Introduction
The number of children with learning difficulties is increasing due to the complexity of the learning process. However, the reasons for these difficulties may be physical, physiological, or biological. Each child is unique, and it is impossible to generalize all the causes of the learning issues. Nevertheless, the paper mentions the consequences of learning difficulties, among which a decrease in motivation and self-control are foremost. The teacher plays a vital role in developing children with learning difficulties. The study analyzes the weaknesses of teachers in the process of revitalizing students’ motivation. Moreover, the role of inclusion as one of the most effective strategies for shaping education for children with learning difficulties is highlighted. At the same time, the example of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a country with problems implementing inclusion highlights the need for changes. Thus, it can be assumed that the implementation of inclusive educational practices can support teachers in enhancing the learning experience of children with learning disabilities.
Early Education of Children with Learning Disabilities
Learning features in a modern school are connected with the increasing volume of information, the intensification of the material, and the constant modernization and complication of educational programs. Undoubtedly, such conditions of learning impose the highest demands on the students. Children must go through the challenging period of early education without damaging their health, losing interest in learning, or faith in themselves and their strength. Several factors, such as the peculiarities of early development, the degree of functional maturity of the organism, the child’s health, and the nature of the violations of organs and systems, determine the success of teaching children in ECED. Children with learning disorders have severe trouble adapting to school conditions, schedules, and the learning load. There are numerous different strategies and methods used to support students with learning disabilities since the hardships can be stressful and frustrating, which can lead to demotivation. Inclusion, support, and renewed stimulus are necessities of modern times that can improve the lives of children with learning difficulties.
Features of Children with Learning Problems and the Essence of Motivation
The issue of learning difficulties is one of the most complex and, at the same time, needs to be studied more by specialists. The fact is that adaptation hardships and learning problems in school may have the same external manifestations reflected in the child’s behavior, performance, and team relationships. However, their causes, physiological and psychological mechanisms, and etiology may differ completely (Osman, 2022). Therefore, assistance to the child in each case should be aimed not at modifying the behavior but at eliminating undesirable reasons. It should be noted that it is practically never possible to single out one cause, whether it is a health condition, adverse social and living conditions, educational defects, lack of readiness for training, or individual developmental features.
Concerns of school failure may lie in the loss of pupils’ position as school children. Such learners have lost interest in activities under the rapid fading of learning motivation and underdevelopment of the volitional sphere of the personality. The specificity of working with children with learning difficulties is not in the number of hours spent with the child but in the purposefulness and content of this communication (Sabayleh & Sakarneh, 2023). Moreover, parents should support confidence in the child that they will cope with the problems which have arisen if they aspire to it, and they, for their part, will help and support them. Sincere parental interest will allow girls and boys to believe that their success is vital and that they need it not from teachers but, above all, for themselves. Schoolchildren with learning difficulties require tolerance from adults (Kirby, 2017). Yelling and reproaches can only hinder and add to the existing issues, the loss of interest, and the desire to comprehend.
Children, in general, are characterized by a poverty of learning motivation scarcity of conditioning of procedural motivation by higher-level ones. Broad social motives of learning, which give meaning to the education activity, are insufficiently represented in the motivational systems of children with learning difficulties (Osman, 2022). The dependence of the specificity of motivation on the success of learning activity can be noticed in the example of the child’s attitude to an evaluative situation. Younger schoolchildren with learning difficulties sharply react negatively to their hardships in the learning process (Kirby, 2017). Emotional breakdowns, refusal to complete the task, and indifference are possible.
Genuine indifference is shown not to the assessment but to their own mistaken decision: the child has no desire to correct the work and understand the reason for the error. Nevertheless, children during ECED need assessment and support from both teachers and parents. If there is the accessibility of successful performance of some work, they express their interest in assessment and their joy at the praise (Osman, 2022). However, if the task is difficult enough, the incentive force of the motive to get a high grade weakens. Regardless, the motive strengthens, and the task performance increases if it is manageable enough (Sabayleh & Sakarneh, 2023). Consequently, the analysis of the motivational sphere of children with learning difficulties does not reveal their lack of learning motivation but instead inadequately formed motives.
Benefits of Inclusive Education for Children with Learning Disabilities
Properly formed motives can be built in an inclusive environment, which is the best strategy that provides the development of solid qualities and talents of children rather than on their problems. Interaction with other children promotes the cognitive, physical, speech, social, and emotional development of children with special needs (Rowe et al., 2013). Interaction between healthy children and children with special needs in inclusive classrooms fosters friendly relationships. Through such interaction, children learn to be naturally accepting and tolerant of human differences, and they become more sensitive and ready to help each other (Wiener & Tardif, 2004). Moreover, teachers of inclusive classes have a deeper understanding of individual differences and peculiarities of children and cooperate more effectively with parents and other professionals.
