Indicators of post-productivism in South Africas platteland: A second home case study of Rosendal, Eastern Free State

The idea of post-productivism has been found to apply extensively in developed countries, but has been studied less in developing countries. A recent study in South Africa on second homes demonstrated that some rural spaces are slowly evolving into post-productivist countrysides, especially during weekends, month-ends and peak holiday periods. Wilson and Riggs six indicators were utilised to assess the rural town of Rosendal in the Eastern Free State of South Africa, the adjacent black township of Mautse and the surrounding farming area, to determine whether the notion of post-productivism can be exported from the developed North to a developing world context. Some of the indicators have been found to be highly relevant in this case study, but others have been found to be nearly irrelevant. Also important to note is that the meaning of these indicators may be different when applied to the developing South

Registered psychological counsellor training at a South African faculty of education: Are we impacting educational communities?

The study reported on in this article explored the perceived psychosocial and educational impact on educational communities by alumni of the North-West University who completed their Bachelor of Education Honours degree in Educational Psychology. This programme has been running since 2003 and aimed at training registered counsellors who need to pass the Board of Psychology examination of the Health Professions Council of South Africa to be qualified as registered counsellors. To achieve the aim of this study, telephonic interviews were conducted to gather data from the counsellor alumni of the 2007, 2013, 2014 and 2016 cohorts. In total, 18 participants voluntarily participated in this qualitative research study. The participants’ perceptions were analysed using inductive content analysis; the findings suggest that counselling is an add-on skill for these alumni, utilised only on a part-time or secondary basis, as the overwhelming majority work as teachers in educational settings. The psychosocial and educational impact from a registered counsellor’s perspective seems to be limited as most of them are teachers and only some provide counselling services in the educational environment where they work. The implications are that some adjustments in the training of registered counsellors – from a holistic wellbeing framework – need to be made, as that the category should be intensively marketed. Keywords: alumni; educational impact; mid-level communities; psychosocial; registered counsello

Capacitating postgraduate education students with lay counselling competencies via the culturally appropriate bibliotherapeutic Read-me-to-Resilience intervention

This study explored how culturally relevant stories could be used to bolster the lay counselling competencies of teachers furthering their studies in an honours degree in learner support – while working in schools with limited resources and at-risk children. One possible way of supporting teachers to be effective in the lay counselling role is to support them with access to counselling tools. To achieve this aim of providing teachers, functioning as lay counsellors, with supportive tools, 16 South African honours students/teachers voluntarily implemented the intervention called, Read-me-to-Resilience (Rm2R) (see http://readmetoresilience.co.za). A qualitative research approach was used employing a pre- and post-intervention evaluation design and, based on the draw-and-write technique for gathering data, the experiences of lay counsellors using the Rm2R intervention were analysed. Participating teachers reported that using the Rm2R intervention promoted a positive adjustment to the challenges associated with lay counselling. The findings suggest that such a ready-made intervention may have value in supporting postgraduate education students being trained as lay counsellors. Culturally appropriate training with similar ready-made interventions might be an appropriate way of capacitating teachers being trained as lay counsellors.Keywords: bibliotherapy; education students; intervention; lay counsellor; resilience; school support; teacher

An approach to re-skilling of in-service teachers in Physical Education in South African schools

During the past two decades, curriculum restructuring in South Africa has had some unintended consequences; one of these being the unrealistic demands expected from Life Skills (LS) and Life Orientation (LO) teachers. Physical Education (PE) finds itself within the multi-faceted subject of LS/LO, therefore the teacher, often without requisite training, has to be accountable for the dissimilar demands of this multidisciplinary subject. The continuing professional development needs are undoubtedly just as diverse as the subject itself is. The aim of the study was to explore an approach for capacitating in-service LS/LO teachers responsible for teaching PE. The research reported in this article employed a qualitative design, which comprised semi-structured interviews with 10 Subject Advisors of LS/LO in the Free State. Themes that emerged from the data analysis were assessment problems, inappropriate allocation of teachers; rotation of teachers; and lack of knowledge and understanding; which culminates in the need for in-service training. The results of this study indicate the necessity for re-skilling of in-service LS/LO teachers and propose an approach for a re-skilling programme to equip these teachers with the essential knowledge and skills to teach PE proficiently.Keywords: continuing professional development; Life Orientation; LO teachers’ needs; Physical Education; re-skillin

