The Inclusion of Children with Dyspraxia in Mainstream Primary Schools - An Investigation into the Perceptions, Strategies and Challenges faced by Teachers.

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the inclusion and education of children with dyspraxia in mainstream schools. Today, with the help of new legislation and policy implementation, children with special educational needs (SEN), including dyspraxia are being placed in mainstream primary schools, instead of special schools as was traditionally the case. An inclusive approach to education is now seen as the most effective and appropriate environment for these children. Taking into account this development, the fundamental aim of this study was to explore the concept of inclusive education from the perspectives of the teachers who teach children with dyspraxia. A vital objective of this study was to investigate the perceptions, strategies and challenges faced by teachers who include children with dyspraxia and finally, to uncover whether these strategies can help children with dyspraxia reach their educational potential. A phenomenological approach, as a component of a mixed-methods approach, was employed for this research, in order to get a deep understanding of the reality of including children with dyspraxia in mainstream education and gain extensive insight into the lived experiences of the participants. Individual interviews were conducted with two primary school teachers of children with dyspraxia, attending a mainstream school. Questionnaires were distributed to thirty-eight teachers, all of whom teach children with dyspraxia in a mainstream setting. Through both instruments, the realities of, and challenges associated with implementing inclusive practices within a mainstream setting were highlighted by the teachers interviews. Findings revealed that the inclusion of children with dyspraxia in mainstream education was predominantly successful for both the children and teachers. However, the research found that there were many challenges associated with the implementation of inclusive strategies. In particular, participants felt that the department should provide more access to resources for schools and furthermore, this research found that class size, exceptionally large in Ireland, can negatively affect a teacher's ability to be inclusive.