3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item The intention and impact of visibly rewarding learners in two Gauteng high schools(2020) Akabor, ShakiraIn order to explore the ways in which visibly rewarding learners (via badges, accolades, awards, honour board listings) for academic achievement is consistent with the aims and ideals of inclusive education, this critical realist study provides the perspectives of learners, parents, teachers and senior management at two Gauteng high schools. The study is primarily focused on exploring the possibility that the current competitive structure found in Gauteng high schools as manifested by visible rewards can be a barrier to inclusive education, particularly the participation and achievement of all learners. As such, it is both descriptive and explanatory. The study is set within a theoretical framework that includes Johnson and Johnson’s Social Interdependence Theory together with the Index for Inclusion (Booth & Ainscow, 2011) and Participation Framework (Florian, Black-Hawkins & Rouse, 2017). Drawing on constructs from psychology and sociology in the way the concept of inclusive education is explored, I have employed a mixed method approach. Quantitative learner and parent surveys allow for greater reach of maximum participants in the school. Qualitative focus group interviews with learners and semistructured interviews with teachers and senior management provide richness and depth from information-rich participants that are directly involved in the decisionmaking processes and procedures of visibly rewarding learners. In exploring the participation and achievement of all learners, the valuable perspectives of the learners and their parents provide a greater understanding of visible rewards.Item Foundation phase learners' perspectives on grade retention(2019) Hadebe, MaureenGrade retention in South Africa, as in other developing countries, is a common practice of holding back learners who have failed to meet specific promotional requirements. Despite studies that highlight the negative outcomes of scholastic retention, this practice has gained popularity in countries in Southern Africa including South Africa. Learners who struggle academically are retained in the grade if they are unable to meet specific requirements. It is sad to note that learners are not consulted before being retained; their voices do not matter. Studies have been conducted on teachers’ perspectives on this topic. However, research on how learners experience retention has not been done. The main objective of this research is to ascertain how learners experience and perceive the practice of grade retention in the foundation phase. Doing research with children is critical and challenging, and this research tries to ‘dip a toe’ in and conduct research with children and not on children. Most schools were sceptical about allowing learners to participate in this study .but one school consented and allowed their learners to participate. The participants were selected using a number generating system so as to make sure that the sample was representative, and the participants were involved in two sets of interviews. In the first set of interviews, they drew pictures of themselves and were probed about the pictures they had drawn. In the second set of interviews, a blob tree was used as a tool for those interviewed to express their feelings. The focal point of this research was to understand the perceptions and experiences of a group and not an individual. Therefore, this qualitative research employed a phenomenographic methodology because it aims to “explore the range of meanings within a sample group, as a group, not the range of meanings for each individual within a group” (Akerlind, 2005, p. 323). This research was based on finding out how experiences of retained learners can enable Inclusive education. The findings were reported according to five key themes, namely socio-emotional outcomes, impact on learners’ relationship; academic issues and stereotyping by teachers. The findings of this study revealed that the majority of learners did not enjoy being retained in a grade, but this did not affect their academic progress. Some learners were teased and bullied by peers and friends. In some cases, the teachers also teased learners about repeating the grade. The limitations of the study included the following: the time frame; the sample size; the researcher’s involvement in the study; the data was collected from one school in Gauteng; the emotional distress experienced by some of the respondents; and, contradictory statements from a few of the respondents. Future research could look at broader cultural, social and economic issues that might contribute to an increased retention rate, as well as the negative emotional effects of grade retention.Item Parental attitudes towards, and their understanding of, barriers to learning and development(2019) Singh, ReshmikaInclusive education, a system adopted in post-apartheid South Africa, is an education system which seeks to protect the rights of all learners, irrespective of the barriers to learning and development which they may be facing. It is based on the premise that all learners have the right to an education, and that the education system needs to ensure that they have the appropriate systems in place to ensure that this right is protected. Barriers to learning and development impedes the learning process, and they need to be addressed in order for the basic need of education to be met. One of the key stakeholders in overcoming barriers to learning and development, and ensuring the successful implementation