Challenges Encountered By Teachers When Teaching Learners With Learning Difficulties In Marafa Zone, Magarini District, Kenya

Abstract

In this introductory chapter of the study, the researcher gave the context and theoretical background of learning difficulties. The researcher proceeded to give the statement of the problem, the objectives and the research questions that would guide the scope of the study. The researcher also explained the limitations and delimitations that affected the progress of the study. The chapter ended with the definition of terms used as per the context. 1.1 Background Information In an inclusive mode of education, many learners seem to fall prey to a myriad of learning difficulties at one stage or the other in their course of learning. Children all over the world have varied abilities and learning needs. Some of them, according to Mwaura (2002) experience different levels of difficulties, which could be specific or general in nature. Where these difficulties are specific, these children experience problems in one or more of the content areas of the curriculum such as in reading, writing. spelling or in Mathematics. While viewed under the context of learning difficulties, Ndururno (I 993 J categorizes some learners to be just slow in learning and with reduced abilities in concept formation as compared to the rest of class exposed to the same learning background. He explains the possibility of some learners having general and severe learning problems in most areas of learning as may be characterized by poor peiformance in almost all the areas of the curriculum. The description therefore placed the different categories under one umbrella term, Learning Difficulties. Learners who experience learning difficulties have often been misunderstood in inclusive settings. Teachers in most schools when looking at their performance during normal teaching sessions, and also looking at their examination peiformance, have ended up branding and describing them derogatively with names and descriptions such as being lazy, not serious, inconsistent. underachievers and slow learners, Research carried out by Gearheart (1995) shows interestingly some observation worth of note that some learners in class seem bright and enthusiastic but fail I to perform according to their abilities or expected potential in specific areas of learning, therefore exhibiting what is so often described as significant discrepancy between the actual performance and (as already) their potential To give an example. a learner may strike a teacher as somebody with good potential in all areas of learning, but somehow he I she may simply fail to learn how to read for reasons a teacher may not understand or explain. There by, displaying a discrepancy between what is expected and what is observed In such analysis, it only helps to strengthen what some teachers think about such learners and does not help to change teachers derogatory description of such learners. However, these children do look normal because their handicap is so subtle and invisible to escape teachers scrutiny. These children have normal intelligence and some are even quite above average. They cannot be grouped correctly as mentally retarded. It is now becoming a concern that teachers in Marafa Zone are not making any progress in addressing the plight of many learners w ho have shown clear traits of belonging to the group of learners with learning difficulties. These learners have passed un-noticed from one academic ladder to the other but at the end of the final class in primary school, their performances have continuously been poor. There could be many reasons for their continued poor performance, yet teachers haven't escaped some of the blame for the state of affairs, as many parents and the community at large in this zone point accusing fingers to teachers and hold t he accusation strongly. The argument being that teachers spend long hours daily with learners, but teachers believe otherwise, yet there could be known or unknown challenges they face when teaching children.