Barriers faced by secondary school teachers in supporting learners with learning difficulties in mainstream schools in the Erongo region, Namibia

Abstract

This study explored the barriers faced by secondary school teachers in supporting learners with learning difficulties in mainstream schools in Erongo region, Namibia. The study adopted a qualitative approach, utilising a phenomenological design. The study adopted a qualitative approach, utilising a phenomenological design. Purposive sampling was used to collect data from nine secondary school teachers through individual interviews. The study's results indicated that teachers encountered difficulties in providing support to learners with learning difficulties in mainstream schools, even though they make up a minor proportion of the learner population. The results specifically underscored challenges related to motivation, teacher training, crowded classrooms, parental involvement, communication, and collaborative efforts. The findings of the study emphasise the urgency of revisiting existing educational practices and policies to better align them with the realities of supporting learners with learning difficulties in secondary school mainstream classrooms. The study recommends that teacher training in the area of teaching and supporting learners with learning difficulties should be strengthened to facilitate their ability to teach and support learners with learning difficulties. Furthermore, there is a need for education planners to address classroom overcrowding in secondary schools to create a more conducive teaching and learning environment for learners with learning difficulties.