Educators’ perceptions of learners with challenging behaviour in secondary schools in King Cetshwayo District
The aim of the study was to investigate educators’ perceptions of learners’ challenging behaviour in secondary schools in King Cetshwayo district, South Africa. This study was guided by objectives which are to explore educators’ perceptions of learners’ challenging behaviour; to establish which strategies educators use to manage learners’ challenging behaviour; and to determine the type of support needed by educators to manage learners’ challenging behaviour in the said district. The study adopted qualitative research that used an interpretive paradigm. The study was underpinned by the social learning theory. The participants of this study were selected from secondary schools in the King Cetshwayo District. The research participants were school based support team educators. Purposive sampling was used to select educators from schools. Semi-structured interviews and an open-ended questionnaire were used to collect data. The collected data were analysed using thematic content analyses. The problem of learner deviancy has taken over the educational arena, afflicting many educational systems around the world. The current situation has become so terrifying that educators and other stakeholders who come into direct contact with challenging behaviour of learners’ fear interacting with them, and that causes psychological harm to all parties involved. Local and international literature shows that challenging behaviour damages a school’s image. When destructive behaviour dominates a classroom, it becomes impossible for teaching and learning to run smoothly, and that leads to a school becoming dysfunctional. This also poses a challenge to school management as they are supposed to have strategies on how to deal with learners with challenging behaviour, so that the school can achieve its goals and objectives. The research findings revealed that educators experience several challenges which seem to be a disturbance of teaching and learning when dealing with learners' challenging behaviour. Examples of the serious issues of misbehaviour of learners or negative class participation in the classroom may be disruptive talking, continuous avoidance of work, clowning, interfering with teaching activities, harassing classmates, verbal insults, rudeness to educator, defiance, and hostility, especially in secondary schools. Misbehaviour often interrupts the smooth functioning of learning process in the classroom. This can unsettle the educators or other learners in the class. The findings show that school misbehaviour not only intensify with time but also lowers academic achievements and increases unruly behaviour. Misbehaviour is closely associated with disciplinary issues and warrants careful action from educators. The following recommendations were made that learners should be trained on managing their behaviour. This could include awareness of the effect of such behaviour to themselves and others. DOE should provide continuous support to educators by training them through workshops. They should also consider employing more professionals who will assist educators in supporting learners such as, social workers, psychologists and other.
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