The Speakers
The Speakers
This autoethnographic research explores how a transition summer camp for prospective university students with vision impairment (VI) in China reveals the paradoxical nature of agency in current educational environments. As a participant-observer, I documented experiences with other mentors and students during this camp, which emerged as a community response to systemic inadequacies in both transition preparation and university inclusivity. While the camp successfully developed students’ independent skills and resilience, it simultaneously exposed a fundamental contradiction: the educational environment demands exceptional agency from VI students to navigate institutional barriers while systematically constraining that same agency through fragmented support, vague policies, and tokenistic inclusion practices. Students described being caught in "contingent inclusion" - forced to over-perform to access what should be guaranteed rights, with media representations framing them as "inspirational" rather than rights-bearing individuals. Through Hewett et al.'s framework of progressive mutual accommodation, this research demonstrates how current practices shift the burden of inclusion entirely onto individuals with VI, making their remarkable agency a survival strategy that paradoxically perpetuates disabling systems. The findings call for systemic transformation where policies, disability culture, institutions and schools share responsibility for creating balanced inclusion instead of continuing to escape from their responsibilities. This case offers critical insights for international contexts about the dangers of celebrating individual achievement while ignoring structural failures.
Linjin is a third-year PhD student at the School of Education, University of Birmingham, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Her current project focuses on the lived experiences of transition to mainstream universities for students with vision impairment in China. Prior to this, she completed two Master’s degrees, both awarded with distinction: one in Inclusive Education from the University of Edinburgh (2021) and another in Social Research (Education) from University of Birmingham (2023).
In 2016, she was admitted to a mainstream university in China to study music performance through the national college entrance examination (Gaokao), following the landmark policy change in 2014 that opened access to inclusive higher education for blind candidates. As one of the early blind students navigating this new pathway, she gained firsthand insight into both the potential and the challenges of higher education inclusion in China. These experiences inspired her to change from performing music to pursuing academic study in inclusive education during masters, when she first encountered the concept of transition—a theme that resonated deeply with her own undergraduate journey and those of her peers with visual impairment.
Her current doctoral research explores the lived experiences of blind and visually impaired students transitioning to mainstream universities in China. Drawing on her personal connection to the topic, she employs heuristic inquiry as her methodological framework. This approach values researchers’ personal experiences as a lens through which to understand and illuminate the experiences of others, fostering insight through self-disclosure, self-dialogue, and deep reflexivity. Her study includes semi-structured interviews with undergraduates with VI, participant observation at a pre-college summer camp, and the use of artefacts such as student writings, camp documentation, and her own reflective journals throughout the research.
By engaging with the iterative six phases of heuristic inquiry, this work hopes to access the intuitive and tacit knowledge, and thereby bringing these previously unconscious experiences into public scrutiny. Ultimately, her project hopes to contribute to understanding how inclusion and transition can be improved for students with vision impairment in China’s higher education system—and as such, offers valuable empirical grounding for inclusive educational reform.
The title is part of a larger one-year ethnographic study that looked at the daily lives of English Teachers in primary state schools in Vietnam. Data was collected via observing English Teachers at work, conversations and participant observation where I taught English lessons, helped with daily duties and even had “hotpot” in English Teachers’ homes with their families. The English Teachers in this context were Vietnamese, and as with many countries around the world, teachers whose first language is not English are trained and tasked with teaching English as a mandatory subject in their schools as part of wider language education reforms. A fundamental question that arose from the data was how teachers learned to be teachers at their schools and essentially knew what they were doing was ‘appropriate’. Here then, learning to be a teacher appeared linked to teachers’ ‘emotional entrainment’ to their respective social networks and those individuals who embodied that network. This presentation therefore aims to illustrate a particular kind of ‘teacher learning’ and ‘being’, rooted in the ‘interaction rituals’ that the ‘newer’ recruits have with their more ‘seasoned’ colleagues. In essence it looks at how the ‘newer’ recruits look up to and emulate their more ‘seasoned’ colleagues, viewing them as ‘energy stars’, ‘school heroes’, and ‘symbols of success’. As the ‘newer’ teachers often said about their more seasoned colleagues, “She is like my big sister”. It is hoped that this will help contribute to teacher education programmes, especially for teacher trainers, who might benefit from appreciating the teachers’ lifeworld as not merely a factor among factors that can be manipulated, changed, and overcome through sheer individual willpower and agency. Such a lifeworld can be quite ‘obdurate’, and whilst teachers do indeed try to innovate, transform, and change their practices, they do so on their terms, as vetted through their social networks, in ways perhaps unintended and unexpected.
