Teachers’ Perceptions and Implementation Challenges of Positive Reinforcement for Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive Junior Schools in Thika West Sub-County, Kenya
Charles Macharia Kuria, Joyce Njeri Kinyua and Edith Njoroge
Mount Kenya University, Kenya
Email: chalomash1@gmail.com
Abstract: This study examined teachers’ perceptions of positive reinforcement and the contextual challenges affecting its implementation for learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive junior schools in Thika West Sub-County, Kenya. Data were collected from 12 teachers using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, complemented by document analysis across four participating schools. Teachers reported strongly favourable perceptions of positive reinforcement’s usefulness (overall perception mean = 4.00, SD = 0.80), most strongly agreeing that it improves classroom behaviour (M = 4.67, SD = 0.49) and increases learners’ motivation to participate (M = 4.58, SD = 0.51). However, perceived adequacy of training on positive reinforcement received the lowest rating of any perception item (M = 3.08, SD = 1.24), and perceived institutional support was similarly modest (M = 3.33, SD = 1.07). Teachers identified large class sizes (91.7%, M = 4.67), inadequate training (83.3%, M = 4.42), and limited teaching and learning resources (75.0%, M = 4.17) as the most frequently and strongly reported implementation challenges. Qualitative interview evidence and document analysis corroborated and contextualised these patterns, showing that favourable attitudes toward positive reinforcement coexisted with self-reported gaps in practical training and variable school-level documentation of reinforcement practice. The findings suggest that positive teacher attitudes, while a necessary condition, are not sufficient for consistent implementation of positive reinforcement in the absence of adequate training and institutional support, an attitude-implementation gap with direct implications for teacher professional development policy in inclusive junior schools.
