Abstract:
There is a paucity of available literature regarding the experience of
teachers dealing with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in
an educational setting. As children with ADHD are typically diagnosed at
school entry level, primary school teachers are directly affected. This study
therefore endeavours to address the gap in the body of knowledge with
regard to the experiences of primary school teachers who have children
with ADHD in their classrooms. Four participants from a private school
were interviewed and transcripts were analysed and interpreted using
the Interpretive Phenomenological approach. Five themes emerged:
knowledge of ADHD, medication for ADHD, support received from the
educational system, classroom management and emotional experiences
of the participants. The overall experiences of the participants were both
positive and negative. Further research is needed with regard to the
experiences of teachers.
