Trivsel, lärande och inflytande : Elevers upplevelser av sina skoldagar i anpassad grundskola

Sammanfattning

The aim of the study is to explore and deepen the understanding of students’ lifeworld with regard to their experiences of well-being, learning, and participation in compulsory school for pupils with intellectual disabilities (ID). Previous research indicates that students with ID are often excluded from research or represented through the perspectives of adults, limiting their opportunities to express their own views about their schooling. This study seeks to address that gap by focusing on students lived experiences. The study is qualitative and grounded in a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through six group interviews with a total of 23 students in grades 7–9 who study subject-based curricula within compulsory school for pupils with intellectual disabilities. The data were analysed using descriptive phenomenological analysis with the aim of identifying the essential meanings of the students’ experiences. The findings indicate that well-being, learning, and participation are closely intertwined phenomena in students’ lived experiences. The students’ narratives demonstrate that secure relationships with both adults and peers are essential for well-being and constitute a foundation for learning. Teaching that is clear, concrete, varied, and adapted to students’ individual needs is perceived as meaningful and attainable. When students are given genuine opportunities for participation and influence, their motivation, self-esteem, and sense of hope for the future are strengthened, whereas a lack of influence generates frustration and feelings of limitation. Adults’ relational approaches, didactic choices, and ability to create accessible learning environments emerge as crucial for enabling students with intellectual disabilities (ID) to develop, experience participation, and be prepared for an independent adult life.