Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-x4r87 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T14:14:58.343Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Transition for a Student With Special Educational Needs From Primary to Secondary School in Hong Kong*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 May 2013

Chris Forlin ,
Kenneth Kuen-Fung Sin  and
Rupert Maclean
Chris Forlin*
Affiliation:
The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong
Kenneth Kuen-Fung Sin
Affiliation:
The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong
Rupert Maclean
Affiliation:
The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong
*
Correspondence: Professor Chris Forlin, Department of Special Education and Counselling, Hong Kong Institute of Education, 10 Lo Ping Rd, Tai Po, Hong Kong. E-mail: cforlin@ied.edu.hk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In this paper the authors employ a case study approach to investigate the transition process for a student with special educational needs from a Hong Kong subsidised primary school into a secondary school. An analysis of transcripts from individual and focus group interviews with the student, his parents, his 4 primary teachers and his 10 secondary teachers, as well as government documents and notes of school observations, indicated that a lack of formal procedures for supporting a student's transition can result in a range of significant difficulties. The discussion focuses on the urgent need to develop strategic guidelines at a systemic level within Hong Kong, with a much greater focus on a collaborative school approach rather than the current overreliance on the parents to lead this process.

Keywords

transitionHong Kongparentsstudentsspecial educational needssecondary schoolingsupportcollaboration
Type
Articles
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 37 , Special Issue 1: Transitions for Students With Special Educational Needs , July 2013 , pp. 49 - 63
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

This manuscript was accepted under the Editorship of Michael Arthur-Kelly.

