How do adolescent boys with ADHD experience having an LSE in their senior schooling years? : the students’ perspective

Abstract

The most commonly sought remedial strategy for students with special educational needs to follow mainstream schooling is that of seeking further support through the assignment of a Learning Support Educator (LSE). The current study aimed to explain how adolescent boys with ADHD experience the support of an LSE in their senior schooling years. A total of 6 adolescents from church and government schools, together with 7 of their parents participated in semi-structured interviews. Through a constructivist grounded theory methodology analysis of the data yielded a core category of excessive dependence on LSE support together with five key categories: (i) the need for support to cope with challenges within the current educational system, (ii) the entitlement for this support (a)to be tailored for the participants’ needs and (b) the LSEs’ ability to deliver the required support, (iii) the adolescents expect the LSE to understand them by promoting the required skills to manage their behaviour and cope with the educational context, (iv) parents expect the LSE (a) to keep them informed about their children affect and behaviour at school and (b) promotes their growth and development, and (v) the LSE should promote independence and enhance the adolescents’ peer relations to strengthen their sense of belongingness with their peers. The implications of the findings for the development of educational practices to cater for the diversified needs of students with a life-long learning approach are discussed.