Changes in need-supportive teaching over the course of one school year: differences between students with special educational needs and typically developing students

Abstract

According to self-determination theory, need-supportive teaching is an important aspect of teacher-student interactions. It involves supporting the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In this study, we observed need-supportive teaching in teacher-student interactions with students with special educational needs (SEN) and typically developing students in pre-vocational secondary education. Need-supportive teaching was coded in teacher-student interactions in 59 lessons across 7 classes. Teachers interacted just as often with students with SEN as they did with students without SEN. Multilevel analysis indicates that teachers provided higher levels of need support to students with behavioural problems. Autonomy support increased slightly throughout the school year. The provision of structure was erratic at first, with the highest level halfway through the school year and the lowest at the end. Involvement declined halfway through the school year and stabilised thereafter. These patterns were largely the same for students with SEN, albeit with more fluctuations between lessons.