REINFORCEMENT AND DISCIPLINE IN LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (LSENS) CLASSROOM: TOWARDS APPROPRIATE WAYS OF CHECKING APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
Keywords:
reinforcement, discipline, Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN), checking, appropriate behaviorAbstract
The study assessed the LSENs teachers’ ways of reinforcement and discipline for learners with special educational needs (LSENs). The respondents were 30 parents LSENs from Molugan Central School, El Salvador, Misamis Oriental. The researcher utilized a descriptive comparative and correlational design and utilized frequency and percentage, weighted mean, chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis Test for the statistical treatment of data. Based on the results of the study, majority of the parent-respondents shows that most are young to middle-aged adults, primarily within the 30–34 age group, predominantly female, indicating that mothers are the primary respondents in school-related activities. Overall, the respondents are mostly mothers who play a central role in supporting the education and behavior of learners with special educational needs (LSEN). Assessment results reveal that parents perceive LSEN teachers’ reinforcement and discipline strategies as highly effective, with an overall mean of 3.36 (“Always True of the Teachers”). Teachers excel in providing structure, predictability, and positive reinforcement, particularly through explicit teaching of routines, visual rules, and affirmations. Discipline practices are also rated highly, emphasizing clarity, non-verbal cues, and immediate acknowledgment of positive behavior. These findings highlight teachers’ consistent use of proactive, supportive, and constructive behavior management techniques. However, statistical analysis using the Kendall test shows a very weak positive correlation (r = 0.001, p = 0.847) between reinforcement and discipline, indicating no significant relationship. This suggests that while both strategies are vital in managing LSEN behavior, they operate independently rather than influencing each other directly. This means that LSEN teachers effectively implement reinforcement and discipline strategies that foster positive behavior and engagement. Parents express strong confidence in teachers’ ability to maintain structured and inclusive learning environments. Although reinforcement and discipline are both crucial, their weak correlation implies that each contributes uniquely to behavior management, underscoring the importance of balancing both approaches in LSEN education.
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