The label of ADHD and primary school teachers’ expectations

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore primary school teachers’ expectations towards students labelled with ADHD. It sought to answer the following research questions: ‘How does the label of ADHD affect the teachers’ expectations towards teaching and learning process of the students?’; ‘What strategies does the teacher implement so that the student labelled with ADHD has access to the general curriculum?’ and ‘What strategies is the school implementing to facilitate the inclusion of the students labelled with ADHD?’ Six individual audio-recorded semi-structured interviews, with teachers working in Maltese state schools, were used to collect data. The qualitative data was analysed thematically, from which six main themes emerged: teacher expectations & prejudices; labelling; relationships; planning and implementation of IEP; teaching strategies & resources available; and recommendations. The findings highlighted the importance of getting to know the student prior to forming expectations or preconceptions, and also highlighted the importance of collaboration between the stakeholders, especially when it comes to the decisions of student’s Individual Educational Programme (IEP). This insight is valuable for future research, for professionals, and also for policymakers.