Taming the Storm: Unpacking Discipline Challenges and Management Strategies in Special Schools

Abstract

Special schools cater to learners with diverse special needs, whose unique challenges often test teachers’ capacity to manage discipline effectively. This study examined how teachers address indiscipline and the challenges they face in special schools within South Africa’s Free State Province, specifically in the Mangaung Metro District. Guided by the Discipline with Dignity Theory (DDT) and framed within an interpretivist, qualitative paradigm, a phenomenological design was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six purposively selected teachers and were analysed thematically.
Findings reveal that teachers adopt dignity-preserving strategies, such as privilege systems that reinforce positive behaviour through recognition (preventive), one-on-one conversations that build empathy and trust (relational), learner codes of conduct that promote fairness and accountability (structural), and therapeutic activities that restore a sense of belonging and self-worth (restorative). However, systemic barriers, including communication difficulties, limited professional training, low parental involvement, and socio-economic hardship, undermine consistent application of these approaches.
The study recommends that the Department of Basic Education provide ongoing, context-specific training on restorative disciplinary practices tailored to learners with special needs and reduce academic pressures on teachers to enable a focus on behavioural development. Strengthening parental engagement and improving communication tools for deaf learners are also crucial. The study offers novel insights into the practical implementation and limitations of dignity-based discipline in special schools, thereby enriching the discourse on inclusive education.