References

Ainscow, M. (2005). Looking to the future: Towards a common sense of purpose. Australasian Journal of Special Education, 29, 182–186. doi:10.1080/1030011050290209CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ankeny, E.M., Wilkins, J., & Spain, J. (2009). Mothers’ experiences of transition planning for their children with disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 41 (6), 28–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barnes, P. (2008). Multi-agency working: What are the perspectives of SENCos and parents regarding its development and implementation? British Journal of Special Education, 35, 230–240. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8578.2008.00394.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bear, G.G., Kortering, L.J., & Braziel, P. (2006). School completers and noncompleters with learning disabilities: Similarities in academic achievement and perceptions of self and teachers. Remedial and Special Education, 27, 293–300. doi:10.1177/07419325060270050401CrossRefGoogle Scholar
British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2000). Teaching students with autism: A resource guide for schools. Retrieved from http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/docs/autism.pdfGoogle Scholar
Carter, E.W., Swedeen, B., Moss, C.K., & Pesko, M.J. (2010). “What are you doing after school?” Promoting extracurricular involvement for transition-age youth with disabilities. Intervention in School and Clinic, 45, 275–283. doi:10.1177/1053451209359077CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cauley, K.M., & Jovanovich, D. (2006). Developing an effective transition program for students entering middle school or high school. The Clearing House, 80 (1), 15–25. doi:10.3200/TCHS.80.1.15-25CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Creswell, J.W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Detwiler, M. (2008). Transition to middle school for the child with special developmental needs. The Exceptional Parent, 38 (9), 22–23.Google Scholar
Devon County Council. (2002). Devon local education authority: Transition plan. Retrieved from http://www.devon.gov.uk/j4s-form-cset-transitionplan.docGoogle Scholar
Dockrell, J.E., & Lindsay, G. (2007). Identifying the educational and social needs of children with specific speech and language difficulties on entry to secondary school. Educational and Child Psychology, 24 (4), 101–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Donlevy, J. (2004). The “Special Act” public school districts in New York State: Helping children with special needs reach higher academic standards. International Journal of Instructional Media, 31, 109–113.Google Scholar
Duncan, M. (2012). Supporting the transition from primary to secondary education. British Journal of School Nursing, 7, 183–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Education Bureau. (2008). Key statistics primary education. Hong Kong: Author.Google Scholar
Etscheidt, S. (2006). Issues in transition planning: Legal decisions. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 29, 28–47. doi:10.1177/08857288060290010201CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forlin, C. (2007a). A collaborative, collegial and more cohesive approach to supporting educational reform for inclusion in Hong Kong. Asia Pacific Education Review, 8, 276–287. doi:10.1007/BF03029262CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forlin, C. (2007b). Inclusive educational practices: A way forward for Hong Kong. Chinese Education & Society, 40 (4), 63–75. doi:10.2753/CED1061-1932400405CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forlin, C. (2007c). Classroom diversity: Towards a whole-school approach. In Phillipson, S. N. (Ed.), Learning diversity in the Chinese classroom: Contexts and practice for students with special needs (pp. 95–123). Aberdeen, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forlin, C. (2010). Developing and implementing quality inclusive education in Hong Kong: Implications for teacher education. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 10 (Suppl. 1), 177–184. doi:10.1111/j.1471-3802.2010.01162.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forlin, C., & Lian, M.-G.J. (2008). Contemporary trends and issues in educational reform for special and inclusive education in the Asia-Pacific region. In Forlin, C. & Lian, M.-G.J. (Eds.), Reform, inclusion and teacher education: Towards a new era of special education in the Asia-Pacific region (pp. 3–12). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forlin, C., & Rose, R. (2010). Authentic school partnerships for enabling inclusive education in Hong Kong. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 10, 13–22. doi:10.1111/j.1471-3802.2009.01139.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forlin, C., & Sin, K.-F. (2010). Developing support for inclusion: A professional learning approach for teachers in Hong Kong. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 6 (1), 7–26.Google Scholar
Groom, B., & Rose, R. (2005). Supporting the inclusion of pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in the primary school: The role of teaching assistants. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 5, 20–30. doi:10.1111/J.1471-3802.2005.00035.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hartman, M.A. (2009). Step by step: Creating a community-based transition program for students with intellectual disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 41 (6), 6–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Humphrey, N., & Ainscow, M. (2006). Transition club: Facilitating learning, participation and psychological adjustment during the transition to secondary school. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 21, 319–331. doi:10.1007/BF03173419CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Humphrey, N., Charlton, J.P., & Newton, I. (2004). The developmental roots of disaffection? Educational Psychology, 24, 579–594. doi:10.1080/0144341042000262926CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jindal-Snape, D., Douglas, W., Topping, K.J., Kerr, C., & Smith, E.F. (2006). Autistic spectrum disorders and primary-secondary transition. International Journal of Special Education, 21 (2), 18–31.Google Scholar
Jones, F., Rodger, S., Ziviani, J., & Boyd, R. (2009). Transition to secondary school for students with cerebral palsy and implications for quality of life: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 2, 133–147. doi:10.1080/19411240903146509CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, J.-Y., Bassett, D.S., & Hutchinson, S.R. (2009). Secondary special educators’ transition involvement. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 34, 163–172. doi:10.1080/13668250902849113CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maras, P., & Aveling, E.-L. (2006). Students with special educational needs: Transitions from primary to secondary school. British Journal of Special Education, 33, 196–203. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8578.2006.00439.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martinez, R.S., Aricak, O.T., Graves, M.N., Peters-Myszak, J., & Nellis, L. (2011). Changes in perceived social support and socioemotional adjustment across the elementary to junior high school transition. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40, 519–530. doi:10.1007/s10964-010-9572-zCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCauley, E. (2009). Transition from primary to post-primary school: Issues for students with special educational needs. REACH Journal of Special Needs Education in Ireland, 23 (1), 32–46.Google Scholar
McCauley, E. (2010). Transition from primary to post-primary school: What the post-primary teachers saw. REACH Journal of Special Needs Education in Ireland, 23 (2), 67–80.Google Scholar
Nip, A. (2009, August 15). Drug tests will boost dropout rate. South China Morning Post, p. 1.Google Scholar
Pearce, M. (2009). The inclusive secondary school teacher in Australia. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 5 (2), 1–15.Google Scholar
Rehabilitation Advisory Committee. (2007). Hong Kong rehabilitation programme plan (2005–2007). Hong Kong: Health, Welfare and Food Bureau.Google Scholar
Rice, F., Frederickson, N., & Seymour, J. (2011). Assessing pupil concerns about transition to secondary school. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 81, 244–263. doi:10.1348/000709910X519333CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rous, B., Myers, C.T., & Stricklin, S.B. (2007). Strategies for supporting transitions of young children with special needs and their families. Journal of Early Intervention, 30, 1–18. doi:10.1177/105381510703000102CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sin, K.-F. (2001). Developing remedial support in Hong Kong secondary schools. In Cheng, Y.C., Mok, M.M.C., & Tsui, K.T. (Eds.), Teaching effectiveness and teacher development: Towards a new knowledge base (pp. 275–296). Tai Po, Hong Kong: The Hong Kong Institute of Education & Kluwer Academic.Google Scholar
Sin, K.-F. (2010). The practice of inclusive education in an Asian city: Hong Kong SAR. In Timmons, V. & Walsh, P.N. (Eds.), A long walk to school: Global perspectives on inclusive education (pp. 63–82). Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Sense.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sin, K.-F., Tsang, K.-W., Poon, C.-Y., & Lai, C.-L. (2010). Upskilling all mainstream teachers: What is viable? In Forlin, C. (Ed.), Teacher education for inclusion: Changing paradigms and innovative approaches (pp. 236–245). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.Google Scholar
Special Education Support Service. (2011). Transition from primary to post-primary. Retrieved from http://www.sess.ie/resources/transition-primary-post-primaryGoogle Scholar
Wagner, M., Newman, L., Cameto, R., Levine, P., & Marder, C. (2007). Perceptions and expectations of youth with disabilities: A special topic report of findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.Google Scholar
Western Australian Department of Education. (2011). What is transition planning? Retrieved from http://www.det.wa.edu.au/inclusiveeducation/detcms/navigation/category.jsp?categoryID=361490Google Scholar
Winn, S., Hay, I., Parmenter, T., & Riches, V. (2010). Making the move: Information for families of children with a disability making the move from primary to secondary school. Sydney, Australia: Ageing, Disability and Home Care, Department of Human Services NSW.Google Scholar
Yadav, V., O'Reilly, M., & Karim, K. (2010). Secondary school transition: Does mentoring help ‘at risk’ children? Community Practitioner, 83 (4), 24–28.Google ScholarPubMed