The piloting of a specific support programme for Grade R teachers on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The process of development.
Marguerite De Jongh, Anna-Marie Wium, Wilna Basson
PMID 31038330WHAT IT FOUND
Grade R teachers reported feeling more confident identifying and managing ADHD after a two-workshop programme.
They valued the manual but asked for continuous training and more interactive practice. This pilot shows teachers want this support, but does not prove the training improved learner outcomes.
Key findings
01Participants stated they were appreciative of and more confident in identifying and managing ADHD after the training.
02The feedback included suggestions for enhancement, specifically the need for additional training for all Foundation Phase teachers and involvement of the Department of Basic Education in follow-up.
03Participants reiterated that interactive components such as demonstrations, role-play and problem-solving activities should be expanded in future training.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study only reports on the process of development and immediate participant feedback, not on the effectiveness of the training in improving teacher knowledge or learner outcomes. Participants were from a single district, limiting generalisability. The authors acknowledge the amount of interactive practice in the workshops was restricted. Detailed analysis of feedback is reserved for a follow-up article, so this paper provides only a summary.
Declared interests
None stated in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the teachers' positive feedback as evidence that the training improved their actual skills or that it helped their students. The study reports perceptions and satisfaction, not pre- and post-test scores or learner outcomes.