Exploring the experiences of educators working with children on the Autism Spectrum in schools for learners with special education needs in the North West Province

Abstract

The aim of this research study was to explore and describe the experiences of educators working with learners diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in special needs schools in the North West Province of South Africa. The prevalence of ASD is on the rise worldwide, which means the number of learners with ASD in classrooms are increasing each year. Educators are expected to provide high-quality education, even though the increasing prevalence of learners with ASD might pose new challenges in the diverse classrooms of schools for learners with special education needs (LSEN). This research study was conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of these educators, with the hope of developing new insights into the management of ASD within a special needs classroom. A qualitative research study, with a phenomenological research design, was used for this research study. The purposive sampling method was followed to recruit participants from the North West Province in South Africa. Participants included in the research study were educators (seven female and one male, aged between 42 and 62) working with learners with ASD at four LSEN schools. Data were collected in the form of audio-recorded in-depth interviews conducted with participants on an online platform. The data were transcribed, and the process of thematic analysis was followed to derive valuable themes from the data. The thematic analysis applied to the data collected from in-depth interviews produced the following themes: Educators experience typical behaviours and symptoms associated with ASD in the classroom; Factors in both the education and home environment of learners with

ASD contribute negatively to educators’ experiences of learners with ASD; Knowledge about ASD provides pleasant experiences of learners with ASD; Know the learner to teach the learner; Using personal strengths can lead to optimal experiences of learners with ASD; and Educators implement useful strategies to ensure pleasant experiences in the classroom. Future studies can focus on learner-educator ratio and group composition in LSEN classrooms. The findings of this research study can be used for the development of informative programs about managing learners with ASD for parents with children on the Spectrum and educators employed at LSEN schools.