Thanh is a final-year PGR student with the Education Department at the University of Stirling. His background and trade are in the field of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), and his research interest is on using ethnography to help gain "richer" understandings of the daily, mundane lives of English Teachers within a state schooling system. He hopes that by focusing on the "mundane", the perhaps more "unremarkable" aspects of teachers' lives at school, it will help language educators and trainers (like me) gain a better understanding, appreciation and newfound respect for a group of practitioners whose practices are often easily seen as "backward", "traditional" or "deficient" in some way. Ultimately, his research aims to achieve what all ethnographic researchers strive for, which is to make the "familiar unfamiliar" and provide illumination through the "mundane" lifeworld of particular people, in particular places, at particular times.
In the context of increasing international student mobility in the post-pandemic era, this study explores the interplay between Chinese postgraduate students’ oral English proficiency and their intercultural adaptability in the UK. While existing research often attributes successful adaptation to language competence, this study seeks to uncover deeper factors shaping intercultural experiences. Drawing on in-depth semi-structured interviews with five Chinese postgraduate students across different UK cities, the findings reveal that although oral English proficiency remains relevant, cultural differences and culture shock exert a more profound influence on students’ adaptation. Moreover, motivation for studying abroad and length of stay were found to significantly shape their intercultural adjustment.
By shifting the analytical focus from linguistic ability to broader cultural and motivational dynamics, this study contributes to a more holistic understanding of intercultural adaptation. The findings suggest that universities can better support international students by developing culturally responsive support systems—such as peer mentoring schemes, intercultural communication workshops, and programmes that foster intrinsic motivation and long-term engagement with the host community. These targeted initiatives can enhance both the academic success and emotional well-being of international students navigating complex intercultural environments.
Hebe Nie is a PhD candidate at the University of Birmingham. She obtained her Master’s degree in Education with Distinction from the University of Sheffield, where she also worked as an Enquiry Advisor at SSiD, supporting students with academic and non-academic issues. Hebe served as Secretary General of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Sheffield, coordinating cultural and academic activities for the student community. Her research examines the motivational factors that influence home and international students to apply for PhD programs, with a particular focus on global educational mobility and the motivations for cross-cultural learning.
This presentation discusses the disproportionate representation of ethnic minorities in special education, using data and literature from two national contexts – the United Kingdom and Spain. The United Kingdom has a long history of developing inclusion policies and academic literature studying them. It has also specifically addressed the representation of ethnic minority groups in Special Educationa Needs. In contrast, Spain has made less progress in developing inclusive policies, but is now gradually beginning to implement them. Furthermore, Spain can only conceptualise this statistical phenomenon in terms of pupils of foreign nationality.
As part of my project, I’m a visiting PGR at the University of Birmingham. Through documentary analysis and fieldwork carried out in both contexts, we aim to produce the most significant interpretations of this phenomenon. The findings of the study include the different ways of conceiving SEN and ethnic minorities, as well as the specific tensions in school practices, diagnoses and community contexts in each national context.
School inclusion has become a key issue on the international stage. For decades, international academia has produced contradictions in the representation of SEN students according to concepts such as gender, origin, and ethnicity. This is particularly evident in North American and European contexts. At the Institute of Migration at the University of Granada (Spain), our aim is to understand this phenomenon. This serves as a context for studying the theoretical concept of the social construction of difference in the management of cultural diversity within a school setting. The relevance or impact of this phenomenon lies in its potential to be a precursor to discrimination or segregation in schools.
