CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.3 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
5.3.2. Theme 2: Educators' perceptions of the support of other role players
5.3.2.1 Educator's perceptions of colleagues
Not only should educators teaching learners with autism be trained, but all mainstream educators who have contact with learners with autism because of inclusion should receive some training. This was confirmed by a study in England that showed that educators in mainstream schools lacked an understanding of autism and needed practical advice and support (McGregor and Campbell, 2001). This would ease the burden of educators oflearners with autism,as Jennett et al. (2003:584) put it: "... unless they possess appropriate teaching tools, educators of students with autism may be at risk for burnout."
Some participants perceived the class assistants to be helpful, whilst others perceived them as less helpful. The educator is responsible for the learners in her class, and an inexperienced class assistant could place additional stress on the educator, as expressed by some of the participants:
And our class aid, we can't leave her alone to teach or explain work to the children.
We need someone with 'oompf'.
And then when I turn my back the class aid will do itfor the child. Then I want to scream.
... sometimes they are more trouble then help.
Ipermanently have to tell her what to do. This puts a lot ofstress on me.
If
the facilitator is weak then they do not extend the child. This is even more stress on us.Having to work with an untrained class assistant can cause stress for the educator.
Stress is an unpleasant emotional experience, which brings forth emotional, physiological and behavioural responses: irritation, anger, anxiety and depression.
This can have an effect on the efficiency of the educators' teaching, coping strategies, and their emotional well-being (Hawkins, 1998; Olivier, 2005).
The participants felt that it is best to have skilled and trained assistants in their classes:
We need trained people.
They should complete a course on autism before they are allowed to work here.
They must at least have matric.
I don'tneed another child in my class. I need someone who can help me.
Research done in a school for severe learning difficulties and autism,concurs with the above,that educators feel that untrained class assistants cannot adapt to the individual needs of learners with autism, or to inclusion. It is important for the school environment to adapt to the learner, not the learner to adapt to the school environment (Jordan, MacLeod and Brunton, 1999). Educators in mainstream schools feel that they hand over a lot of responsibilities to the class assistants and need help, support and advice from the assistants (plevin and Jones, 2000), hence the requirement for trained assistants.
As autism is such a complex neurological condition,it is important for class assistants to understand the nature of autism, as this will help them understand the learners better, facilitate the learning more effectively, and contribute to the effective running of the classroom.
We need trained people ... She permanently talks to me or the children. This is very distracting. I have spoken to her, but she does not listen.
Learners with autism have difficulty with language, and educators therefore need to use fewer and easier words to communicate with them. The learner may have language and use individual words, but this does not necessarily mean that he really understands the meaning of those words or is able to use them effectively to communicate (Rutter and Bartak, 1971; Jordan and Jones, 1999; Blackburn, 2007a;
Dumortier, 2007). Most learners with autism also have attention difficulties (APA, 2000; Kennedy, 2005), and continuous talking in the class will distract them. A quiet atmosphere with little interruption is thus needed.
Some participants perceived their assistants, who were trained, as helpful. Assistants who have received training in autism, have a better understanding of the learners' needs and behaviors, which lightens the burden of the educator. It therefore helps when a class assistant understands autism:
I am lucky with my class assistant. It helps a lot when you have someone that understands the children.
My assistant iswonderful .She understands the children,she knows what to do and it takes a lot ofstress offme.
It isvery useful having a Zulu class aid..... as an interpreter. She issowilling .... Like a sponge. She wants to learn, with a view to becomean educator.
Plevinand Jones (2000) concur that educatorswho dealwith learners with autism in a mainstream school, require help and support from a trained class assistant. The educator can then hand over some responsibilities to the assistant who can manage the learner.
A helper who is paid by a specific learner's parents is primarily responsible for that specific learner,while the educator and the class assistant share the responsibility for the education and behaviourmanagement of all learners in the class. A good working relationship, working together to develop strategies to educate and increase the learners' development of social skills (Robertson et al., 2003), is of importance.
However,having a helper who is paid by parents to work with their child could lead to the educator not taking full responsibility for the education of that specific learner.
This can lead to less interaction between educator and learner, which could impede the development of a positive relationship between them (Robertson et al., 2003).
The helper can also cause separation between the learner with autism and peers, reducing the required peerinteraction (Robertsonetal., 2003).
5.3.2.1.2 Educators' perceptions of colleagues who work with learners with autism
It is important for educators to work together as a team, as they need to be able to assist each other, discuss learners' behaviours and how to handle them, and be there for each other. This can create a positive teaching experience and enhance workplace wellness:
I must say I enjoy the professionalism in school ... in the unit ... everybody around me is so nice. People ask you how it is going. That I enjoy.
And the friendliness,the willingness to help. That I find amazing.
lfind some ofthe teachers helpful.
The above findings concur with the findings of a survey on educators and the potential attrition in education, where participants stated that they were, in general, pleased with the 'friendship and support they received from their colleagues and their shared dedication to teaching' (Hall,Altman,Nkomo,Peltzer and Zuma,2005:16).
Unfortunately it is not always easy to have a positive working relationship with all colleagues, as some participants stated:
What I find weird here ... about the educators ... is ... these children are autistic children ... and sometimes they scream or just want to touch you,just to acknowledge you. And sometimes I see educators will say to them: don't touch, no touching! For me ... I find that irritating, because they are autistic children and those are their tendencies.
They are not always interested in the children. I don'tknow what they are here for.
There is too much stress. Everybody is fed-up with each other.
Some educators in mainstream schools claim they have positive interactions with their colleagues, but no cooperation (Gannerud, 2001). This is the same for educators of autism, who often experience feelings of isolation and loneliness (Aut-talk, 2005), as well as feelings of exhaustion and stress due to the demands placed on them. Itis thus best to have a positive working relationship with friendly and supportive colleagues, as a negative relationship could lead to more stress and irritation.
5.3.2.1.3 Educators' perceptions of colleagues who do not work with learners with autism
Educators in the department for learners with autism often feel that the educators who are not part of the department do not understand their work situation and do not give support.
The other teachers don'tunderstand us. They get irritated when we talk to them about our children.
When people hear I have only 6children in my class, they think: Oh wow! But they don'trealize what goes on ...
They don'trealize that 1 child equals 6 children ...
We are a unit in a big school. We have to fit in and abide by them! Just do what they want, but it doesn'tsuit our children. This I find very stressful.
The only negative impact I hadwith educators werewhen we opened these classes.
There were a lot ofshuffling,and a couple ofthem were quite resentful ofthis class.
They felt that the Department should have given us more teachers.
Educators with little or no contact with learners with autism lack knowledge and understanding of the disability. This causes the educators to underestimate or overestimate the capabilities of these learners (Mavropoulou, and Padeliadu, 2000;
Wagner, 2005). Special needs educators are expected to consult with colleagues and
help each other when necessary (Hess,Molina and Kozleski,2006). When there is no social support from colleagues, educators experience stress. This could lead to feelings of isolation which may then contribute to burnout (Jacobsson et al., 2001).
Workplace wellness is then compromised.