Implementing inclusive education in South Africa: teachers’ attitudes and experiences

The central argument is that the creation of inclusive schools will require more than merely the implementation of new policies. Practising teachers are the key to the successful implementation of an inclusive system and they will need time, ongoing support and in-service training. Real change therefore requires a long-term commitment to professional development. This article presents a comparative analysis of the findings of three independent studies aimed at identifying and describing teachers’ attitudes to and experiences in implementing inclusive education in South Africa. The main themes identified in all three studies include inadequate knowledge, skills and training for the implementation of inclusive education; lack of educational and teacher support; insufficient facilities and resources, and the potential effects of inclusive education on learners

Implementing inclusive education in South Africa: teachers’ attitudes and experiences

The central argument is that the creation of inclusive schools will require more than merely the implementation of new policies. Practising teachers are the key to the successful implementation of an inclusive system and they will need time, ongoing support and in-service training. Real change therefore requires a long-term commitment to professional development. This article presents a comparative analysis of the findings of three independent studies aimed at identifying and describing teachers’ attitudes to and experiences in implementing inclusive education in South Africa. The main themes identified in all three studies include inadequate knowledge, skills and training for the implementation of inclusive education; lack of educational and teacher support; insufficient facilities and resources, and the potential effects of inclusive education on learners

A whole language assistance programme with English second language pupils

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education)As the South African education system is moving towards complete reorganisation and fundamental restructuring, teachers have been forced to take a look at the language being used in their now multilingual classrooms and also at their own teaching of language, as opposed to the teaching of school-based literature. Some teachers see this as a challenge, and with the attention now being paid in the school curriculum to the communicative use of English, are attempting to change their beliefs and conceptions about instruction, language and learning. For many teachers of English second language pupils, the answers lie in the whole language philosophy, as it stands for justice, democracy, and empowerment and against injustice and a stratified society. However, the whole language movement grew from an original focus on the reading, writing and learning processes of native speakers of English, and is only beginning to affect second language learners. The focus of this study is therefore on the implementation of whole language with English second language pupils, with the aim of improving the instruction and education of these learners as well as enhancing the support systems and training for whole language teachers. The whole language philosophy is it different way of thinking about teaching and learning, and thus teachers need to be continually encouraged to examine their own assumptions about learning and teaching. The theory framework for this study includes readings in the origins of whole language, the whole language belief system, English second language learning and connections between whole language and English second language pedagogy. The theoretical framework is constructed with the aim of supporting the construct and approaching the research question from different angles. The nature of the research question presupposes a monographic study as research format, which in tum directs the research to observations, an individual interview and document analysis. The discussion of the monographic study takes place against the background of the qualitative research paradigm. The teacher and Grade One English second language pupils of a Language Assistant Programme, characterised by whole language principles, are the target group of this study. The findings of the inquiry indicate that the whole language philosophy can be applied to English second language learners, but needs to be complemented with an understanding of second language acquisition and English second language teaching methods. It was also found that teachers need continual support in transforming the whole language philosophy into practice and in examining their own beliefs and assumptions about learning and instruction

Developing inclusive school communities : voices of parents of children with disabilities

Inclusive Education as outlined in the Education White Paper 6 is a response to the widespread social, economic and political changes in South Africa, as well as a means of establishing a caring, humane and egalitarian society. The introduction of this policy will, however, require extensive changes in education, as the focus shifts from learners’ adjustment to the demands of the system, to the system’s capability to accommodate all learners’ needs as inclusively as possible. This means that the collaborative effort of every role-player in developing the new system is critical. For the effective implementation of inclusive education, education legislation and policy stress the role and responsibility of parents, viewing them as integral partners in developing a more inclusive system, where decision-making and the responsibility for outcomes are shared. Parent-school partnerships that allow parents to become active collaborators rather than passive observers of their children’s education should therefore be fostered. Although this issue has been addressed in the international context, in South Africa relatively little research has been done into inclusive education from the perceptual and experiential viewpoint of parents of children with disabilities. An understanding of these parents’ experiences could contribute to a richer description of the nature of inclusion, could ultimately inform the process of involving parents as partners in developing both an inclusive education system and community, and could better facilitate collaboration between parents and schools. This article presents the findings of the pilot phase of a research project that aimed to uncover and understand the experiences of parents of children with disabilities who are in mainstream classrooms in South Africa. In answer to the research question, the findings of this study suggest that inclusion is a continuous and ongoing process that requires the development of collaborative relationships and support for all the role-players involved