Peer relations of children with learning disabilities: An ethnographic approach

Children with learning disabilities have been characterized in the literature as having poor peer relations and a lack of social skills, along with academic learning difficulties. This finding has been realized using predominately quantitative research methods based in either behaviourist or constructivist theory. Yet, the peer experience of children with learning disabilities can be more fully explored through these students' words revealing their views of peer associations.

New perspectives on peer relations of children with learning disabilities were sought using ethnographic approaches based in interpretive theory. There are few studies that utilize such a method for studying such children. Ethnographic approaches allow the children to convey their experiences of living with learning disabilities and to articulate their perspectives and retrospectives. Interpretive theory allows consideration of the interactions between society and the children with learning disabilities. This knowledge is not present in the literature and may be invaluable to those seeking deeper understandings of the peer relations of children with learning disabilities.

This study employed a teacher using participant-observation methodology in an attempt to allow four male children with learning disabilities “to speak for themselves” and to reveal their day-to-day experiences involving their social relationships with other children. This research was conducted in two different schools: one school in which the peer group values academic achievement and the other in which the peer group does not.

Findings of this study indicate that the compatability between the values of the child with learning disabilities and the values of the peer group has an impact on the type of peer relations experienced by the student with learning disabilities. Social class differences seems to be a greater determinant in the quality of peer relations experienced by these boys than their learning disabilities.