of inclusive education, are parents. This exploratory and descriptive qualitative study aimed to explore the manner in which parents conceptualise barriers to learning and development, and their attitudes towards them. Seven parents participated in individual interviews, and the data from the interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants were parents of school-going children, who had placed their child in one specific mainstream school in Lenasia. The analysis of the interviews revealed that parents hold an overall positive view of inclusive education, but that this perception shifts to a more negative one in light of considering the impact it might have on their own children. Parents are also able to identify barriers to learning and development being faced by the general population of learners in South Africa; these included language and cultural barriers, socio-economic deprivation, transport barriers, as well as large classrooms, and a lack of discipline within classrooms. Most of the participants’ responses regarding the barriers to learning being faced by their own children related to barriers within the chosen school, such as teacher attitude and teacher competence, as well as a perceived lack of support from the school. Finally, parents regarded parental involvement as a central contributing factor to the successful education of their children.Item The attitude of the teachers towards the practice of streaming(2018) Walugembe, Josephine VuyelwaDifferentiation, as a strategy within inclusive education, seeks to respond to the challenges and opportunities of diversity within classrooms. This is done by adapting and modifying the methods of instruction, curriculum and activities to address effectively the needs and the potential of diverse learners. In the light of this, many teachers believe streaming is a form of differentiation, and a way to respond to the diversity faced in the classroom. To investigate this situation, this study explored the extent to which the attitudes of teachers sustained the practice of streaming in secondary schools. It also assessed whether the practice of streaming was congruent with the principles of inclusive education. Streaming is the practice of separating learners based on their respective cognitive abilities and their placement in similar ability groups. By using a qualitative research approach, this study found that teachers believed that streaming enabled differentiation and effective classroom management strategies. The various attitudes of teachers showed that they assumed streaming helped to deal with the distinguishable differences in learners’ ability, their conduct and their perceived ability to cope with the curriculum demands. However, there was a misalignment between how streaming was practised and the principles of inclusive education. A fundamental issue was that those learners who were placed in the lower-ability groups were labelled negatively, and there was no differentiation that occurred within similar ability classes. In effect, streaming became a selffulfilling prophecy for those in the lower-ability groups.Item A thematic review of inclusive education research in South Africa(2018) Seedat, NasreenEducation White Paper 6 was developed with the aim of transforming the educational system of South Africa from one of exclusion of learners with disabilities to one that is more inclusive of all learners. This was to be done through the establishment of an integrated educational system that embraces children with barriers to learning into mainstream public schooling systems. This system should hold a flexible curriculum, structures to provide support for teachers and other schooling staff in implementing and maintaining the new inclusive system. The skills of teachers are to be improved so as to effectively manage classes wherein diverse ranges of learning needs are present. The primary aim of this research was to examine inclusive education research conducted in South Africa since its implementation in 2001. This was done through a systematic literature review analysis. Articles were selected for inclusion in the review based on the following criteria: the studies had to have been published in peer-reviewed journals between the years 2001 and 2016 to represent the extent of research on inclusive education in South Africa since its implementation. Studies had to be data based (either primary or secondary) and documented in English with a focus on inclusive education in South Africa. Studies had to meet all the inclusion criteria in order to be selected for inclusion into the review. Thirty seven eligible journal articles were included for the current review, of which 43% (n=16) used a qualitative methodology, 16% (n=6) used a mixed methods design and 6% (n=2) used a quantitative methodology. The remaining 35% (n=13) were conceptual articles. To obtain a thematic review of inclusive education research in South Africa Thomas and Harden’s thematic synthesis approach of data analysis was used. The results identified the following main emergent themes: Attitudes, beliefs, perceptions and practices of key stakeholders, Dissemination of information, Teacher training, Contextual factors, History, culture and traditions toward inclusive education, and Collaboration. Findings of the review clearly indicate that there are drawbacks and limitations as well as successes in relation to inclusive education implementation in South Africa. There are lessons to be learned from the South African experience of inclusive education in relation to the implementation of educational policy and the need for research to inform