Factors influencing academic achievement of pupils with learning disabilities in public primary schools in Koibatek sub county , Baringo county,kenya

Abstract

Special needs education globally has not received the required attention from the all avenues of education to see learners with disabilities access the desired academic achievement compared to their peers without issues of their kind. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of teachers’ motivation, teachers’ self-efficacy, learners’ self-esteem and school environment on academic achievement of pupils with learning disabilities (LD) in Koibatek Sub-county, Baringo County. The study was guided by Social cognitive theory by Bandura (1977) on self-efficacy which stresses that it is the role of a teacher to belief in self capabilities to be able take learners through a learning process and make them excel academically. Descriptive survey research design was used in the study to collect detailed data from the respondents. The target population of the study was 140 teachers, 7 head teachers and 200 class eight pupils from 7 special unit schools. The sample size consisted of 103 teachers, 7 head teachers and 200 pupils. Content validity of research instruments was ascertained through pilot testing and review by a panel of University lecturers. Teachers’ questionnaires had Cronbach alpha coefficients reliability of over 0.70 and hence suitable for the study. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Qualitative data was arranged thematically in line with research objectives. The researcher analyzed quantitative data using descriptive statistics and presented it in the form of frequency, percentages, means and standard deviations. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the four null hypotheses of the study. The study results revealed that there was a statistically significant linear relationship between teachers’ motivation and pupils with LD academic achievement (p < 0.05). There was also a statistically significant linear relationship between self-efficacy of teachers and pupils with LD academic achievement (p < 0.05) and that there was a statistically significant linear relationship between self-esteem of LD learners and academic achievement (p < 0.05). The study concluded that teacher motivation led to job satisfaction and neutral attitudes that enhance teachers in using the skills they had to promote academic achievement of learners with disabilities. Availability of teaching and learning resources towards the promotion of academic achievement of learners with disabilities in primary schools enhance curriculum delivery, meets the needs of learners with special needs and enhance pupils' enrolment and retention in schools. The study recommended that special motivational strategies that target academic achievement of learners with disabilities should be implemented; a policy of motivating teachers who teach in learners with disabilities setting should be written and implemented in all primary schools and that the government should increase funds for special needs education to necessitate purchase of learning resources.