Teacher-student relationship and student engagement: perceptions of secondary students with special educational needs

Abstract

The results of existing research studies show that the teacher-student relationship is a relevant factor that affects academic engagement and school performance. However, there is limited evidence of its impact on students with special educational needs. This study examines the influence of the teacher-student relationship on school engagement based on the perceptions of students with special educational needs in their first year of high school education in Chile. The study used a qualitative, phenomenological, and descriptive-analytical design. A total of ten in-depth interviews were conducted with students with special educational needs. The data was analysed using the methodological guidelines of grounded theory. The results highlight the key role of teachers in academic engagement by satisfying students’ psychological needs in the areas of connection and competence, but not satisfying students’ need for autonomy.