Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the positive aspects of present and future practice relating to special educational needs (SEN) in both initial teacher education (ITE) and continuing professional development (CPD). It also focuses on a volume comprising discrete sections on ITE and CPD. The book provides both a contextual analysis of recent and current practices in both ITE and CPD, as a basis for subsequent contributions from individual authors, and an exploration of some of the philosophical issues underpinning current provision. It advocates a radical reformulation of current approaches and thinking in ITE courses. The book discusses the number of important predecessors, and aims to acknowledge debt to them. Influential to us in conceptualisation of both the volume as a whole and own individual interpretations of SEN and teacher education have been books by Sayer and Jones.