Pub Date : 2022-10-31DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1141
Elsa Etokabeka, Judy van Heerden, H. du Preez
Background: South African studies based on school readiness found that most children who commence formal schooling (from Grade 1) lack the basic skills needed to adapt within the learning environment – these include having challenges to follow instructions, work autonomously or focus on a task.Aim: The national guideline for teaching children between birth to 9 years does not specify how early childhood education programmes can facilitate or strengthen executive function (EF) skills through structured play. Structured play, can be understood as play activities that require guidance and instructions for completion. During the activities, the participants have to follow instructions in order to attain the outcome. Hence, there is a need to explore how EF skills can be developed through structured play. From our understanding, EF is an individual’s cognitive ability to regulate thoughts and actions needed to complete a task. Executive function skills assist learners to adjust and work effectively later (Grade 1) in a formal learning environment to perform academically.Setting: The study was conducted at preschool sites that follow different educational approaches. They are Montessori, National Curriculum Framework (NCF), Reggio Emilia and Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) preschools. The preschools are situated in affluent suburbs of Pretoria, Gauteng. In this article, learners refer to children aged 4 years in the Grade RRR class.Methods: A qualitative multiple case study design was utilised. We interacted with two teachers from four schools who followed different educational approaches. The data collection techniques included individual semi-structured interviews, lesson observation and document analysis, whilst photographs and field notes were taken when the teacher-participants interacted with learners during a planned learning experience. The generated data sets were inductively analysed and interpreted using the theoretical frameworks of sociocultural theory and metacognition.Results: The interpreted data sets revealed that the preschool teacher-participants can facilitate EF using games, songs, movement exercises or racing competitions. The participants explained that indoor, outdoor and learning experiences facilitated EF skills such as self-regulation, working memory and cognitive flexibility during structured play.Conclusion: There is a need for preschool teachers to identify EF in the curriculum and know how to link and intentionally include the skills in daily learning experiences. This will ensure learners acquire EF and apply it in formal learning environments. The contribution to the body of scholarship is the development of guidelines for teachers to intentionally and explicitly develop EF skills using structured play. We confer that teachers play a role in enabling fun, engaging and hands-on activities that promote the acquisition of EF in the early years.
{"title":"Exploring South African preschool teachers’ roles and responsibilities with executive functions","authors":"Elsa Etokabeka, Judy van Heerden, H. du Preez","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1141","url":null,"abstract":"Background: South African studies based on school readiness found that most children who commence formal schooling (from Grade 1) lack the basic skills needed to adapt within the learning environment – these include having challenges to follow instructions, work autonomously or focus on a task.Aim: The national guideline for teaching children between birth to 9 years does not specify how early childhood education programmes can facilitate or strengthen executive function (EF) skills through structured play. Structured play, can be understood as play activities that require guidance and instructions for completion. During the activities, the participants have to follow instructions in order to attain the outcome. Hence, there is a need to explore how EF skills can be developed through structured play. From our understanding, EF is an individual’s cognitive ability to regulate thoughts and actions needed to complete a task. Executive function skills assist learners to adjust and work effectively later (Grade 1) in a formal learning environment to perform academically.Setting: The study was conducted at preschool sites that follow different educational approaches. They are Montessori, National Curriculum Framework (NCF), Reggio Emilia and Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) preschools. The preschools are situated in affluent suburbs of Pretoria, Gauteng. In this article, learners refer to children aged 4 years in the Grade RRR class.Methods: A qualitative multiple case study design was utilised. We interacted with two teachers from four schools who followed different educational approaches. The data collection techniques included individual semi-structured interviews, lesson observation and document analysis, whilst photographs and field notes were taken when the teacher-participants interacted with learners during a planned learning experience. The generated data sets were inductively analysed and interpreted using the theoretical frameworks of sociocultural theory and metacognition.Results: The interpreted data sets revealed that the preschool teacher-participants can facilitate EF using games, songs, movement exercises or racing competitions. The participants explained that indoor, outdoor and learning experiences facilitated EF skills such as self-regulation, working memory and cognitive flexibility during structured play.Conclusion: There is a need for preschool teachers to identify EF in the curriculum and know how to link and intentionally include the skills in daily learning experiences. This will ensure learners acquire EF and apply it in formal learning environments. The contribution to the body of scholarship is the development of guidelines for teachers to intentionally and explicitly develop EF skills using structured play. We confer that teachers play a role in enabling fun, engaging and hands-on activities that promote the acquisition of EF in the early years.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49519580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-31DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1189
