Original Research

Dyslexic learners’ experiences with their peers and teachers in special and mainstream primary schools in North-West Province

Monicca Leseyane, Peter Mandende, Mary Makgato, Madoda Cekiso
African Journal of Disability | Vol 7 | a363 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v7i0.363 | © 2018 Leseyane M. Modie, Peter Mandende, Mary Makgato, Madoda P. Cekiso | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 01 February 2017 | Published: 05 March 2018

About the author(s)

Monicca Leseyane, Department of Applied Languages, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
Peter Mandende, Department of Applied Languages, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
Mary Makgato, Department of Applied Languages, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
Madoda Cekiso, Department of Applied Languages, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Inclusive education requires that the framework within which education is delivered should be broad enough to accommodate equally the needs and circumstances of every learner in the society. This includes learners with disabilities like dyslexia who have been excluded from the formal education system. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study that explored and described the dyslexic learners’ experiences with their peers and teachers in special and public schools in North-West Province of South Africa.
Methods: The study adopted a qualitative methodology and used a phenomenology research design. The sample was purposively selected and comprised nine dyslexic learners. All the learners were in public schools previously and were later moved to a special school after being diagnosed as dyslexic. The participants were aged 9–12 years. The researchers conducted one-on-one interviews with the participants and content-analysed the data.
Findings: The findings revealed that in public schools the dyslexic learners were exposed to ill-treatment by other learners who despised, ridiculed, bullied and undermined them. The findings further revealed that teachers in public schools were not patient with dyslexic learners, did not give them extra attention and that some teachers used negative comments that embarrassed them.
Conclusion: The article spells out the barriers experienced by dyslexic learners in public schools and also recommends training of teachers so that they know how to deal with dyslexic learners, thereby eliminating the barriers. The study further recommended awareness campaigns among the student body about dyslexia.

Keywords

Dyslexia; Inclusive Education; Public School; Special School; Decoding; Reading Competency; Writing Competency; Inclusive Education; Accommodate; Every Learner

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