ABSTRACT:

Background: “learning disabilities” is a term associated with difficulties in reading, writing, doing maths  and  motor co-ordination. Awareness about learning disabilities is required for early identification and further remediation. Teachers are the first ones, usually to suspect a learning disability in a child. For appropriate observation and referrals for further assessment, a teacher should be aware of the various characteristics of learning disabilities which differ from individual to individual.¹ 

Aim: awareness regarding learning disabilities among private and government school teachers.

Methods: comparative study design was adopted for the study. A sample of 25 government school teachers and 30 private school teachers was selected by purposive non probability sampling technique from 6 selected schools of Mangalore. A demographic data and structured awareness questionnaire was used for data collection.

Results: the result showed that 93.3% of private school teachers and 92% of government school teachers had average awareness. The findings also showed that there is no significant difference between level of awareness regarding learning disability between private and government school teachers. t₍₅₃₎ = 2.005 at P < 0.05 level of significance. The study also revealed that there is no significant association between level of awareness regarding learning disability with selected demographic variables like age, teaching experience, and educational qualification (χ2 = 1.044,0.237, 0.959, and χ2 = 2.755, 1.004, 6.284 at P < 0.005 level of significance for private and government school teachers respectively.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Learning disability is a complex phenomenon to understand. There are many connotations of learning disabilities thus even today it creates confusion in the mind of the general public and the professionals^2;

 

Teachers play an important role in any educational system. Teachers is an artist who molds and shapes the physical intellectual and moral powers of children^.3 At primary level, the teachers should play a vital role in identifying children with learning difficulties. It is important that the teachers require specific abilities to identify different type of learning difficulties positive factors development of instructional strategies, media and materials, adopting the developed remedial strategies apart from giving guidance and counseling. The multidimensional roles played by the teacher warrant specific competencies in the teacher to be successful in dealing with learning difficulties³.

 

According to 2011 special survey conducted by Sarvas Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Karnataka state has 2,12,858 children with learning disabilities with age group of 0-18 years ^4. Teachers play a vital role in identifying children with learning disability, children spend most part of their learning hours in schools with teachers, who are responsible for the integrated all around development of a child. So keeping all this in view the present study was conducted to assess and compare the awareness of school teachers regarding learning disabilities of children⁵.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:  

Design:

Comparative study design was used for the study.

 

Setting:

The study was conducted in the Private and Government school teachers in selected schools in Mangalore. Devamatha English Medium school, Lady Hill English Primary School, Government H.P School, Government Practicing High School, Devamatha Kannada Medium School.

 

Population:

The private and government school teachers.

Sample: The sample for the study was 25 Government and 30 private school teachers.

Sampling technique: Purposive sampling technique was used to select the school teachers.

Instruments: Used were demographic data and structured awareness questionnaire

 

Description of the instrument:

Demographic data which consisted of 7 items for obtaining the demographic data from the study participants. Structured awareness questionnaire was usedto measure the knowledge of school teachers on learning disabilities. The questionnaire had a total of 24 items.  All the items were multiple-choice questions. A score value of one (1) was allotted to each correct response. The total knowledge score was 24. Knowledge scores were arbitrarily classified as adequate awareness (68 – 100%), average awareness (34 – 67%) and inadequate awareness (0-33%). Content validity of the toolwas obtained. Pre-testing of the tool was done to check the clarity of items, ambiguity of the language and feasibility of the tool.The reliability of the tool was established using split –half method. The reliability coefficient was found to be 0.87.

 

Method of data collection:

A prior permission was obtained from the concerned authority to conduct the study. purpose of study was explained and written consent was obtained from the study participant. The participants were assured about confidentiality of their response. The structured awareness questionnaire was administered to find out the level of knowledge of private and Government School teachers. The time taken for the sample to complete the questionnaire was 20 minutes.

 

RESULTS:

Section I: Description of sample characteristics:

·        Maximum (100%) of private School teachers and (88%) of Government School teachers were Females.

·        Majority (67%) of the private school teachers were in Age group of 25 -30 and (44%) of Government school teachers were in the age group of 36 – 50 years.

·        The highest percentages (84%) of government school teachers and (90%) of private school teachers were married.

·        Majority (63.3%) of private school teachers were B.Ed qualification and (48%) of government school teachers were undergone training programmes.

·        Maximum (90%) of private school teachers were having 1-5 years of experience and (32%) of Government school teachers were having 16 – 30 years of experience.

·        Majority (64%) of government school teachers attended training programmes and (66%) of private school teachers were not attended any training programmes.

·        The highest percentage (100%) of government school teachers and (53.3%) of private and government school teachers taught children with learning disability.

 

Section II:  Description of level of awareness regarding learning disability between Government and Private school teachers.

a.    Frequency and percentage distribution of level of awareness of private and government school teachers.                           

 

The data presented in Table 2 display the frequency and percentage distribution of level of awareness of private and government school teachers.   