Sven H. Glietenberg, N. Petersen, A. Carolin
Background: The measures imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020 meant that many higher education institutions (HEIs) had to shift rapidly to remote teaching and learning (RTL). Given the unique demands of teacher education programmes, the question of the extent to which RTL and similar modes of teaching and learning are suited to the preparation of primary school teachers to teach in South African schools is an important one.Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of teacher educators (TEs) towards this rapid shift to RTL.Setting: The study took place in one department in a faculty of education in an urban South African university.Methods: This study took the form of a qualitative case study. Data was gathered by means semistructured individual interviews and focus group discussions.Results: Firstly, it was found that mixed responses to the change to RTL at the outset gave way to a general consensus about the long-term value of blended learning. Secondly, it was found that the change to RTL had a positive effect on TEs’ teaching, given increased familiarity with, and integration of, technology, as well as the accompanying revisions to both pedagogy and curricula. Thirdly, the data showed that TEs perceived RTL as limiting because of two main factors, namely students’ lack of information and communication technology (ICT) resources and because, in their estimation, teacher education uniquely requires contact teaching. Finally, it was found that the change to RTL created additional psychological stressors for both students and staff.Conclusion: Based on this study’s findings, the authors advocate for more recognition and support for the emotional work performed by TEs during times of transition. They also argue that TEs should be given more responsibility in moulding blended teaching and learning practices according to their experiences of the successes and challenges of RTL.
{"title":"Teacher educators’ experiences of the shift to remote teaching and learning due to COVID-19","authors":"Sven H. Glietenberg, N. Petersen, A. Carolin","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1189","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1189","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The measures imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020 meant that many higher education institutions (HEIs) had to shift rapidly to remote teaching and learning (RTL). Given the unique demands of teacher education programmes, the question of the extent to which RTL and similar modes of teaching and learning are suited to the preparation of primary school teachers to teach in South African schools is an important one.Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of teacher educators (TEs) towards this rapid shift to RTL.Setting: The study took place in one department in a faculty of education in an urban South African university.Methods: This study took the form of a qualitative case study. Data was gathered by means semistructured individual interviews and focus group discussions.Results: Firstly, it was found that mixed responses to the change to RTL at the outset gave way to a general consensus about the long-term value of blended learning. Secondly, it was found that the change to RTL had a positive effect on TEs’ teaching, given increased familiarity with, and integration of, technology, as well as the accompanying revisions to both pedagogy and curricula. Thirdly, the data showed that TEs perceived RTL as limiting because of two main factors, namely students’ lack of information and communication technology (ICT) resources and because, in their estimation, teacher education uniquely requires contact teaching. Finally, it was found that the change to RTL created additional psychological stressors for both students and staff.Conclusion: Based on this study’s findings, the authors advocate for more recognition and support for the emotional work performed by TEs during times of transition. They also argue that TEs should be given more responsibility in moulding blended teaching and learning practices according to their experiences of the successes and challenges of RTL.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41908762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-27DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1027
Zanele Mtshali, Nontokozo Mashiya
Background: Teaching English as home language (EHL) could be a complicated process in a country like South Africa, where there are eleven official languages operating in a multicultural society. This requires capacitating teachers with appropriate and relevant strategies to strengthen their teaching, especially in the foundation phase.Aim: This paper examines the appropriateness and relevance of the extant strategies for teaching EHL comprehension skills to foundation phase learners from diverse language backgrounds.Setting: This study was conducted in King Cetshwayo District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Methods: This was a qualitative case study involving four purposively selected grade one teachers in one urban primary in South Africa. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, field observations and document analysis. Content analysis was used to analyse the data.Results: The two main findings were that (a) the teaching of EHL comprehensions skills lacked the appropriate strategies, and (b) the teachers faced several challenges – including operating under an unclear policy framework, the paucity of strategies in phonological awareness, and the lack of appropriate reflection images to which the learners could be exposed to improve their skills.Conclusion: The study concludes that adequate and regular professional teacher development programmes and activities are needed to enable teachers to do their work more effectively.Contribution: By closely and systematically examining the strategies used by teachers who were non-native English speakers, to teach EHL to leaners who were also non-native English speakers, this study has made important contributions to both attendant theory and classroom practice.
