Role Play in Teacher Education: Is there still a place for it?

Abstract

This article presents a case study discussing the value and significance of role play and its application in teaching the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (CoP) as part of a module on Inclusive Practice in the context of Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Following a pedagogic necessity, role play was introduced to support more sustained reflection on the relationship between the CoP and classroom practice and to consider the complexities of inclusive practice in education. The research used multiple methods: questionnaires, observations, participatory action research and evaluations to explore the research aims. The findings suggest that students developed a range of skills, gained a more nuanced understanding of the implications of the CoP and showed a better self-awareness regarding inclusive practice. The many benefits reported here emerged from applying role play in the context of ITT. However, its flexible nature makes it transferable to other disciplines and contexts.

Key words

Role play; special educational needs; code of practice; learning, teaching; higher education.