Knowledge Regarding Learning Disability among Primary School Teachers

Abstract

Learning disability is a heterogeneous group of disorders and is manifested as significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of basic academic skills like reading, writing, spelling, mathematics or language (Hammill, 1990). Teachers play a very important role in diagnosis of disorders related to learning disability. Unfortunately, most of the symptoms of learning disability is either ignored or blame it on the child’s personality branding it as laziness, an attitude problem or aggression. This is due to lack of adequate knowledge about specific learning disability among primary school teachers. This study aims to assess the knowledge of primary school teachers regarding learning disability and also compare the knowledge between private school teachers and government school teachers and based on their experience. The sample for this study includes 100 primary school teachers (50-private school teachers, 50-government school teachers). A structured knowledge questionnaire on learning disability has been used for the collection of data (by Anju George, 2015) Appropriate statistical tools are used for the analysis of the study. The results of this study indicates that the level of knowledge regarding learning disability is moderately adequate among primary school teachers. Also, there is no significant difference in level of knowledge among teachers based on their year of experience and nature of employment.