{"title":"Teaching English home language to foundation phase learners from diverse backgrounds","authors":"Zanele Mtshali, Nontokozo Mashiya","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1027","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1027","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Teaching English as home language (EHL) could be a complicated process in a country like South Africa, where there are eleven official languages operating in a multicultural society. This requires capacitating teachers with appropriate and relevant strategies to strengthen their teaching, especially in the foundation phase.Aim: This paper examines the appropriateness and relevance of the extant strategies for teaching EHL comprehension skills to foundation phase learners from diverse language backgrounds.Setting: This study was conducted in King Cetshwayo District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Methods: This was a qualitative case study involving four purposively selected grade one teachers in one urban primary in South Africa. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, field observations and document analysis. Content analysis was used to analyse the data.Results: The two main findings were that (a) the teaching of EHL comprehensions skills lacked the appropriate strategies, and (b) the teachers faced several challenges – including operating under an unclear policy framework, the paucity of strategies in phonological awareness, and the lack of appropriate reflection images to which the learners could be exposed to improve their skills.Conclusion: The study concludes that adequate and regular professional teacher development programmes and activities are needed to enable teachers to do their work more effectively.Contribution: By closely and systematically examining the strategies used by teachers who were non-native English speakers, to teach EHL to leaners who were also non-native English speakers, this study has made important contributions to both attendant theory and classroom practice.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47470721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-26DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1039
Somaya Sayma, Sami Adwan, M. Bøe, Karin Hognestad
Background: Current research suggests that there is a serious need to improve the quality and equity of early childhood education (ECE) services to children. The focus of the Palestinian Ministry of Education is on developing ECE. This plan is in a state of continual progress and development.Aim: The aim of this paper is to discuss the context for leadership in Palestinian ECE in a time of change and as Palestine reforms and develops its ECE system. Specifically, the study sets out to investigate what key leadership challenges are being experienced by Palestinian early childhood directors.Setting: This paper presents the findings of a study examining the challenges that Palestinian ECE directors face in the performance of their jobs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The data were collected during the summer of 2020.Methods: An open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data from a purposeful sample of 166 ECE directors, both government and private, by way of Google survey techniques and through face-to-face structured interviews with 10 directors. Descriptive qualitative research method was used in the study.Results: The findings revealed challenges related to finance, parents, higher administration, educators, physical environment, social/cultural matters, children and, finally, politics and economics.Conclusion: This study concludes with major recommendations in respect of the following: developing qualification programmes for ECE directors at the pre-service and in-service levels and building new ECE centres that are suitable for children. Finally, it is important that Palestinian children have the right to a safe and secure life and that they have free and safe access to education without threat, harassment or violation of any kind.
