Listening to the voices of learners with Tourette's syndrome
Date
2014-10-27
Authors
Dolowitz, Maureen Linda
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Abstract
Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a genetic neurobiological disorder characterised by verbal sounds (phonic tics) and involuntary movements (motor tics) (Packer, 1995; Holts and Tessman; Prestia, 2003). Learners with TS have varying academic and socio-emotional difficulties, which are not well understood and accepted by teachers and peers in South African schools. Lack of understanding of TS increases these learners vulnerability to exclusion and marginalisation. There is much scope needed in the field of inclusive education to listen to the voices of learners with TS. The ultimate aim of this empirical phenomenographic research is to establish eight participants understanding, on a collective level, of how they perceive school. This study is set within a theoretical framework that includes Bandura‘s social cognitive theory and Bronfenbrenner‘s (bio) ecological theory of human development. The aim of this research is to gain knowledge and understanding of the learning and socialisation difficulties experienced by learners with TS. The study finds that learners with TS experience difficulties on an intrapersonal level (internal personal factors) and interpersonal level (external environmental factors).
Description
A research report submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities and University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Education by combination of coursework and research
Johannesburg
2014