Primary School Teachers’ Knowledge of Learning Disabilities in Ilorin-West Local Government, Kwara State

Abstract

This study examined the primary school teachers’ knowledge of learning disabilities in Ilorin West Local Government, Kwara State. The study was a descriptive design of survey, and a sample of 150 primary school teachers were selected using simple random procedure out of a total population of 1,837 primary school teachers in Ilorin West Local Government Area. A 10 item researcher-designed questionnaire with psychometric properties of content validity and 0.65 reliability index was used to elicit the needed data from the respondents. Frequency counts and percentages were used for answering the research questions. The findings of the study showed that the majority (62.67%) of the teachers did not know that head injuries, nutritional deprivation and exposure to toxic substances can contribute to learning disabilities. Also a considerable percentage (51.3%) of the teachers did not know that children with learning disabilities do have a problem in understanding body language and facial expressions. Based on the findings, it was among others recommended that the school authorities should employ professionally qualified educational psychologists to teach the teachers about class management with a view to decreasing distraction for pupils with learning disabilities