{"title":"Challenges for Palestinian early childhood directors in a time of change","authors":"Somaya Sayma, Sami Adwan, M. Bøe, Karin Hognestad","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1039","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Current research suggests that there is a serious need to improve the quality and equity of early childhood education (ECE) services to children. The focus of the Palestinian Ministry of Education is on developing ECE. This plan is in a state of continual progress and development.Aim: The aim of this paper is to discuss the context for leadership in Palestinian ECE in a time of change and as Palestine reforms and develops its ECE system. Specifically, the study sets out to investigate what key leadership challenges are being experienced by Palestinian early childhood directors.Setting: This paper presents the findings of a study examining the challenges that Palestinian ECE directors face in the performance of their jobs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The data were collected during the summer of 2020.Methods: An open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data from a purposeful sample of 166 ECE directors, both government and private, by way of Google survey techniques and through face-to-face structured interviews with 10 directors. Descriptive qualitative research method was used in the study.Results: The findings revealed challenges related to finance, parents, higher administration, educators, physical environment, social/cultural matters, children and, finally, politics and economics.Conclusion: This study concludes with major recommendations in respect of the following: developing qualification programmes for ECE directors at the pre-service and in-service levels and building new ECE centres that are suitable for children. Finally, it is important that Palestinian children have the right to a safe and secure life and that they have free and safe access to education without threat, harassment or violation of any kind.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46780318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-26DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1166
Hardiyanti Pratiwi, Nor I. Hasanah, Sigit Purnama, Maulidya Ulfah, Aip Saripudin
Background: Using digital tools with children during the pandemic has positive and negative impacts. However, we must investigate how parents with higher education qualifications best apply digital parenting.Aim: The aim of this article was to explore the practice of digital parenting with parents with higher education backgrounds, the digital tools used and the parents’ motivation during the pandemic.Setting: This research was conducted with parents who work as university lecturers in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia.Methods: This study involved 27 lecturers with children in early childhood education. Data were collected using structured interview techniques and analysed using presentation, reduction and verification techniques. The validity of the data was ensured through the triangulation of sources and the extension of the research time.Results: The results show that applying restrictive mediation through various regulations in using smartphones coupled with authoritative parenting is the leading choice for parents. During the pandemic, parents give children more freedom and time to use smartphones; therefore, they have to adjust their parenting patterns to counteract the negative impacts caused by these digital devices. However, the lack of parenting support, many work schedules and limited interaction time with children can affect this parenting style.Conclusion: Parents can implement a successful digital parenting transition during a pandemic. Support, motivation, communication, supervision, rules and restrictions imposed on children to continue to use smartphones according to their age are important factors to ensure parenting success in the digital era.
{"title":"Adaptation to digital parenting in a pandemic: A case study of parents within higher education","authors":"Hardiyanti Pratiwi, Nor I. Hasanah, Sigit Purnama, Maulidya Ulfah, Aip Saripudin","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1166","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1166","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Using digital tools with children during the pandemic has positive and negative impacts. However, we must investigate how parents with higher education qualifications best apply digital parenting.Aim: The aim of this article was to explore the practice of digital parenting with parents with higher education backgrounds, the digital tools used and the parents’ motivation during the pandemic.Setting: This research was conducted with parents who work as university lecturers in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia.Methods: This study involved 27 lecturers with children in early childhood education. Data were collected using structured interview techniques and analysed using presentation, reduction and verification techniques. The validity of the data was ensured through the triangulation of sources and the extension of the research time.Results: The results show that applying restrictive mediation through various regulations in using smartphones coupled with authoritative parenting is the leading choice for parents. During the pandemic, parents give children more freedom and time to use smartphones; therefore, they have to adjust their parenting patterns to counteract the negative impacts caused by these digital devices. However, the lack of parenting support, many work schedules and limited interaction time with children can affect this parenting style.Conclusion: Parents can implement a successful digital parenting transition during a pandemic. Support, motivation, communication, supervision, rules and restrictions imposed on children to continue to use smartphones according to their age are important factors to ensure parenting success in the digital era.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47814436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-21DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1085
Sandra Stark, Salome Geertsema, M. le Roux, E. Bothma
Background: Dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are marked comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders with an estimated bidirectional comorbidity of 25% – 40%. Previous international studies have identified strong hereditary and neurological overlap between these disorders, but the comorbidity of these developmental disorders in a South African practice has not yet been explored.Methods: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the co-existence of ADHD and the specific learning disorder (SLD) related to reading known as developmental dyslexia (DD). Additionally, the study sought to determine possible correlations between the overlapping diagnostic factors of the two developmental disorders. The study database consisted of 847 learners ranging from 8 to 18 years of age. Study data were obtained through a parent questionnaire regarding scholastic difficulties as well as prior ADHD diagnosis and/or treatment. A comprehensive psychometric assessment of DD was conducted on each participant in the first language of educational instruction, that is English or Afrikaans, to establish a direct dyslexia diagnosis as inclusion criterion.Results: Of the 847 participants analysed in this study, 38.6% presented with a co-existing diagnosis of both ADHD and DD. However, there was no evidence of statistically significant interdependency between overlapping diagnostic factors of these two disorders.Conclusions: The zero-correlations in the mentioned areas may indicate an overlap of shared symptoms rather than of distinctive diagnostic approaches.
