The purpose of the study was to develop a greater understanding of the experiences
of school life for students who consistently found learning difficult, their
perceptions of the difficulties they faced with their learning and how this had
influenced their lives, socially and academically. It was hoped that their
perspectives would highlight those structures and strategies that were of the most
value in supporting them, as well as those that had a negative impact on their
achievement and adjustment.
Eight people with learning difficulties each participated in a series of three
individual, in-depth interviews about their experiences of school. The participants,
five male and three female, ranged in age from ten to twenty five years. Four were
primary school students, in Years Four, Five and Six. Two students were in Year
Nine at high school, while a further two participants had completed their
schooling. One was currently unemployed, while the other had completed a
university degree and had been teaching for three years.
Participants were chosen from randomly selected government schools in the ACT,
nominated by the school as fitting the selection criteria. Learning difficulties were
defined in tenns of their meeting criteria that were indicative of teacher and parent
concern for academic underachievement over a period of at least two years. The
selection process was also guided by criteria to locate key informants, i.e.
individuals who may have been able to highlight specific issues related to the
relationships between learning difficulties and socioeconomic status, social
competence and employment opportunities.
Interviews with each participant .took place over three separate sessions of
approximately fifty minutes' duration. Data was analysed using Hycner's guidelines
for phenoinenological analysis. Interviews were transcribed and coded, with an
independent researcher validating identified themes. An agreement rate of 88%
was achieved. Interviews were then summarised and returned to the participants to
confirm whether the interpretation of their perspectives was accurate. Themes that
were common across the interviews were discussed in relation to current research.
The results of this research study confirmed the central role played by quality
teachers and best teaching practices in being able to enhance learning and to meet
the needs of individual students. These factors were an integral part of engaging
students in the learning process and promoting successful learning experiences.
The study also emphasised the importance of parents, particularly mothers, in the
adjustment of the participants to the everyday demands, academic and social, of
school life. The necessity of establishing and sustaining effective early intervention
programs was also highlighted, as was the value of listening to the voices of
individuals with learning difficulties when making decisions on their behalf.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218706 |
| Date | January 1999 |
| Creators | Wood, Maureen, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Professional & Community Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Maureen Wood |
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