Background: Learning support in South Africa is a phenomenon where learners who experience barriers to learning are withdrawn from the mainstream class and receive support in their home language and mathematics. A need for learning support surfaced when emphasis was placed on inclusivity in mainstream schools. The efficacy of this withdrawal on self-esteem has however not been investigated. Aim: This study sought to investigate the learners’ experiences of withdrawal for learning support and the relationship with their self-esteem. Setting: A primary school in the Western Cape. Methods: This qualitative design aimed to determine the perspective of the learners. Purposive sampling was used to identify five learners who received learning support. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to analyse data gleaned from the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), which had been adapted into an informal interview schedule. Results: Participants in this study did not report negative experiences of learning support. Learners identified that issues of negative self-esteem were unrelated to learning support, but were attributed to school culture, mainstream teachers’ attitudes, family relationships, peer comparisons and social competencies. Conclusion: Participants reported that learning support rarely caused negative self-esteem, but rather heightened confidence in their academic abilities regardless of their need for learning support, holding social factors responsible for their negative self-esteem. The implications of these findings allude to the fact that withdrawal for learning support continues regardless of popular beliefs reported to the contrary. Schools should however monitor these learners in order to determine individual differences and needs.

中文翻译：

---

基础阶段学习者对学习支持和自尊的看法

背景：南非的学习支持是一种现象，学习障碍的学习者从主流班级中退出，并获得其母语和数学的支持。当重点放在主流学校的包容性时，就需要学习支持。然而，尚未研究这种撤回对自尊的功效。目的：本研究旨在调查学习者为获得学习支持而退学的经历及其与自尊的关系。地点：西开普省的一所小学。方法：该定性设计旨在确定学习者的观点。目的抽样用于识别获得学习支持的五个学习者。解释性现象学分析（IPA）用于分析从罗森伯格自尊量表（RSES）收集的数据，该数据已被改编为非正式访谈时间表。结果：这项研究的参与者没有报告负面的学习支持经验。学习者发现负面的自尊问题与学习支持无关，但归因于学校文化，主流教师的态度，家庭关系，同伴比较和社会能力。结论：参与者报告说，学习支持很少会引起负面的自尊，而无论他们是否需要学习支持，他们都对他们的学业能力有更高的信心，认为社交因素会导致他们的负面自尊。这些发现暗示了这样一个事实，即不管流行的看法是否相反，退学仍在继续。但是，学校应监控这些学习者，以确定个人差异和需求。