{"title":"Investigating the prevalence and comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and developmental dyslexia in learners in a South African practice","authors":"Sandra Stark, Salome Geertsema, M. le Roux, E. Bothma","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1085","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are marked comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders with an estimated bidirectional comorbidity of 25% – 40%. Previous international studies have identified strong hereditary and neurological overlap between these disorders, but the comorbidity of these developmental disorders in a South African practice has not yet been explored.Methods: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the co-existence of ADHD and the specific learning disorder (SLD) related to reading known as developmental dyslexia (DD). Additionally, the study sought to determine possible correlations between the overlapping diagnostic factors of the two developmental disorders. The study database consisted of 847 learners ranging from 8 to 18 years of age. Study data were obtained through a parent questionnaire regarding scholastic difficulties as well as prior ADHD diagnosis and/or treatment. A comprehensive psychometric assessment of DD was conducted on each participant in the first language of educational instruction, that is English or Afrikaans, to establish a direct dyslexia diagnosis as inclusion criterion.Results: Of the 847 participants analysed in this study, 38.6% presented with a co-existing diagnosis of both ADHD and DD. However, there was no evidence of statistically significant interdependency between overlapping diagnostic factors of these two disorders.Conclusions: The zero-correlations in the mentioned areas may indicate an overlap of shared symptoms rather than of distinctive diagnostic approaches.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-10-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43717160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-20DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1106
Boitumelo M.L. Ramantsi, T. Rasengane, Thuthukile Jita
Globally, the major causes of visual impairment are visual problems, which include uncorrected refractive errors, cataract and glaucoma (World Health Organization 2019). An estimated 19 million children under the age of 15 are visually impaired. Of these, 12 million are visually impaired because of refractive errors, a condition that could be easily diagnosed and corrected. Only 1.4 million children have irreversible visual impairment and need visual rehabilitation interventions for psychological and personal development (Du Toit, Courtright & Lewallen 2017; Solebo, Teoh & Rahi 2017).
{"title":"Foundation Phase teachers’ knowledge on common visual problems affecting","authors":"Boitumelo M.L. Ramantsi, T. Rasengane, Thuthukile Jita","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1106","url":null,"abstract":"Globally, the major causes of visual impairment are visual problems, which include uncorrected refractive errors, cataract and glaucoma (World Health Organization 2019). An estimated 19 million children under the age of 15 are visually impaired. Of these, 12 million are visually impaired because of refractive errors, a condition that could be easily diagnosed and corrected. Only 1.4 million children have irreversible visual impairment and need visual rehabilitation interventions for psychological and personal development (Du Toit, Courtright & Lewallen 2017; Solebo, Teoh & Rahi 2017).","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49575108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-17DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1205
Phemelo C. Hellemann
Background: Teacher-in-role (t-i-r) drama method is explored as a pedagogical approach that can transform special needs curricula in South Africa.Aim: To use t-i-r to create a collaborative educational environment between learners and teachers. This article drew on Paulo Freire’s problem-posing pedagogy as a framework that encourages critical thinking and engagement.Setting: The study took place in the Skills Phase classroom, which handles school-to-workplace transitions at a local special school in a small town.Methods: This practice-led research study reflects on the uses of Dorothy Heathcote’s teacher-in-role to extend the curriculum beyond the Foundation Phase (Grade 3) level. The lessons involved a series of practical cross-curricular drama lessons that integrated topics from the Life Orientation (Grade 10–12) and the Drama (Creative Arts Grade 7–9) curriculum. The topics encouraged better linkages to work environment capabilities such as communication and problem-solving.Results: The findings revealed that combining drama-based pedagogy with Freire’s problem-posing pedagogy can help learners become decision-makers and problem-solvers in the classroom. As a result, the learners improved their critical thinking skills, self-esteem and confidence.Conclusion: The paper showed how drama-based pedagogy within a South African context of learning disability is an area that remains untapped, thus advocating for the uses of this approach as a possibility in improving special needs curricular implementation and practice.Contribution: The research provided insight into the care and education of special needs learners. Thus, it contributes to the growing academic literature on Drama-in-education (D-i-E) and inclusion in special needs schools in drama practices in South Africa.