practice.Item The voices of grade 11 learners attending outreach programmes of two Johannesburg independent schools(2017) Kerr-Phillips, FrancesIn an attempt to make a small contribution to the broader educational landscape in South Africa, as well as to fulfil their Corporate Social Investment (CSI) requirements, many independent schools have embarked on a form of academic outreach initiative. This study considered two such initiatives at Johannesburg independent schools which select learners from specific high schools to attend each respective academy in the afternoons. The views of those participating in such endeavours are not often heard. This study, which is qualitative in nature and phenomenological in design, used individual interviews and focus group interviews to explore the voices of Grade 11 learners involved in the two academies. The data obtained through this voice research indicated that the experiences of the learners fell into two broad themes, namely, opportunities and challenges. The nuances of the opportunities and challenges experienced by the learners attending the academies determined the level of marginalisation or inclusion the learners encountered. As a result of the voices of the participants in this study and findings from related literature it was ascertained that such outreach academies had a significant impact on their learners, particularly in terms of their personal development yet, nevertheless, had a number of limitationsItem An investigation of foundation phase teachers' classroom practices to promote student engagement as an inclusive pedagogy(2018) Mac Arthur, SkyeThere is a general agreement that engagement in learning is important for success in school. School engagement refers to the students’ level of connectedness, involvement, and commitment to school, as well as to learn and achieve (Lawson & Lawson, 2013). Student engagement is found to be a robust predictor of student achievement and behaviour in schools. Students who are engaged and connected to their schools demonstrate increased academic achievement (Lawson & Lawson, 2013). Disposition for student engagement is a process that results from the interaction between individual and contextual factors, specifically the classroom environment (Lawson & Lawson, 2013) and school characteristics help in creating positive experiences of school from the teachers and managing staff. Current studies drawn upon by Lawson and Lawson (SE) (2013) and Florian (IP) (2015) have demonstrated the importance of student engagement on outcomes for mainstream students. However, empirical evidence as to whether student engagement promotes inclusive practices in the classroom is limited. The present study hopes to contribute to filling this gap. Providing a good fit between individual and contextual characteristics is a challenge that schools face for all learners, specifically when considering a minimising of learner barriers. To some extent engagement in learning may be an inherent trait. However, engagement can be promoted e.g. by using inclusive pedagogical strategies that enhance student engagement (Florian, 2013; Lawson & Lawson, 2013). Students must be fully engaged in school and classroom activities – both behaviourally and emotionally - to reap the full benefits of inclusive education. This study uses data from six South African school contexts situated in Johannesburg to investigate empirically the classroom practices of Foundation Phase teachers’ to promote student engagement as an inclusive pedagogy. The findings of this study identified that the teachers were able to draw on theory regarding inclusive pedagogy that was learnt during their Honours year, but most drew on aspects from their experience of being in the classroom and knowing their learners to promote student engagement as a tool to support inclusive pedagogy. The participants were able to reflect on how they applied their understanding of the concepts of student engagement and inclusion in their teaching. The findings indicate a need for further research in the area of student engagement and the promotion of inclusive pedagogy.Item The implementation of inclusive education in South African private schools: perceptions of parents(2017) Sandler, Genevieve AnnThis study aimed to explore parents’ perceptions on inclusive education in private South African schools with the focus on two inclusive practices: bridging classes and classroom facilitators. The sample for this study consisted of 10 parents from two private schools in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. A semi-structured in-depth interview schedule was devised to examine parents’ perceptions on the support and inclusive practices offered within their schools. The results indicated that majority of parents found bridging classes to be more beneficial than classroom facilitators in assisting children experiencing barriers to learning. Furthermore, results demonstrated that the quality of teaching ultimately influences the success of inclusive education within the school.Item Teachers' teaching strategies in a sample of South African inclusive classrooms(2016) Lake, NicolaThe study explored how teachers in mainstream schools in South Africa attempt to ensure all learners are included in the classroom as active participants. Inclusive education has been the educational policy in South Africa since 2001 and teachers are invaluable in implementing it, thus this research explored what teachers do in the classroom to ensure all learners are included as active participants. In particular the study explored whether teachers use learner-centred and differentiated instruction, strategies