Exploring the social interaction of children with intellectual impairment involved in a school concert

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)Social interaction plays a key role in children’s social development and learning. Hence, social interaction is important for everyone, including individuals with intellectual impairment. Researches such as Vygotsky, Dockett and Perry (2003) has shown that opportunities for social interaction for people with intellectual impairment can facilitate increased community integration, improved quality of life, greater sense of life-satisfaction and wellbeing, the development of friendships, and increased social skills. I engaged with relevant literature in order to understand the characteristics of children with intellectual impairment and their social functioning. My theoretical framework was based on a socio-cultural theory. The research was conducted at a school in the East Rand region of Gauteng that caters for children with intellectual impairment. The sample of participants that participated has played a prominent role in the school concerts and their age range between 12 years and 23 years old, with intellectual impairment as their primary disability. A phenomenological research design was followed so as to understand social and psychological phenomena from the perspectives of the people involved, in how they experience the school concert. Data was collected from various participants form the school’s environment, such as educators, the identified participants parents/caregivers, support staff the participants themselves. I conducted unstructured and semi-structured interviews, such as focus group discussions and individual interviews, with participants, parents/caregivers, educators, and support staff (speech therapist). After the research was conducted, the central findings about the research is the use of creative expressive arts helps children with intellectual impairment to become more focussed and increase their communication skills, developing a sense of self and building relationships. The school concert boosted their self-esteem and their confidence, improving their social interaction