Lucía Lerma Parra is a PhD student member of the Migration Institute of the University of Granada. She has studied Sociology at this University and has researched about film and migration in the Spanish context. She has studied for a Master's Degree in Cinematography at the University of Cordoba, and she’s now doing a PhD on Migration Studies. She's interested in the construction of difference in the management of cultural diversity in the school context and is working in a project called Disproportionate Representation of Ethnic Minorities in Special Education (MigraNEE).
This study explores how schoolteachers in two contrasting climate-vulnerable regions of Pakistan, South Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan, perceive climate change and conceptualise education’s role in community adaptation, mitigation, and resilience. Guided by the lenses of pluriversality and climate justice, the research examines how multiple ways of knowing and teaching challenge the dominance of universal, policy-led models of climate education. Pluriversality enables the study to treat teachers’ local and indigenous understandings not as contextual anecdotes, but as alternative epistemologies that contest the global–local hierarchy of knowledge. Climate justice provides a framework for interpreting how educators navigate uneven power structures and inequitable climate burdens through their pedagogical choices.
Methodologically, the project combines traditional Eastern dialogic approaches, Behas (debate) and Bethak (informal discussion), with contemporary qualitative techniques, including story circles, mind mapping, and semi-structured interviews. The comparative design between a flood-prone district (Rajanpur, South Punjab) and a glacial valley (Chipursan, Gilgit-Baltistan) reveals how distinct ecological and socio-political realities shape teachers’ agency and pedagogical imagination. Preliminary findings highlight that while both groups of teachers recognise climate education as vital, their conceptions of its purpose and practice differ according to their lived exposure to climate risks and governance structures.
Overall, the research contributes to rethinking climate change education by centring teachers’ voices as producers of situated, justice-oriented knowledge rather than implementers of external policy frameworks.
Tooba Rauf is a third-year PhD candidate at the Institute of Education, University College London. Her research examines how schoolteachers in climate-vulnerable and remote regions of Pakistan connect climate change impacts to their lives, and the role they assign to education in promoting adaptability, mitigation, and future survival. Tooba has undertaken extensive fieldwork, travelling to remote locations and using participatory workshops, interviews, and visual storytelling to link local knowledge with global environmental issues.
Professional development strategies across the landscape of education are numerous and varied, with teachers constantly needing to respond professionally to flexible needs of pupils and the changing nature of society (OECD, 1997; Schliecher, 2016; de Vries and Prenger, 2018). One approach seeking meaningful impact, is the concept of professional learning networks (PLNs) (Katz, Earl and Jaafar, 2009; Poortman and Brown, 2018), defined as groups of educators engaging in collaborative learning (Warmoes et al., 2025; Stoll, 2015). This study considers groups focussed specifically on primary science; Primary Science Learning Communities (PSLCs). In doing so, their importance is recognised, particularly in light of concerns around primary science education (EEF, 2023; Ofsted 2023; ImpactEd, 2025). The experiences of science leaders participating in a successful PSLC are explored, with the central research question being how these leaders experience and value the impact of the group.
Using an explorative case study, a ‘thick understanding’ (Geertz, 1973) is generated of how the PSLC contributes to science leader development, as well as the underpinning features of the group itself. A reflexive thematic analysis approach (Braun and Clarke, 2006) enables a rich, interpretive understanding of participants’ experiences and the contextual dynamics shaping their professional learning. This study situates PSLC features within existing research, both reinforcing and challenging current understandings of learning communities, while critically examining features from the perspective of the primary science learning community.
This presentation puts forward two key contributions to knowledge. The first, is a new conceptualisation of PSLCs and is presented as both a reflective model and a contribution to academic literature. The second represents a practical application of knowledge through the development a tool intended for use by practitioners. This presentation will examine how these conceptual developments build on and challenge existing research, with attention to their theoretical significance and practical application.
