Abstract
The study explored the teachers’ perceptions on teaching learners at Year One level presenting with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) at a special school in South African. The research was underpinned by a conceptual framework built on Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory (collaboration), and Skinner’s behaviourism (behaviour management), Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (motivation), which assisted in understanding how teachers perceive, interpret and respond to both academic, emotional and behavioural needs of the specific categories of learners. A total of ten educators participated in the research where data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and analysed using a thematic approach.
It was revealed that teachers used experiential and flexible methods of teaching that included simplification of the material, repetition and use of visual means, development-oriented evaluation, to teach Year One learners with MID. While the outlined methods of teaching used assisted the specific category of learners to learn, teachers themselves experienced serious setbacks in the way of emotional pressures as a result of severe behaviour issues of learners and the lack of the systemic support from the school and the Department of Education at large. Emotional traumas were experienced during early integration of Year One learners with MID but as time passed, their behaviour challenges improved and they developed favourable attitudes. In that respect, teachers recommended trauma-informed preparation for all teachers teaching Year One learners and the support from technological equipment use, to capture attention
As the researcher, I concluded that the perceptions of the teachers are one of the most vital factors that should be considered for instructional decision making and, in order to facilitate the meaningful inclusion, proper support structures both for emotional and institutional culture that is conducive in a special school context, should be in place. It thus proposed that further studies on more technological ways of teaching Year One learners with MID, the improvement of teacher training and the policies in education, which specifically take into account the essence of teaching. Enrolment of Year One learners with MID into special schools from mainstream schools negatively impacts learners and their behaviour negatively affect the teachers who teach them.