If your child struggles in a mainstream learning environment, there is still time to place your neurodiverse child in a remedial school in 2025.
Neurodiverse children often struggle with reading and mathematics. Placing students with barriers to learning in a proudly remedial learning environment is in their best interests. They should be in a school that caters specifically to their needs. Neurodiverse pupils perform better in schools tailored to their needs.
Attempts to integrate remedial students with specific learning needs in mainstream environments often yield suboptimal results. This is true, worldwide. South Africa has many challenges in the sphere of education. Students who would benefit from a remedial environment are even more at risk of being neglected. They need professional remedial guidance and input as soon as possible.
A quick look at the concept of Inclusive Education
Inclusive Education is a noble ambition that many governments are trying to foster. People want to see remedial learners integrated into mainstream schools. It is an ideal shared throughout the world.
This has been gazetted in South Africa as a legal requirement. A South African government website gives this information: “Inclusive Education (IE) is defined as a process of addressing the diverse needs of all learners by reducing barriers to, and within the learning environment.”
Another South African government website states the aim of IE: “It aims at ensuring that all children of school-going age who experience barriers to learning… will be able to access inclusive, quality, free, primary and secondary education on an equal basis with other young people in the communities in which they live.”
We also see that many international governments acknowledge this same responsibility. For example, in the United States, all children, regardless of their physical impairments, are guaranteed access to relevant education. There are various legal bills to ensure that children with emotional and educational barriers are also ensured to receive applicable support and schooling.
Has the concept of Inclusive Education been a success?
While all awareness and attention given to these issues is vital and appreciated, policies and programmes to advance Inclusive Education have not always been successful. Many neurodiverse students are still not receiving the adequate assistance they need.
The ways in which Inclusive Education has been implemented have proven less than ideal. This is because there are several issues raised when students with different needs attend the same class.
Most mainstream teachers do not know how to address the needs of the neurodiverse students in their classes. They have not received the necessary training. Remedial learners do not only have academic or neural barriers that teachers must be able to navigate. Many of these children also have emotional issues which result in difficulties in motivation, and interaction with teachers and other scholars. An educator will battle to turn the tide without effective prior training.
There’s another sad fact that has been observed in IE schools. In an integrated classroom, often all the students do not get the attention they need. Neurodiverse students need specific care and aid, and they end up missing out on this in many cases of integrated classrooms. And in fact, the neuro-normative pupils also end up missing out! While the teacher tries to assist the remedial students, the mainstream students are often neglected, while extra attention given to the remedial students is usually not sufficient to meet the remedial learners’ needs.
This seems especially true in the lower grades of primary schooling. In the formative stages of schooling, children need to have a strong foundation laid. This is difficult if a child with emotional needs diverts the teachers’ attention.
A strong grounding for the pupil with remedial needs can lead to success in a more inclusive environment in high school. However, evidence indicates that it is best when all schoolchildren can avoid these issues at the Primary School level.
How are South Africa’s mainstream students doing in their education?
Sadly, South Africa faces deep deficits in its delivery of education to even mainstream students. It is a matter of public knowledge that South Africa is not producing good academic results in many mainstream schools. Many of our Grade 1s do not learn the alphabet in their first year. Most of our Grade 4s cannot read for understanding. Our students’ performance in Maths and science is amongst the lowest in the world.
For the neurodiverse student, there seems hardly any way that their needs could be addressed in such an environment.
Neurodiverse students need particular attention for their specific needs
Neurodiversity is a broad term with many manifestations. These include ADHD, high-functioning autism, dyscalculia and dysgraphia, just to name a few.
A small school and classroom are often not enough for the neurodiverse student. Barriers to learning will persist, even in a smaller setting. The working pace of a mainstream public school is demonstrably less conducive to allowing remedial students to grasp all that is required. They need to revisit the concepts and should be able to take the time to master them.
The emotional needs of neurodiverse students can also be complex. Being in a mainstream environment will mean these needs get lost in the day-to-day schooling activities. Moving to a specialised class in a mainstream private school could accentuate feelings of stigma.
This is why a school whose primary focus is on remediation can serve the needs of these incredible students. With specialised assistance, peer support from others facing the same or similar challenges, and individualised attention, they will be set for success.
Proudly Remedial: Japari has been addressing these neurodiverse needs for decades
Dr. Sonia Machanick founded Japari in 1966. In the decades since, we have catered and cared for neurodiverse students and seen positive results.
Our teaching staff is a multidisciplinary team. It includes school psychologists, occupational and speech therapists, as well as a physiotherapist. We also offer additional academic learning assistance. All our qualified teachers are dedicated to giving our students the applicable learning support they need.
We also have a robust art and sporting programme.
With all these advantages, the vast majority of our students will be equipped to cope in a mainstream high school classroom. Attending Japari is beneficial for our students. This is because Japari attends to the needs of our students. In this way, our pupils learn to navigate the challenges of the classroom, both academically and emotionally.
Japari is ideal for students struggling in mainstream schooling environments. Time at our school will lay the foundation for success in the future, including after matriculating.
Japari – Helping your child overcome barriers to learning
Japari accepts student enrolment throughout the year. We welcome meeting families looking for help. Come and see our campus and what it is we can offer. Come and meet our friendly and well-equipped staff.
Set up an appointment for a tour of the grounds. We would be very glad to join you on the journey of meeting your child’s needs. We would love to be part of seeing them fulfil their full potential.
Make this month, this term, this year your child’s best with Japari School.
Bibliography/Further Reading
https://www.education.gov.za/Programmes/InclusiveEducation.aspx
https://www.thutong.doe.gov.za/Default.aspx?alias=www.thutong.doe.gov.za/inclusiveeducation
The ambition of inclusive education internationally:
https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/improving-quality/inclusive-education
https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/news/czech-republic-inclusive-education-priority
https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/2170/217033485003.pdf
https://inclusive.tki.org.nz/about-inclusive-education-2
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/research/spotlights/inclusive-education-teaching-students-with-disability
https://www.hurix.com/a-deep-dive-into-the-inclusive-education-approaches-in-the-usa
Some Challenges resulting from Inclusive education:
https://wehavekids.com/education/Inclusion-in-Special-Education-the-Biggest-Lie-Told-to-Parents
https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/full-inclusion-is-neither-free-nor-appropriate
https://www.educationnext.org/autismandtheinclusionmandate/
https://theconversation.com/can-inclusive-education-do-more-harm-than-good-43183
Educational challenges in the South African context:
https://eduinfosa.blogspot.com/2019/09/south-africas-education-system-needs.html
Unfortunately this overview seems to become more and more relevant as time passes.
While a humour website, Cracked.com has some very pertinent articles on a number of topics. These are often quite insightful. This article looks at the negative repercussions of several well-intentioned school programmes.
https://www.cracked.com/article_21117_5-feel-good-school-programs-with-horrifying-consequences.html
The last topic is of particular interest to the article above. It served as an inspiration for it. Cracked’s article considers the ramifications of integration policies. It takes both the learning challenges and physical challenges faced by students with particular needs in mainstream learning environments. The results have not been good.