Kate is an experienced primary education leader and award-winning primary science specialist. As Regional Mentor for the Primary Science Teaching Trust, Kate supports schools and organisations nationwide in developing and embedding high quality primary science curricula. A former school leader, Kate has expertise in teaching, managing and inspiring teams, building strong relationships and engagement. She holds a Masters in Education focused on science curriculum, and the National Professional Qualification in Headship, strengthening leadership and change management skills. Kate writes for teacher journals, has served on ASE’s Primary Science editorial board, been a Children’s University Trustee and is an active member of the West Midlands ASE committee. Kate is passionate about supporting and developing science leaders, empowering their ownership of the subject.
Educational policy in the UK is heavily influenced by neoliberal principles that prioritise competition, standardisation, and efficiency. This open-market logic filters through to the classroom, shaping the curriculum and encouraging unreasonable expectations for both students and teachers. Research suggests that this results in many students feeling unseen, misunderstood, or inadequate within a system that often fails to recognise diverse learning needs. While all students are affected by this narrowing of educational purpose, neurodivergent learners are particularly constrained. Students with autism, ADHD, or dyslexia are more likely to experience underachievement and unmet support needs (DfE, 2023; Norwich and Eaton, 2021). The rigid structures of standardised curricula and behaviour policies rarely accommodate diverse cognitive and sensory profiles, contributing to what researchers refer to as the “forgotten third.” Although numerous interventions aim to reduce these inequalities, their effectiveness often diminishes in practice as rigid systems limit teachers’ ability to adapt and respond to context (Durlak and DuPre, 2008).
My research argues that education should prioritise fidelity to purpose rather than fidelity to procedure. As part of my PhD, I have developed the Learner-Led Engagement Model to address these systemic constraints. The model was developed by bringing together existing research findings and practitioner experience, focusing on how communication breakdowns and structural rigidity affect inclusion. It has since been refined through thematic analysis of educators’ reflections on engagement and will later be tested with a questionnaire to explore how categories of school experience (Self, Environment, Social, and Authority) interact and shape students’ perceptions of their educational experiences. This work aims to support more flexible, inclusive, and student-centred practice, ensuring that student voices inform educational decision-making.
Kate Rowley is a PhD researcher at the University of Birmingham investigating how educational systems in the UK can create barriers to meaningful learning. Her work explores the tension between policy ideals and what actually happens in classrooms, focusing on how rigidity and standardisation restrict the classroom’s capacity to accommodate diverse learners. She examines how these constraints contribute to negative school experiences, with a key focus on neurodivergent students. Drawing on these insights, she is developing the Learner-Led Engagement Model, a framework that encourages reflection, adaptation, and student-centred practice to make engagement and interventions more inclusive and meaningful.
Trigger warning: Discussion includes risks such as sexual abuse, exploitation, and poor sexual health outcomes for AYP.
I am a second-year PhD student at the University of Birmingham. My research explores how a train-the-trainer model can help Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) design and deliver needs-based, neuro-affirming Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) for autistic young people (AYP). Many autistic young people face specific challenges during puberty, yet access to RSE that meets their needs is limited. Barriers to inclusion and rising exclusions increase risks of isolation and poor health. A train-the-trainer approach offers a practical way to build skills across community organisations so they can co-create and deliver RSE that reflects autistic strengths, needs, and lived experience.
This presentation will justify the use of a train-the-trainer model and outline its aims in the context of RSE for AYP. I will highlight gaps in neuro-affirming RSE and the limited representation of autistic young people within current literature. The work builds on existing participatory action research within my local TSO alliance, where RSE specialists and autism practitioners collaborate, share expertise, and cascade learning across their teams. An optional activity will demonstrate how participatory action research supports shared learning. Using non-Newtonian fluid, the activity shows how staff can adjust their approach to better support autistic young people who experience anxiety-based demand avoidance. Participants can choose to watch or take part.
