Primary school children with learning difficulties in Lagos State: Teachers' perceptions of provision and practice

Abstract

This thesis presents the result of a study on learning difficulties among primary school children carried out in Lagos State of Nigeria. The study determined teachers' perceptions of special education, determined whether primary school children had learning difficulties, the relative proportion of children who have learning difficulties and the types of learning difficulties that they have. It described how the children's needs were met and how appropriate the provisions made to meet these needs were. In addition it evaluated the implications of the research findings for teacher education. The results of the survey, which was carried out by means of research interviews and survey questionnaires, showed that the teachers' perceptions of special education were not well articulated. They recognised children's learning difficulties, but would not regard these as special educational needs. The teachers indicated that about 21% of primary school children had learning difficulties. They identified five major types of learning difficulties, namely cognitive; specific; language; emotional and behavioural difficulties and difficulties arising from exceptional abilities. Negligible numbers of children with physical, sensory and mental disabilities (under 1.0%) were also identified. The teachers indicated that there was no policy on identification and intervention for children with learning difficulties. Individual schools and individual teachers adopted their own methods of identification and intervention. The study concluded with recommendation for special needs education legislation. The legislation should among other things, direct on a statutory Code of Practice for the effective management and administration of special educational needs in schools; a revised teacher training curriculum to include special education components; and enlightenment programmes to raise awareness around disability and special needs issues. This work also contains the results of a mini survey carried out in 11 pre-schools on the implementation of the special educational needs Code of Practice as the institution study, a requirement of the doctorate in education programme. The mini survey determined training needs on the Code of Practice for pre-school settings. An abstract appropriate to the institution study is indicated in front of the institution study itself.