ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the notion of ‘listening’ to children who are legally described in England as having special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It starts from the premise that listening to young children is essential in enabling their rights to express their views on matters that affect them, and to have their views taken into account in a meaningful way. It argues that all children should have an equal entitlement to be listened to, but there may be additional challenges for children officially categorised as SEND that make listening all the more important in terms of addressing inequality and disadvantage. Listening to children officially categorised as SEND is linked to knowledgeable adults respecting, researching, hearing, interpreting, and responding to the very essence of each child in inclusive contexts. The chapter builds on the notion of a ‘pedagogy of listening’ (Rinaldi, 2006) and calls for a ‘pedagogy of knowing’ in relation to SEND. The chapter concludes that whilst some progress has been made, there is a need to continue striving to reduce exclusionary pressures whilst increasing the participation of children with SEND in schools, families, and communities.