Table1: frequency and percentage distribution of level of awareness of private and government school teachers. N=25 +30

Grading	Government School Teachers		Private School Teachers
	Frequency	Percentage	Frequency	Percentage
Inadequate awareness (0-33%) Average awareness (34 – 67%) Adequate awareness (68 -100%)	2 23 0	8% 92% 0	0 28 2	0 93.3% 6.66%
Total	25	100	30	100

 

The date presented in table 1 shows that level of awareness of Private and Government School Teachers. Government school teachers (8%) had inadequate and (92%) had average awareness were as Private School teachers (93.3%) had average and (6.66%) adequate awareness regarding learning disability.

 

Section III: Comparison of level of awareness regarding learning disability between private and government school teachers.

To find out the significant difference between level of awareness of government and Private school teacher independent “t” test was used.

 

Table 2: Mean, Standard deviation, Mean difference and ‘t’ value of pre-test and post-test knowledge scores N=25+30

	Awareness  scores		‘t’test	Interpretation
	Mean	Standard deviation
Government school Teachers Private school Teachers	11.88 12.2	2.083 2.66	0.5	Not significant

df (53) = 2.005 at P < 0.05

 

The data presented in table 2 showed that, the mean value of private school teachers were higher than Government school teacher (t₅₃=2.005 at P < 0.05). Hence null hypothesis was accepted and research hypothesis was rejected.

 

Section IV:  Association of level of awareness regarding learning disability between private and government school teachers with selected demographic variables.

In order to determine the significant association of level of awareness regarding learning disability between private and government school teachers with selected demographic variable, Chi-square tests were computed for the available data.

 

Table 3: Association of level of awareness regarding learning disability between private and government school teachers with selected demographic variables

Demographic variables	Government school teachers χ2                            df                     table value			Private school teachers χ2                       df                 table value
Age Gender Marital Status Educational qualification Year of experience Attended Training program Taught a child with Learning disability	2.755# 0.291# 2.991# 6.284# 1.004# 0.183# 0#	4 2 6 6 4 2 2	9.49 5.99 12.59 12.59 9.49 5.99 5.99	1.044# 0# 0.235# 0.959# 0.237# 1.061# 3.417#	4 2 6 6 4 2 2	9.49 5.99 12.59 12.59 9.49 5.99 5.99

N=25+30

p=<0.05 level of significance , # - Not significant.

 

Data in table 5 shows that there is no significant association between the level of awareness regarding learning disability among private and Government school teachers with demographic variables like age, gender, marital status, year of experience, attended training program and taught a child with learning disability.

 

DISCUSSION:

The present study shows that 8% of government school teachers and 0% of private school teachers had inadequate awareness. 92% of Government school teachers and 93.9% of private school teachers had

 

 

average awareness. 0% of government school teachers and 6.66% or private school teachers had adequate awareness.

 

A study was conducted to assess and compare the awareness and attitude of private and government school teachers regarding learning disabilities of children in Ambala, Haryana. The study found that both the private and government school teachers had  low level of  awareness regarding learning disabilities in children^.6

 

The present study found that the mean value of private school teachers (12.73) were higher than the government school teachers (11.88). The study also revealed that there is no significant difference between government and private school teachers t₅₃ = 2.005 at P< 0.05 level of significance.

 

A study was conducted to assess the awareness about learning disabilities among the primary school teachers in Tiruverumbur block, Tiruchirapalli. The study found that there was no significant difference between the nature of schools (Private and Government). t = 0.03 at P > 0.05 level of significance^.3

 

The studies concluded that there is no significant difference between level of awareness regarding private and government school teachers.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Study can be done in large population or different methods of teaching and teaching aids can be used.

 

CONCLUSION:

Learning disability in a child can be identified as early as in toddler stage. Teachers are the first ones, usually to suspect a learning disability in a child. For appropriate observations and referrals for further assessment, a teacher should be aware of the various characteristics of learning disabilities which differ from individual to individual.  So the present study helped to determine the level of awareness regarding learning disability among private and government school teachers. The finding so the present study concluded that both government and private school teachers had average level of awareness regarding learning disability.

 

REFERENCES:

1.    Rugmini K. Effectiveness of awareness programme in raising teachers awareness about learning disabilities. Christ University, 2012.

2.       Mehta D. Awareness among teachers of learning disabilities in students at different board levels. Department of Education, Mumbai University; 2003.

3.       Gandhimathi U. Cauvery Research Journal 2009 Jul – 2010 Jan; 3

4.       Statistics of  Education 2009 – 2010. Ministry of Human Resource Development.

5.       http://www.merriam-webster.com /dictionary/learning-disability.

6.       Kaur R, Kumar Y, Sandhyarani S. Comparison of private and government school teachers. M.M. College of Nursing, Myllana, Ambala, Haryana; 2014  Aug

 

 

 

Received on 24.03.2016           Modified on 15.04.2016

Accepted on 30.05.2016           © A&V Publication all right reserved