recommended for the inclusive classroom. Barriers and differences among learners that teachers consider in ensuring inclusion of learners in the curriculum and classroom as well as factors that hamper their ability in ensuring inclusion of learners were also explored. The sample of the study consisted of 14 teachers from four primary schools in the Johannesburg East region. Three focus groups and one individual interview were conducted. Questions looked at teaching strategies teachers use in their inclusive classrooms, factors among learners they consider in creating inclusive lessons and factors that hamper their implementation of inclusive education. It was found that teachers view learner-centred and differentiated instruction as useful within the inclusive classroom and they indicated that they do use these strategies. However, teachers indicated that they have received insufficient pre and in-service training for such strategies and for inclusive education in general and that there is thus a need to improve pre and in-service training for inclusive education. Moreover, commonly occurring factors such as large classes, limited resources, heavy workload, insufficient support services and time constraints were argued to make such strategies difficult to use. In discussing differences among learners considered in creating inclusive lessons teachers focused on cognitive and academic differences, while differences in culture, learning styles, interests, personality and socio-economic background were discussed infrequently. Barriers that teachers discussed as important to accommodate for in the inclusive classroom included hearing, visual and emotional barriers and poor concentration. Language was also identified as an important barrier to accommodate for. The family were identified as an important resource in achieving the goals of inclusive education, however it was indicated that there is a lack of family involvement. Limitations of the study are also discussed as well as directions for future research.Item The extent to which grade 7 educators in a full-service school apply differentiated instruction to promote inclusive teaching and learning(2016-07-25) Groeneveld, WendyEducators at full-service schools in South Africa are required by policy, to respond to the diversity of learners in the classroom by means of differentiating the learning environment, teaching methods employed and the manner in which the learners are assessed. Within the South African context, three studies relate specifically to differentiated instruction and multi-level teaching: Nel, Kempen and Ruscheinski (2011); de Jager (2013); Walton, Nel, Muller and Lebeloane (2014). The above research was concerned with using differentiated instruction to modify the curriculum of the ‘Learn Not To Burn’ Programme to make it accessible for learners at a special school, challenges with regard to implementing differentiated learning activities within a high school context and investigating responses of educators at a full-service school in the long term, to training they had undergone in multi-level teaching. The topic of this study aims to explore and describe Grade 7 Mathematics and English First Additional Language educators’ understanding, knowledge of and ability to apply differentiated instruction in relation to inclusive teaching and learning within a full-service school. The research was conducted at two, full-service schools in Gauteng, over the course of three weeks. There were six participants in total, including three Grade 7 Mathematics and three Grade 7 English educators. A qualitative research methodology was adopted. Data was collected by means of an initial questionnaire, a preliminary interview, classroom observations, document analysis (analysis of lesson plans and assessment tasks) and post-observation interviews. The patterns which arose from the data analysis were determined by initially summarising the data at an individual level for each participant and then comparing the six participants’ responses with each other in relation to the codes. An analysis of the GPLMS lesson plans indicated that the lesson plans specified core concepts of the curriculum, essential questions relating to the topic were evident, where the topic was divided into specific units to be covered in a particular order. Curricular strategies in relation to content, process and product were stated. However, a key pattern to emerge was that there is an over-reliance on GPLMS lesson plans as opposed to independent planning for differentiation. During classroom observations, the Grade 7 Mathematics and English educators identified big ideas when covering the curriculum, visual supports were evident; the educators varied the format of their instruction and demonstrated sensitivity to the learning needs of individual learners that had been identified during the lessons. While ‘common sense’ inclusive practices were observed, they cannot be described as differentiated instruction per se. The third pattern to emerge was that assessments were not differentiated optimally, as the focus was centred too heavily upon curriculum coverage and ensuring performance on the Annual National Assessment (ANA) exams. Results from this research suggest that at a basic level, some aspects of differentiated instruction are being included in Grade 7 Mathematics and English classrooms in full-service schools in Gauteng. This is not at a sufficient level to facilitate transformation and inclusion. (Key Words: Transformation, inclusion, differentiated instruction, full-service school, GPLMS lesson plans, curricular strategies, assessment tasks).