Abstract
M.E. (Educational Psychology)
The phenomenon of learning disability is evident within
many children. This problem obstructs the mastering of
basic didactical skills in children. Despite the fact
that these children appear to have adequate intellectual
abilities, they experience serious .problems in mastering
such skills as reading, spelling and writing as well as
arithmetical skills. These problems lead to a low selfesteeIll
and causes incessant failure in scholastic achievement.
Learning disabled children are in need of a highly specialized
instructional programme.in order to overcome their
learning problems. In Transvaal, provision is made for
learning disabled children by aid class placement. Many
parents however have objections against placement in aid
classes in that their children become "exeptional children".
They believe that their children can overcome their learning
problems by means of their remedial programmes.
It was thus essential to arrive at a psychological and a
didactical view of the learning disabled child. Furthermore
it was necessary to undertake a psycho-didactic consideration
of reading- and arithmetic problems. Aid class instruction
and alternative remedial procedures as such, were emphasized.
The purpose of this study therefore was to determine whether
learning disabled children could adequately overcome their
learning problems by means of alternative remedial procedures.
Two groups of learning disabled children were identified id
est those who were placed in aid classes and those who were
for various reasons not placed in aid classes. Three different
reading tests as well as addition and subtraction tests were
administered to ascertain the children I s level of scholastic
achievement.