Abstract
Teachers can expect learners from a wide variety of backgrounds as a given in their inclusive classrooms (Florian, 2013). The traditional ways of how such differences are perceived and supported are often viewed as a problematic issue. In this study, an alternative approach to supporting differences or barriers to learning is proposed. A funds-of-knowledge approach challenges education and the way support and the support structures for learning and development in schools are viewed, as well as the views school support structures view and utilise the communities as resources. Learners are educated within their context, but also the way that their potential and communities are perceived. The funds-of-Knowledge approach departs from the notion that the community and the people within the communities are considered as a valuable asset because of their accumulated, culturally-based life experiences, knowledge and skills. In alignment with the bio ecological theory perspective of the study, each learner forms part of a bigger system in which the utilisation of capital in the community is vital for supporting learning and development in the school.
This study aimed to explore and describe how a School based support team (SBST) in one selected secondary mainstream school mobilised a Funds-of-knowledge approach to support learning and development. The main objectives of the study were to elicit the opinion of the SBST and youth facilitators on how the planning and execution of Wraparound teams in the form of an Extra school support program (ESSP) at this school mobilised a Funds-of-Knowledge approach to learning support.
An interpretive, qualitative study, using a generic qualitative design was chosen for the empirical study. Both groups of participants, namely members of the SBST and ESSP, as well as the school were purposively selected. Data-collection was by way of semi-structured group interviews with the SBST and ESSP members. The data was analysed by means of qualitative content analysis after which an integrated analysis and discussion of the findings were presented.
The main findings of this study included that the SBST of this school to some extend collaborated with the community and parents, but it was not in accordance with the funds-of-Knowledge approach to support learning and development. Another finding included that although a wraparound team was mobilised by the SBST in the form of an ESSP team, various challenges such as the lack of partnership needed to support learning and development in this school, it was not utilised in a funds-of-knowledge...
M.Ed. (Educational Psychology)