Factors preventing parents from seeking learning support for their children in the foundation phase.
- Authors: Mailwane, Joyce Nthabiseng
- Date: 2008-09-09T08:57:39Z
- Subjects: learning disabilities , education , home and school , parent participation
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:4638 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/997
- Description: The provision of specialised education in South Africa has reflected inequalities from the previous apartheid regime, particularly among the disadvantaged sectors of the population. There have been inadequate institutions that cater for specialised education in some instances and nothing at all in other cases. However, it has been observed that even where there are institutions that provide for specialised education or learning support, parents, and in certain instances educators, do not take timeous advantage thereof. The review of literature relevant to this study involves: the historical development and the understanding of the phenomenon of learning difficulties; the role of parents in the education of their children and in home-school partnerships, both generally and more specifically with reference to the South African context. The study was conducted against the theoretical background of systems theory. Systems theory views the various levels and entities as sub-systems within the larger system, which is the social context. The functioning of the whole, that is, the social context, is dependent on the interaction within and between the ‘smaller’ systems. The family (parents) and the school (educators) form sub-systems, and both of them share the membership of the child. These two sub-systems need to collaborate with each other to ensure maximum development of the child. This study sets out to explore and describe factors that prevent parents from seeking learning support for their children early, when they start failing in the foundation phase. The research question arose from the observation of the tendency by parents to bring their children for assessment long after the children had been experiencing repeated failures across the three primary school phases, namely the foundation, intermediate and senior phases. In most cases, parents brought the children when they were in the intermediate or senior phase, in spite of having had several failures in the foundation phase as well. It was this delay by parents to seek learning support for the children that became a cause for concern to the researcher and prompted an investigation in order to answer the question: What factors prevent parents from seeking learning support for their children in the Foundation Phase? A case study design was chosen in order to explore answers to the question posed above. The purpose of using a case study was an endeavour to gain an understanding of the research question from the participants’ perspective. The case study was made up of sub-cases that were parents of children who all went to a particular school at the time of their referral for assessment of learning difficulties. The data collected through unstructured interviews were analysed using the constant comparative method. The finding that emerged as a major factor that prevented parents from seeking learning support when children started failing in the foundation phase was ignorance of the phenomenon of learning difficulties and what could be done in the face of it. The other factors that were identified related to parents’ understanding of their children’s learning difficulties; their being illiterate; and the belief in cultural issues. Recommendations were suggested for both the Educational Psychologist and educators relating to the need for parent education on the learning and development of their children with specific emphasis on learning difficulties. The role parents can play in partnership with educators was also highlighted. , Mrs. H. Krige
- Full Text:
Factors preventing parents from seeking learning support for their children in the foundation phase.
- Authors: Mailwane, Joyce Nthabiseng
- Date: 2008-09-09T08:57:39Z
- Subjects: learning disabilities , education , home and school , parent participation
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:4638 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/997
- Description: The provision of specialised education in South Africa has reflected inequalities from the previous apartheid regime, particularly among the disadvantaged sectors of the population. There have been inadequate institutions that cater for specialised education in some instances and nothing at all in other cases. However, it has been observed that even where there are institutions that provide for specialised education or learning support, parents, and in certain instances educators, do not take timeous advantage thereof. The review of literature relevant to this study involves: the historical development and the understanding of the phenomenon of learning difficulties; the role of parents in the education of their children and in home-school partnerships, both generally and more specifically with reference to the South African context. The study was conducted against the theoretical background of systems theory. Systems theory views the various levels and entities as sub-systems within the larger system, which is the social context. The functioning of the whole, that is, the social context, is dependent on the interaction within and between the ‘smaller’ systems. The family (parents) and the school (educators) form sub-systems, and both of them share the membership of the child. These two sub-systems need to collaborate with each other to ensure maximum development of the child. This study sets out to explore and describe factors that prevent parents from seeking learning support for their children early, when they start failing in the foundation phase. The research question arose from the observation of the tendency by parents to bring their children for assessment long after the children had been experiencing repeated failures across the three primary school phases, namely the foundation, intermediate and senior phases. In most cases, parents brought the children when they were in the intermediate or senior phase, in spite of having had several failures in the foundation phase as well. It was this delay by parents to seek learning support for the children that became a cause for concern to the researcher and prompted an investigation in order to answer the question: What factors prevent parents from seeking learning support for their children in the Foundation Phase? A case study design was chosen in order to explore answers to the question posed above. The purpose of using a case study was an endeavour to gain an understanding of the research question from the participants’ perspective. The case study was made up of sub-cases that were parents of children who all went to a particular school at the time of their referral for assessment of learning difficulties. The data collected through unstructured interviews were analysed using the constant comparative method. The finding that emerged as a major factor that prevented parents from seeking learning support when children started failing in the foundation phase was ignorance of the phenomenon of learning difficulties and what could be done in the face of it. The other factors that were identified related to parents’ understanding of their children’s learning difficulties; their being illiterate; and the belief in cultural issues. Recommendations were suggested for both the Educational Psychologist and educators relating to the need for parent education on the learning and development of their children with specific emphasis on learning difficulties. The role parents can play in partnership with educators was also highlighted. , Mrs. H. Krige
- Full Text:
Re-tooling and re-skilling of educators in multigrade schools : promoting quality education in farm schools.
