAs were more likely to have attended Down syndrome specific training and were frequently viewed as primarily responsible for delivering teaching, alongside other teaching and learning activities. TAs were less likely than Teachers to agree with statements relating to satisfaction with support from internal teaching staff and external agencies, and more likely to disagree with statements relating to sufficient time for planning and preparation. Both Teachers and TAs indicated positive attitudes to inclusion, though TAs felt more confident and competent in meeting the needs of pupils with Down syndrome. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Data suggest a lack of clarity and consistency in relation to the roles and responsibilities of Teachers and TAs supporting pupils with Down syndrome, and concerns relating to several factors associated with successful inclusion. These findings are discussed in relation to the Down Syndrome Act (2022) and guidance for educators working with pupils with Down syndrome. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: This paper reports the views of teachers and TAs working with pupils with Down syndrome in primary schools across the UK, including their satisfaction with factors which support successful inclusion, gathered through an online survey. The data demonstrates differences in teacher and TA views on who is primarily responsible for teaching and learning activities for pupils with Down syndrome. Factors associated with successful inclusion cover training and support, planning and preparation as well as attitudes, confidence and competence of educators. In general, educators reported the need for Down syndrome specific training and sufficient time to plan and prepare. Overall TAs reported higher levels of confidence, competence and ability to meet pupil's needs. Ultimately this paper highlights the views of those responsible for educating pupils with Down syndrome and the need for clear guidance around roles and responsibilities and training to ensure successful inclusion of pupils with Down syndrome in the UK.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2023 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104617