Using preferred interests to model social skills in a peer-mentored environment for students with special educational needs

ABSTRACT

This study explored the benefits of using preferred interests to model social skills in a peer-mentored environment for students with special educational needs (SEN). Research suggests that in order for true inclusion to take place, students must participate socially with their peers, outside the classroom space. However, funding and availability of resources are the main barriers to inclusion being fully implemented in Irish schools. This research sought to assess how a peer-mentored social skills club could facilitate an inexpensive approach of including students with SEN, outside the classroom. The group agreed on a technology-based club. Senior students were encouraged to take a lead role in the organisation and participation of the group and to support junior students via modelling of good social and leadership skills. Results revealed that students with SEN reported that a social group facilitated them to make new friendships while also allowing them to develop their social skills. The findings suggest that the addition of a student without an SEN, who took a lead role in this group, had a positive effect on this club and facilitated the inclusion of students with SEN into the wider school environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusion
• social skills
• preferred interests
• peer mentoring

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Aoife Smith, BA, MA (Ed. ASN), PGDE, G.Dip SEN is a post primary school teacher working with students with ASN. Her main area of interest is the inclusion of students with ASN outside the classroom.

Paula Prendeville is a Chartered Educational Psychologist, Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and she teaches on the Doctorate in Educational Psychology in University College Dublin. She is a trained primary and secondary school teacher. She also works as a Senior Psychologist in Enable Ireland Cork, a child development service for children with physical disabilities.

Dr William Kinsella, BA, BSc(Psych.), MA(Ed.Psych.), H.Dip. Ed., H.Dip. SEN. Dr Kinsella is a lecturer at the School of Education, University College Dublin and is Course Director of Professional Doctorate and PhD programmes in Educational Psychology there. He is involved in Initial Teacher Education and in the training of teachers of pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN). His main research interests are: Inclusive Education; Resource Allocation Systems for Pupils with SEN; Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Social Skills Training for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities.

ORCID

Aoife Smith http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3700-9725

Paula Prendeville http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0830-9817