- Litshani, Ndanganeni Florence
- Authors: Litshani, Ndanganeni Florence
- Date: 2008-08-26T06:37:08Z
- Subjects: education , training of teachers , competency-based education , Limpopo ( South Africa )
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/385137 , uj:4037 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/938
- Description: Multi-grade education is currently a national priority. Situational analyses carried out by Adele Gordon (1987, 1999), Grey (2001), Lungwangwa (2000) and Potenza (2000) have indicated that quality education in multigrade schools is suffering. Visits to farms in South Africa by journalists of leading newspapers like Jabusi, Letsaoleo, Mecoamere (Sowetan, 1999 & 2000) and Thompson and Mboyane (City Press, 1999 & 2001), respectively, have confirmed the findings in respect of farm schools, leading to this study. Attempts were made from 1980 to 1988 to address these problems. The previous Department of Education and Training (DET) implemented a programme to assist and develop farm schools. This programme was the result of the recommendations of a synthesis report in 1986 on black schools in rural areas, including farm schools. A number of reports and memoranda contributed to the above programme, for example: • a memorandum about the upgrading of farm school education; • a committee report on the provision of education on smallholdings and small farms; and • an investigation into the facilities available to learners in rural areas (July 1983). A new view of multi-grade schools in the Limpopo province is related to a study undertaken in 2000 by Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa. Although the study concentrated on the Limpopo province, the findings and recommendations were submitted so that they could be applied nationally, some even worldwide. These findings and recommendations were presented at national level during the UNICEF conference in Durban during 2000. Workshops were scheduled throughout the country to address the recommendations of the studies of 2000. These recommendations largely involved the services of NGO's. The NGO's had a lion's share in the recommendations, as indicated by those who participated in the study. It appeared that districts were not up to standard. They had no structures in place to address the challenges of multi-grade teaching. It was also evident that districts had no programme to present and were looking for a way to remedy the situation. The NGO's in the districts were consequently appointed. , Prof. T.C. Bisschoff
- Full Text:
- Authors: Litshani, Ndanganeni Florence
- Date: 2008-08-26T06:37:08Z
- Subjects: education , training of teachers , competency-based education , Limpopo ( South Africa )
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/385137 , uj:4037 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/938
- Description: Multi-grade education is currently a national priority. Situational analyses carried out by Adele Gordon (1987, 1999), Grey (2001), Lungwangwa (2000) and Potenza (2000) have indicated that quality education in multigrade schools is suffering. Visits to farms in South Africa by journalists of leading newspapers like Jabusi, Letsaoleo, Mecoamere (Sowetan, 1999 & 2000) and Thompson and Mboyane (City Press, 1999 & 2001), respectively, have confirmed the findings in respect of farm schools, leading to this study. Attempts were made from 1980 to 1988 to address these problems. The previous Department of Education and Training (DET) implemented a programme to assist and develop farm schools. This programme was the result of the recommendations of a synthesis report in 1986 on black schools in rural areas, including farm schools. A number of reports and memoranda contributed to the above programme, for example: • a memorandum about the upgrading of farm school education; • a committee report on the provision of education on smallholdings and small farms; and • an investigation into the facilities available to learners in rural areas (July 1983). A new view of multi-grade schools in the Limpopo province is related to a study undertaken in 2000 by Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa. Although the study concentrated on the Limpopo province, the findings and recommendations were submitted so that they could be applied nationally, some even worldwide. These findings and recommendations were presented at national level during the UNICEF conference in Durban during 2000. Workshops were scheduled throughout the country to address the recommendations of the studies of 2000. These recommendations largely involved the services of NGO's. The NGO's had a lion's share in the recommendations, as indicated by those who participated in the study. It appeared that districts were not up to standard. They had no structures in place to address the challenges of multi-grade teaching. It was also evident that districts had no programme to present and were looking for a way to remedy the situation. The NGO's in the districts were consequently appointed. , Prof. T.C. Bisschoff
- Full Text:
The effectiveness of the implementation of the Revised National Curriculum Statement ( RNCS) in public primary schools in the Ekurhuleni-west district.
- Authors: De Oliveira, Dolores Kendel
- Date: 2008-08-15T07:44:47Z
- Subjects: curriculum planning , education , education and state , competency based education , Gauteng (South Africa)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7805 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/869
- Description: Educators are experiencing problems in effectively implementing RNCS in the public primary schools in the Ekurhuleni-West district. These problems, in both the Foundation and Intermediate Phases, include poor educator training and development, the scarcity of resources, the added educator workload in implementing the new curriculum and the poor leadership styles of the SMTs. The inability to effectively implement RNCS in the classroom is further exacerbated by minimal educator participation and consultation when the new curriculum was being drafted. Such problems could lead to educator frustration, low morale and demotivation that would negatively affect the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. It is on this basis that a research study is justified. The research question is “How effective is the implementation of RNCS in the public primary schools in the Ekurhuleni-West district?” , Mr. T.S Hlongwane
- Full Text:
- Authors: De Oliveira, Dolores Kendel
- Date: 2008-08-15T07:44:47Z
- Subjects: curriculum planning , education , education and state , competency based education , Gauteng (South Africa)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7805 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/869
- Description: Educators are experiencing problems in effectively implementing RNCS in the public primary schools in the Ekurhuleni-West district. These problems, in both the Foundation and Intermediate Phases, include poor educator training and development, the scarcity of resources, the added educator workload in implementing the new curriculum and the poor leadership styles of the SMTs. The inability to effectively implement RNCS in the classroom is further exacerbated by minimal educator participation and consultation when the new curriculum was being drafted. Such problems could lead to educator frustration, low morale and demotivation that would negatively affect the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom. It is on this basis that a research study is justified. The research question is “How effective is the implementation of RNCS in the public primary schools in the Ekurhuleni-West district?” , Mr. T.S Hlongwane
- Full Text:
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