Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Foundation Phase Teachers in Mainstream Schools on Referring Learners with Occupational Performance Challenges to Occupational Therapy

Abstract

Teachers are usually the first persons to identify learners with occupational performance challenges that are struggling in the classroom and then recommending a referral to occupational therapy (OT). Through clinical experience, the researcher often felt that the teachers were unsure when to refer learners, causing the learners to be either under-referred or over-referred. After doing an extensive research it was found that there was limited research available focusing on the referral process of learners to occupational therapy. By doing this study, the researcher wanted to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices foundation phase teachers in mainstream schools had on referring learners with occupational performance challenges, to occupational therapy. A quantitative descriptive study design was used to collect and analyse the data. Data collection was done through a questionnaire that was developed by the researcher. Schools were sampled through purposeful sampling method. From the schools that gave consent, all the foundation phase teachers were given a questionnaire to complete. Eight schools agreed to participate in the study and a total of 128 questionnaires were handed out. The teachers were given one week to complete the questionnaire before the researcher collected the questionnaires again. A total number of 50 completed questionnaires were collected. Data was analysed using the statistical programme R. From the analysed data it was found that the teachers had the necessary knowledge to identify the occupational performance challenges that learner experience in their classrooms. The teachers had a good relationship with the therapists at their school and were for the referral to OT. The teachers, however, were not confident in their ability to make the referral to OT as they did not know if the learner was a candidate for an appropriate referral. They would want to receive training assisting them with identifying learners themselves and build their confidence. It was determined that the teachers used the wait-and-see approach when referring learners. The teachers also said that parents had the ultimate responsibility to take their children to an OT for an assessment and OT intervention. However, this study found that parents defer from taking action. This indicated the therapists need to educate the parents on the role of the school-based occupational therapy.