Reconceptualising education support services in South Africa

Inclusive education has been phased in in South Africa since 2001, but relies heavily upon adequate support services to support learners and teachers experiencing barriers to learning and development. This book focuses on the different levels of support provided in South African education – from School-based Support Teams to District-based Support Teams through to special and full-service schools, and how these could be reconceptualised to provide improved support to learners and teachers. Current research indicates that inclusive education is being implemented in varied and fragmented forms across the country, and the point of departure of this work is that education support services need to be improved and reconceptualised to ensure better support for inclusive education

Reconceptualising education support services in South Africa

Inclusive education has been phased in in South Africa since 2001, but relies heavily upon adequate support services to support learners and teachers experiencing barriers to learning and development. This book focuses on the different levels of support provided in South African education – from School-based Support Teams to District-based Support Teams through to special and full-service schools, and how these could be reconceptualised to provide improved support to learners and teachers. Current research indicates that inclusive education is being implemented in varied and fragmented forms across the country, and the point of departure of this work is that education support services need to be improved and reconceptualised to ensure better support for inclusive education

Needs and challenges of foundation phase life skills teachers in delivering physical education: Jack of all trades and master of none?

In the current national Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), Physical Education (PE) is located in the subject Life Skills (LS), which comprises four subject areas in the Foundation Phase (Grade R-3). Although the foundation for lifelong participation in physical activity is established in early childhood years, the decline of PE and deteriorating health of children indicate a disparity regarding the delivery of PE. The aim of the study was to determine the needs and challenges of LS teachers with specific focus on effective implementation and delivery of PE in the Foundation Phase in selected primary schools in the Free State Province. Primary schools (n=100) were randomly selected, from which 94 FP teachers returned questionnaires. The data were analysed descriptively using absolute and relative frequencies. SAS Version 9.3 TS Level 1M2 was employed for all the statistical analyses. The most challenging issues revealed were a lack of qualified PE teachers and resources, a need for assistance with assessment, learners with special needs and in-service training. The DBE (Department of Basic Education) should prioritise the training of LS teachers, with specific reference to PE, by collaborating with Higher Education Institutions to provide standardised in-service teacher training.Keywords: Life Skills; Physical Education; Foundation phase; Teacher training; Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS); Department of Basic Education; Higher Education institutions

Physical Education in South Africa: Have we come full circle?

Physical Education (PE) in South Africa has been on the receiving end of curriculum reform with far-reaching consequences. Prior to 1994, PE existed as a stand-alone school subject. In 1997, PE was reduced to a learning outcome of a new learning area titled, Life Orientation, within the new curriculum, Curriculum 2005. Shortly thereafter, a Revised National Curriculum Statement (R-NCS) was established. A second revision of the curriculum followed in 2009, resulting in Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for each subject. The purpose of this article is to outline the historical development of Physical Education as subject/partial-subject in South Africa from before 1994 until the present, with regard to the content, state and status and teacher training. The actual implementation, as well as the proposed reinstatement of PE as a stand-alone subject, are addressed, in order to attempt elucidation of the question: “Have we come full circle?”Key words: Physical Education; South Africa; Curriculum; Subject status; Implementation

Challenges facing life skills and life orientation subject advisors in implementation of physical education

Subject Advisors of Life Skills (LS) and Life Orientation (LO) provide professional support and guidance to teachers and monitor the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. This study aimed to offer an understanding of the challenges faced by LS/LO Subject Advisors (SUBADVs) in guiding teachers to deliver Physical Education (PE) in schools in the Free State Province of South Africa effectively, within an ecosystemic theoretical framework. This study forms part of a larger research project looking into the effective implementation of PE in South African schools. A qualitative research approach and a grounded theory methodology was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten SUBADVs in LS and LO in the Foundation, Intermediate and Senior Phases from the five education districts in the Free State. Data collected were transcribed verbatim and qualitative content analysis was applied. Major challenges encountered by SUBADVs with the implementation of PE are the lack of facilities and resources in schools, a lack of knowledge and understanding of PE by LS/LO teachers and the need for training in this regard. These issues necessitate appropriate in-service training for SUBADVs and teachers alike.Keywords: Physical education; Life skills; Life orientation; Subject advisors; Teacher support; Curriculum implementation