Abstract
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
Bullying among learners with specific learning disorder (SLD) is an increasing
problem. Internationally, researchers have focused extensively on special education
and learners with learning disabilities as victims of bullying, but minimal research on
the nature of bullying among learners with SLD has been done in South African
remedial schools. The primary aim of this enquiry was to explore and describe
teachers’ and learners’ perceived experience of bullying among intermediate-phase
learners with SLD. A secondary aim was to identify possible contributing factors to
bullying and to determine what elements to consider when addressing and
responding to bullying among these learners.
The research was conducted within an interpretative theoretical framework in order to
understand the lived experiences of bullying from the learners’ and teachers’
perspective, as well as to explore the phenomenon of bullying among learners with
SLD. A phenomenological approach was used, and the research sample comprised
three learners with SLD and two teachers at a remedial school. Once informed
consent was obtained, data were generated by means of questionnaires, a
researcher’s journal, and semi-structured interviews that were captured on an audiorecorder.
The interviews were transcribed verbatim. The researcher analysed all the
data through the inductive process of content analysis to uncover the primary themes
as described by the participants. It was found that the participants’ experiences could
be categorised into themes that highlighted the perceived experience of bullying,
associated SLD characteristics, and possible causal elements of bullying among
learners with SLD in a remedial school.
It was evident from the themes that the perceptions of the teachers and the learners
with SLD about bullying influenced their bullying experience, views of bullying
situations, and prevalence of bullying. It was also evident that associated
characteristics of learners with SLD contributed to their experiences of bullying. The
personal factors of these learners, the influences of family and friends, and teacher
and classroom factors as causal elements should be considered when investigating
or responding to bullying among them...