Social relations of students with special needs in primary school

The thesis presents three students third triade, aged 13, who were all recognized as students with special needs. Postmodern education concept emphasises the role of inclusive school, where social competence, cooperation and accepting each individual are in the foreground. The theoretical part presents a constructivist view of communication, the emphasis being on the idea of cybernetics, saying that one cannot not-communicate and that by communicating we send messages and determine a relationship at the same time. The meaning of communication based on synergetic principles and the ecological theory are set in the foreground. With the Choice Theory, the meaning of good relations for the success and happiness of an individual is determined. School is presented in perspective of a study and social environment, the importance of the atmosphere in school and in class is stressed, as well as teacher-student and student-student relationships and cooperation between the school and the parents. In the empirical part of the thesis a qualitative method demonstrates the perception of social relations of the three special needs students. The main point of the research refers to self-evaluation of the special needs students and their experience of their social relations with their peers and teachers. The assessments and opinions of the three students were compared to and supplemented by the assessments and perceptions of their parents, teachers and peers. The research also determines how orientation influences the social relations of the students chosen and the assessment of their perception in the process of co-creating. Their perception of the influence is compared to and supplemented by the opinions of their teachers and parents. The final results show that the special needs students feel well in the class, but they do not have strong and close relationships with their peers. Although the act and process of orientation does not influence their social relations directly, it does influence the self-assessment of the special needs students. Teachers accept the students focused on in the research, they are aware of the importance of having good relations with these students, however, working with special needs students represents an additional burden and the teachers express the need for additional know-how. The parents stress the duality of the relationship teacher-special needs students and poorer peer-special needs students relationships. In the process of co-creating support due to students’ additional needs and its realisation the students feel their role is the least active one. The research also shows that all of the parties included in it – students, teachers and parents – worry about grading. This shows that school is performance-oriented and it shows the need for a school culture that would pay attention also to social, relational and educational dimensions of a school context