Inclusive ECED must create a suitable environment in preschool educational institutions is essential. It should be accessible and developing; for this, it is necessary to introduce good modern equipment for play therapy and music therapy (Sulaimon & Schaefer, 2022). It is indispensable to have well-trained professionals in educational institutions. Teachers, psychologists, speech therapists, dermatologists, and music directors must know the techniques and elements of health-saving technologies (Wiener & Tardif, 2004). They must motivate children with disabilities to overcome possible difficulties.
ECED students with hardships display more social interchange with their healthful counterparts in an inclusive setting than in exceptional academies. It evolves incredibly apparent if the grown-ups in the school intentionally sustain socialization and if the number of children with exceptional conditions is in genuine ratio to the remainder (Sulaimon & Schaefer, 2022). Youngsters’ social competence and transmission talents enhance in an inclusive atmosphere. It is primarily because they have more possibilities for social exchange with their healthy coequals, deliverers of this age’s social and communicative competence prototype (Jarrett, 1999). However, the teachers recreate the ultimate role in setting and maintaining such companionships.
Merely as important is the attitude of teachers toward including students with intellectual disabilities in regular classes. Of particular interest is the educational experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a country with significant challenges in implementing inclusion (Sabayleh & Sakarneh, 2023). Information is unavailable on the number of children with disabilities who are not in school in these regions, but it can be assumed that they are in the vast majority. The main reasons for high rates of non-attendance are poverty, lack of teachers, high rates of single-parent and dysfunctional families, teenage pregnancy, negative peer pressure, and poor exam results (Sabayleh & Sakarneh, 2023). It is unknown how these factors affect children with learning problems, but probably more so than children without them.
Attitudes towards Children with Learning Disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Firstly, it is essential to consider research on inclusive education from the perspective of the region’s teachers and students. The researchers observed teachers’ and students’ learning and cognitive activities during numerous surveys (Kausik & Hussain, 2020). In this way, the scholars obtained additional information about the state of the facilities in the school and served to confirm the words spoken during the survey. The results showed that all participants agreed with the problem of a shortage of qualified teachers in schools (Kausik & Hussain, 2020). Numerous teachers confirmed they lacked the professional training to teach children with learning difficulties.
The lack of funds and support is the main problem hindering the implementation of an inclusive system in the region. For numerous guidance counselors, the lack of funding makes monitoring and supervising the program difficult (Mokmin & Rassy, 2022). Lack of money makes it challenging for schools to buy teaching materials for children. Nevertheless, some participants raised the issue of teachers’ negative attitudes toward children with learning difficulties. Some instructors discourage children with disabilities from coming to school. Moreover, some teachers were against using guidance counselors to help children in their classrooms (Vincent & Shobha, 2020). It is evident from the above that teachers’ attitudes, essential in educating children with learning difficulties, impede policies to implement inclusive education.
Furthermore, the studies above confirm the importance of resources and support services for children with special needs in an inclusive system. The results demonstrate that lacking social and pedagogical support prevents children with difficulties from learning in the same classrooms (Aktan, 2020). Moreover, inclusive education must recognize and respond to the diverse needs of students. The participating teachers likewise stated that they lack knowledge in setting support and collaboration instruments (Aktan, 2020). Therefore, different learning styles and paces for all through appropriate curricula, organizational arrangements, and teaching strategies should be created. A key finding of the studies is that more resources are needed for schools participating in inclusive programs (Mokmin & Rassy, 2022). Numerous infrastructural changes are required to make schools accessible and safe for students with diverse learning needs.
A shortage of qualified teachers is likewise one of the obstacles to implementing inclusive education, and teachers should receive proper training, and the government should support them. Such training should focus on the philosophy and concept of inclusive education and strategies to help children (Root et al., 2022). During the activity, future teachers should have the opportunity to participate in inclusive education practices and have the opportunity to observe children with special needs in inclusive classrooms. It is one of the main requirements that will help break down barriers and form an adequate assessment of the abilities of children with disabilities. Thus, about half accept the idea of inclusion but feel insufficiently supported in their efforts (Vincent & G., 2020) to address inclusion effectively. As a consequence, Bosnia and Herzegovina still faces many barriers to the proper implementation of inclusion.
Conclusion
Thus, learning difficulties can be stressful and frustrating, leading to demotivation or other faulty forms of self-control in an educational setting. To avoid this, teachers must focus on children’s motivation, which would be a more comprehensive approach to educating students with learning difficulties. Students going through ECED need to experience competence, love, and behavioral autonomy. Furthermore, youngsters in more inclusive settings show better social and emotional functioning. Compared to the ones in self-contained special education classrooms, children in inclusive classrooms have more fulfilling friendships with their closest classmates, feel less alone, and exhibit fewer problem behaviors. Learning in inclusive educational settings benefits kids with special educational needs, families, and society.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s experience shows that a lack of necessary knowledge can also lead to negative attitudes toward students. As a result, not all teachers comprehend the significance of teaching such children in general classes. Negative perceptions of children with difficulties by parents, society, and school teachers serve as a barrier to learning. These beliefs create impediments to the exercise of rights, including school attendance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to reshape teacher training and promote inclusive education. Children with learning problems need support from society and, merely as significant, the right and competent approach.
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