Teachers' experiences of the inclusion of learners with diverse barriers to learning in an ordinary foundation phase classroom
Year: 2021
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The study aimed to explore teachers’ experiences and to discover challenges encountered by mainstream teachers in the inclusion of learners with diverse barriers to learning in the Foundation Phase mainstream classrooms in the Vaal, Gauteng region. The study provides strategies that can be utilised by the teachers to enhance inclusive education practice in mainstream classrooms. Ten teachers were purposively selected from five mainstream primary schools with two participants from each school. All participants were grade three Foundation Phase teachers. Data were collected through in-depth interviews that enabled the researcher to delve deeply and find rich and relevant information for the study. For triangulation purposes, the researcher made use of document analysis as a second method of collecting data for this study. The study followed a qualitative data analysis method which derived the information from the perceptions of the informants and formed significant themes. The study revealed that teachers are challenged greatly by a lack of knowledge and skills to address diverse learning disabilities adequately; initial training that is ineffective in dealing with learners with diverse barriers to learning; a gap of knowledge that exists between theory and practice; a lack of adequate resources; poor infrastructure; large numbers of learners in a class; a lack of support from District Based Support Teams; and an inflexible curriculum. The study recommends collaborated teaching where teachers learn from each other; peer teaching; teacher exchange programmes; curriculum modification that caters for learners with barriers to learning; and workshop training that focuses on practical skills that will enhance inclusive education in mainstream schools.
Author: Similo Kasikako
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3172518197