THE ASSESSMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL-NEEDS AND THE PROLETARIANIZATION OF PROFESSIONALS

This article reports our recent ESRC funded research on the identifica tion of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties under the procedures of the 1981 Education Act. It is argued that the concepts of 'deskilling' and 'proletarianisation' provide a useful framework of analysis when examining the role of teachers and other professionals involved in the assessment process. However, we discuss evidence sugge sting that negotiations between these professionals may focus upon tea chers' attempts to define the nature of their professional activity as 'skilful'. One consequence of this may be the deskilling of outside p rofessional 'experts'.