Children’s geographies: learners’ lived experiences in a special needs school in Pietermaritzburg.

Abstract

Literature reveals that many learners with special needs experience abuse, social isolation, discrimination, segregation, labelling, stigmatization, bullying and violence, from the very people that should be supporting them, and that this inadvertently culminates in these learners experiencing low self-esteem which further results in poor academic achievement. Transformation to a more inclusive education system was believed to combat prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes and practices for learners living with special needs. It is disheartening to find that learners with special needs continue to face various degrees of deprivation, segregation and discrimination in their home, school and social contexts. Situated within a qualitative, interpretive methodological paradigm, this study investigates the lived experiences of eight learners with special needs in a special needs school in Pietermaritzburg and how they negotiate and navigate their day to day lives. Narrative inquiry with the use of visual prompt exercises and individual conversational interviews comprised the methods of data generation to elicit rich, authentic narratives from the participants. This commitment to foreground the authentic experiences and voices of the learners with special needs who comprised my research sample, was underpinned by the theoretical notions of Children’s Geographies, Brofenbrenner’s bio-ecological systems and Inclusive Education. The key findings reveal that Inclusive Education is indeed being practiced at the study site, in that educators are offering the necessary support needed to individual learners with special needs. Participants articulate that their educational needs are being met and therefore happy to remain at a special needs school. On a less positive note, the findings further reveal that learners with special needs are facing various levels of discrimination, segregation, abuse, prejudice, labelling and social injustice. Their lived experiences afford readers a glimpse into their world and experiences. It is hoped that society will undergo a paradigm shift in their attitudes towards and treatment of learners with special needs. The research reveals a complex spectrum of experiences that learners with special needs consistently daily navigate, and reinforces the important roles that educators play in their overall learning, participation and development.