Supporting Students with Specific Learning Needs in Mathematics Teaching and Learning: A Case Study of Five Secondary Schools in the OR Tambo Coastal District, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Thabisa Maqoqa  ORCID iD & Mqondiso Andrea Buka ORCID iD

Issue: Vol.6  No. 3 March 2025 Article 2 pp.  87-101
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2025632   |   Published online 14th March, 2025.
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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Supporting students with specific learning needs in mathematics requires a multifaceted approach. Research has shown that students with learning disabilities, including those at risk or low-achieving, benefit from tailored interventions in mathematics. This paper provided a comprehensive overview of how students with specific learning needs in mathematics were supported. This paper was underpinned by the Constructivist Learning Theory. A sample of five secondary schools was selected for this study, focusing on the experiences, behaviours, and social interactions of 15 teachers. Based on the study’s interpretive paradigm, it was discovered that certain teachers lack professional training to support students with specific learning needs. The findings also revealed a lack of parental involvement in their children’s schooling. The study recommends encouraging teachers to acquire new skills to avoid stagnation. It was further recommended that all the school stakeholders should meet and provide workshops for teachers and parents to equip them with skills to support students with specific learning needs. This study offers evidence-supported techniques and perspectives for enhancing teaching practices in math education for students with particular learning requirements. Moreover, the study reveals shortcomings in current approaches, leading to more investigation and creativity in adaptive teaching and learning methods and materials tailored for students facing difficulties in mathematics. The findings could inform education policymakers by highlighting the specific resources, training, and support systems needed to better cater to students with learning difficulties in mathematics, particularly in underserved areas to influence future educational policies in the Eastern Cape and beyond.

Keywords: Learning needs, Inclusive education, Mathematics, Teaching, Collaboration.

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Dr. Thabisa Maqoqa is currently a permanent Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Education in the Department of Adult and Education Foundations, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Her research focuses on Technology Integration in Mathematics teaching, Creative Coding and Robotics and Sustainable Development in Mathematics Education in the context of 4IR.

Dr. Andrea Mqondiso Buka is currently a Senior Lecturer and HoD at the Faculty of Education in the Continuing Professional Teacher Development at Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa. His research focuses on inclusive education and educational management and policy, especially psycho-pedagogical research.

Maqoqa, Thabisa and Mqondiso Andrea Buka. “Supporting Students with Specific Learning Needs in Mathematics Teaching and Learning: A Case Study of Five Secondary Schools in the OR Tambo Coastal District, Eastern Cape, South Africa.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 6, no.3 (2025): 87-101.  https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2025632

© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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