Claire is a PhD researcher at the Department of Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN) and the Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER), supervised by Dr Prithvi Perepa and Dr Sophie King Hill. Her research explores how Train-the-Trainers approaches can support teaching staff, charities, and third-sector organisations in designing and delivering sustainable, neuroaffirming, needs-based relationship and sex education (RSE). Drawing on her professional experience as a teacher, teacher trainer, and TSO facilitator in the UK and overseas, as well as her lived experience as an Autistic parent of neurodivergent teenagers, Claire combines research and practice to create Train-the-Trainer environments where staff share best practices and collaboratively develop their own inclusive, sustainable RSE programs.
The aim of my PhD research is to explore the different ways autistic young people of all genders experience mainstream secondary schools in England. Academic research has often overlooked the very communities it aims to support. In autism research, this has meant decades of studies conducted on autistic people, rather than with them. As an autistic person myself, drawing on participatory methods was especially important to do this. Participatory research can take many forms, and for my research I felt that it was essential to find out what autistic young people thought were the priorities for research. I established an autism advisory group (AAG) through my personal network, which consists of five young people aged 15 - 21. The aim of establishing this group was to ask them as experts, what and how I should be researching within the context of being autistic and attending mainstream secondary school. All the young people in the AAG are experts because they are all autistic and have attended, or still attend, mainstream secondary school. The initial questions I wanted the AAG to answer were: What did they think of the research question? How could data be collected to reflect a wide variety of views and experiences? What aspects of attending school did they consider it important for the research to explore? Their enthusiasm and investment in my research were a joy, and it was a privilege to hear their ideas and experiences. The data collection methods are being now being developed based on their views ready for our second meeting. When young people are part of shaping the research that aspires to improve and impact lives in their communities, the outcomes are likely to be not only more meaningful, but also more respectful.
Nikki Smith is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Brighton, focusing on the diverse experiences of autistic young people of all genders in mainstream schools. With fifteen years of experience as a secondary school science teacher, former leader of the PSHE department, and autism specialist, Nikki is dedicated to participatory research that amplifies the voices of historically marginalised communities in schools. She has supported the work of the Neurodivergence Task and Finish group for the DfE and her work continues to aim to improve understanding and representation for autistic young people within the education system.
Numerous studies highlight the benefits of picturebooks in teaching English to young learners (Bland, 2015; Ellis, 2016; Mourão, 2019). However, the role picturebooks play in both developing language skills and educating the whole child is often underestimated (Ellis, 2016; Mourão, 2019). Aiming to investigate teachers’ perceptions and classroom use of picturebooks across diverse educational contexts, this study addresses three research questions.
RQ1: What are the views of the English language teachers in China on using picturebooks to teach English in the primary classroom?
RQ2: How do English language teachers in Chinese primary schools use picturebooks?
RQ3: What are the perceived incentives and constraints for English language teachers in China on using picturebooks to teach English in the classroom in primary schools?
A mixed-method research design was employed in the study, incorporating 318 surveys, 35 classroom observations, and 27 semi-structured interviews. Data were collected from four educational settings across different geographical regions: state-funded schools, private schools, language training institutions, and independent teachers.
Key findings indicated that teachers generally recognised the value of picturebooks in fostering students’ language skills and overall development. However, their actual use in classroom practice remains limited and was mainly focused on fostering the functional literacy. Exam-oriented education, limited class time, constraints of curriculum, and a lack of resources and professional training are reported as the main barriers to integrating picturebooks into English language teaching. The study provides new insights into teachers’ perceptions of the use of picturebooks in the teaching of English in primary Chinese settings.
Sally Song is a PGR student in Education Studies at the University of Warwick. Her research explores Chinese English language teachers’ perspectives and practices in using picture books to teach English to Chinese primary school learners. Prior to pursuing higher education in the UK, she taught English to Chinese young learners aged 3 to 12 in Beijing.