{"title":"Towards a problem-posing pedagogy: Using teacher-in-role in a special needs classroom","authors":"Phemelo C. Hellemann","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1205","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1205","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Teacher-in-role (t-i-r) drama method is explored as a pedagogical approach that can transform special needs curricula in South Africa.Aim: To use t-i-r to create a collaborative educational environment between learners and teachers. This article drew on Paulo Freire’s problem-posing pedagogy as a framework that encourages critical thinking and engagement.Setting: The study took place in the Skills Phase classroom, which handles school-to-workplace transitions at a local special school in a small town.Methods: This practice-led research study reflects on the uses of Dorothy Heathcote’s teacher-in-role to extend the curriculum beyond the Foundation Phase (Grade 3) level. The lessons involved a series of practical cross-curricular drama lessons that integrated topics from the Life Orientation (Grade 10–12) and the Drama (Creative Arts Grade 7–9) curriculum. The topics encouraged better linkages to work environment capabilities such as communication and problem-solving.Results: The findings revealed that combining drama-based pedagogy with Freire’s problem-posing pedagogy can help learners become decision-makers and problem-solvers in the classroom. As a result, the learners improved their critical thinking skills, self-esteem and confidence.Conclusion: The paper showed how drama-based pedagogy within a South African context of learning disability is an area that remains untapped, thus advocating for the uses of this approach as a possibility in improving special needs curricular implementation and practice.Contribution: The research provided insight into the care and education of special needs learners. Thus, it contributes to the growing academic literature on Drama-in-education (D-i-E) and inclusion in special needs schools in drama practices in South Africa.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49664329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-09-28DOI: 10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1097
Andrea Elston, C. Tiba, J. Condy
, multitiered approaches began to develop the learner’s habit of thinking in a higher-order manner. She began to develop a mindset of critical thinking, even in her second language.
{"title":"The role of explicit teaching of reading comprehension strategies to an English as a second language learner","authors":"Andrea Elston, C. Tiba, J. Condy","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1097","url":null,"abstract":", multitiered approaches began to develop the learner’s habit of thinking in a higher-order manner. She began to develop a mindset of critical thinking, even in her second language.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46883033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
parents and community members (Kova č evi ć & Opic 2013). The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has identified indigenous knowledge as an advantage that can be incorporated into the school curriculum in order to educate African children about, for example, ubuntu philosophy and cultural beliefs (Nxumalo & Mncube 2018). They continue to reveal that effectiveness of indigenous methods to teach schoolchildren these important concepts have, however, largely remained unstudied. Mutekwe (2015) argues that this state of affairs is because of a lack of establishment for African IKS in school curricula internationally, and therefore it is clear that the problem is not only in South Africa. Indigenous knowledge systems include the oral tradition, such as proverbs, maxims, poems and songs, indigenous games and sociocultural structures, such as rites of passage, norms, customs and the tutelage of apprentices by those who are specialists in their fields of traditional medicine, agriculture, pottery, art, music and so on. This study’s particular importance is the Background: This research foregrounds inclusive education (IE) values by way of indigenous games. The outline of the South African national curriculum states that its main aim is to teach its children and youth to become members of a refinement that supports the values which are democratic, the human rights, and communal justice. However, the associated instructional methodologies that have long been a societal tool in instilling these values at an early stage of child development have been largely disregarded in achieving this goal. Indigenous games rely on specific values and traits from children’s cultural heritage. Aim: The study aimed to find out how teachers experience the use of indigenous games in teaching mathematics in IE schools. Setting: Six IE schools in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. Methods: Semistructured interviews and teacher narratives, framed by the philosophy of ubuntu , were employed to generate data. These data were analysed in conventional qualitative methodology fashion. Results: The study showed that teachers believe that indigenous games encourage and endorse spontaneous interaction among learners as they communicate with their classmates and recognise the form of play from their community life. Conclusion: Teachers require specialised IE programmes as well as pedagogical formats to advance indigenous games.
