Foundation Phase teachers’ understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at Johannesburg independent schools

South African Journal of Childhood Education

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Foundation Phase teachers’ understanding of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder at Johannesburg independent schools
 
Creator Jaye, Tamara H. Levy, Cecil Majakwara, Jacob Hanson, Sheri
 
Subject MSc Med Childhood Neurodevelopment ADHD; Foundation Phase teachers; knowledge; perceptions; education
Description Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder is a common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder. The symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention often become evident in a structured classroom setting. Teachers play a key role in identifying these features and referring these pupils for assessments.Aim: This study investigated the understanding and perceptions of ADHD amongst Foundation Phase teachers at independent schools in Johannesburg.Setting: This study was conducted at nine independent schools in the Johannesburg area.Methods: A total of 95 teachers filled out a standardised questionnaire, the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorders Scale (KADDS), which looks at three aspects of ADHD, namely, associated features, symptoms and treatment. The teachers also answered several demographic questions such as their sex, age, level of education, knowledge of a person outside the school with ADHD and confidence to teach a child with ADHD. An informal directed discussion group was conducted, which comprised 32 teachers who had filled in the questionnaire. Open-ended questions were asked during the discussion group.Results: The overall results were the highest obtained compared to similar previous studies. These teachers had a very good knowledge with regard to the symptoms of ADHD, they had a fair understanding about the treatment of ADHD and their knowledge about the associated features of ADHD was limited. Exposure to children with ADHD and higher number of ADHD workshops attended and ADHD articles read were beneficial to the teachers’ overall knowledge about ADHD. Years of experience and the age of the teacher were not associated with a greater knowledge about ADHD.Conclusion: Independent school Foundation Phase teachers displayed a good level of knowledge about ADHD. This knowledge was enhanced by continual ADHD education and exposure to children with ADHD.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2020-12-08
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Questionnaire; Focus group
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajce.v10i1.825
 
Source South African Journal of Childhood Education; Vol 10, No 1 (2020); 11 pages 2223-7682 2223-7674
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce/article/view/825/1646 https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce/article/view/825/1645 https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce/article/view/825/1647 https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce/article/view/825/1644
 
Coverage Gauteng, Johannesburg Jan - March 2019 Foundation Phase Teachers at Independent Schools in Johannesburg
Rights Copyright (c) 2020 Tamara Heidi Jaye https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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