家长和社区成员(Kova ł evi & Opic 2013)。基础教育部(DBE)已经将土著知识确定为一种优势，可以纳入学校课程，以教育非洲儿童，例如ubuntu哲学和文化信仰(Nxumalo & Mncube 2018)。然而，它们继续表明，土著方法在教育学童这些重要概念方面的有效性在很大程度上仍未得到研究。Mutekwe(2015)认为，这种状况是因为国际学校课程中缺乏非洲IKS的建立，因此很明显，这个问题不仅存在于南非。土著知识体系包括口头传统，如谚语、格言、诗歌和歌曲，土著游戏和社会文化结构，如成人仪式、规范、习俗和由传统医学、农业、陶器、艺术、音乐等领域的专家对学徒进行的指导。本研究的特别重要之处在于背景:本研究通过本土游戏来展望包容性教育(IE)的价值。南非国家课程大纲指出，其主要目的是教育儿童和青年成为支持民主、人权和社区正义等价值观的精英成员。然而，相关的教学方法长期以来一直是在儿童发展的早期阶段灌输这些价值观的社会工具，但在实现这一目标时却在很大程度上被忽视了。土著游戏依赖于儿童文化遗产的特定价值观和特征。目的:本研究旨在了解IE学校教师在数学教学中使用本土游戏的体验。环境:南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省的六所IE学校。方法:采用半结构化访谈和教师叙述，以ubuntu哲学为框架，生成数据。这些数据以传统的定性方法进行分析。结果:研究表明，教师认为本土游戏鼓励和认可学习者之间的自发互动，因为他们与同学交流，并从他们的社区生活中认识到游戏的形式。结论:教师需要专门的IE项目和教学形式来推动本土游戏的发展。
{"title":"Teachers’ experiences of indigenous games in the early grades","authors":"B. Hadebe-Ndlovu","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.931","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.931","url":null,"abstract":"parents and community members (Kova č evi ć & Opic 2013). The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has identified indigenous knowledge as an advantage that can be incorporated into the school curriculum in order to educate African children about, for example, ubuntu philosophy and cultural beliefs (Nxumalo & Mncube 2018). They continue to reveal that effectiveness of indigenous methods to teach schoolchildren these important concepts have, however, largely remained unstudied. Mutekwe (2015) argues that this state of affairs is because of a lack of establishment for African IKS in school curricula internationally, and therefore it is clear that the problem is not only in South Africa. Indigenous knowledge systems include the oral tradition, such as proverbs, maxims, poems and songs, indigenous games and sociocultural structures, such as rites of passage, norms, customs and the tutelage of apprentices by those who are specialists in their fields of traditional medicine, agriculture, pottery, art, music and so on. This study’s particular importance is the Background: This research foregrounds inclusive education (IE) values by way of indigenous games. The outline of the South African national curriculum states that its main aim is to teach its children and youth to become members of a refinement that supports the values which are democratic, the human rights, and communal justice. However, the associated instructional methodologies that have long been a societal tool in instilling these values at an early stage of child development have been largely disregarded in achieving this goal. Indigenous games rely on specific values and traits from children’s cultural heritage. Aim: The study aimed to find out how teachers experience the use of indigenous games in teaching mathematics in IE schools. Setting: Six IE schools in the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. Methods: Semistructured interviews and teacher narratives, framed by the philosophy of ubuntu , were employed to generate data. These data were analysed in conventional qualitative methodology fashion. Results: The study showed that teachers believe that indigenous games encourage and endorse spontaneous interaction among learners as they communicate with their classmates and recognise the form of play from their community life. Conclusion: Teachers require specialised IE programmes as well as pedagogical formats to advance indigenous games.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46972895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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