In this study the experience of Zulu African mothers who have adolescents who are misbehaving in urban townships in Durban were identified and explored. A qualitative, descriptive, contextual and interpretive research design was used to capture the experiences of ten mothers whose adolescents are misbehaving. Data was collected by means of individual semi-structured interviews as well as feedback and collaboration with the mothers. Data was analysed using Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis, through which, four themes emerged. Themes are clustered around the support of mothers’ perceptions of themselves, mothers’ fearful emotional responses and mothers’ suggestions on managing adolescents who are misbehaving. The strongest themes that emerged, which were reported by all the mothers were family support, despair and worry. Mothers mentioned that they experienced lack of support from their extended families, schools and other structures in helping them deal with their experiences. Mothers also mentioned feelings of worry about their children’s life, and despair in relation to not knowing what to do or who to turn to for help. Guidelines and strategies in the form of recommendations are made to assist mothers in managing their adolescents who are misbehaving and also to facilitate adolescents in gaining parenting skills in schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

Kinship care is increasingly supplementing the more traditional forms of out-of-home care. Because related foster care has potential great value, the possibility of placement with relatives needs to be explored first. At its best it provides the child love and security with known people and possibly in a familiar environment. Yet, important as it is, this area of practice is seriously underdeveloped - few publications especially in South Africa exist on how children fare in this arrangement. This situation exists in spite of the fact that many children find themselves in both legal as well as privately arranged related foster care placements. Equally of course no comprehensive study has been undertaken to study the black family's perception of formal foster care and their adjustment to formal foster care practice which for many is a new encounter in their lives. More clarity on these issues pertaining to kinship care will not only improve our understanding but can lead to a better service. Socio-political influences have weakened the mutual aid system in African families. This has resulted in needs· and problems which the African family find it difficult to deal with. This has prompted families to make use of non-family support particularly services from specialized and other welfare agencies. Formal foster care is a foreign practice to the black community as a result of their tradition and custom. It offers a new method of coping with child care problems and indicates a shift from the conventional patterns among South African blacks. As a result there is often confusion and a lack of understanding, making the community not to make proper use of this service. This study is exploratory-descriptive. The sample comprised thirty foster parents. The main objective of this study was to investigate the nature and practice of formal foster care in the black community with specific emphasis on related foster care and its perception. The study has raised a number of issues for practice and policy consideration. Notable findings were: the need to (1) promote much more active involvement of foster parents, foster child and their families (2) educate the community about foster care (3) prepare, train, support and supervise foster parents. The study revealed that these placements have become indistinguishable from natural parenthood and the foster children have become absorbed into the foster family. A need exists for permanency planning in foster care. It is hoped that the research findings will contribute to the existing body of knowledge and that more studies will be undertaken in future.

M.A. (Social Work) / As a result of the ruling Government's policy, a diverse group of individuals and organisations identified certain critical needs of black people - through their own initiative. In doing so they utilised basic community development principles which forms part of a new approach regarding need satisfaction in the new South Africa. The focus of this particular study is on one such a non-Governmental organisation, which developed from grass roots level to satisfy the needs of black children and their parents with regard to teaching and education. In the light of the growing demand for an educational service and the school's need to effectively address this problem, a need-sassessment was required in order to identify the needs of the children in the context of the school, from the perspective of key-persons and parents. Given the institution's development from grass roots level through community development principles, the institutions requirement of a needs-assessment as well as the fact that implementation of community development will ensure that community needs be addressed, this study will therefore be done in the framework of community development.

This dissertation provides evidence to suggest that teaching/learning difficulties with geography in Std 3 are largely attributable to textbooks which fail as well constructed discourse and include uninterpretable illustrations. The discourse properties most likely to affect the readability of textbooks intended for ESL/EFL pupils are identified. Selected passages from two widely used Std 3 geography textbooks are analysed in terms of these properties, and are shown to fail extensively as well constructed discourse. Following classroom observation and informal interviews which confirmed the inappropriacy of the texts for Std 3 pupils, the passages were re-written, following the necessary properties of well constructed expository discourse. The readability of these two sets of texts was then tested on a group of nine Std 3 teachers in two structured interviews. The findings reveal that the re-written passages are significantly more readable than the textbook passages. Recommendations that affect education authorities, curriculum designers, syllabus makers, textbook authors, publishers and teacher training colleges are provided

Please read the abstract (summary) in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA (Alternative and Augmentative Communication))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication / MA / unrestricted

Please read the abstract in the 00front part of this document. See also General Summary and Opsomming after chapter 7 (pp162-165) / Dissertation (DPhil (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / Unrestricted

Black boys in American schools are often subjected to crisis narratives that negatively impact teacher-student relationships, limiting teachers from recognizing the intellectual capability of Black boys. A review of American schools paints a portrait of Black males crowded in special education and nearly absent in gifted education. There seems to be a gap in the available research about Black males in education, especially when trying to identify and review the literature surrounding educational opportunities, positive learning environments, and teacher/student relationships for the youngest learners in American schools. Given previous research findings of positive relationships between Black male teachers and Black male students in Grade 3 and higher, this study looked at these relationships within early childhood classrooms, as research suggests that relationships between teachers and students play a meaningful role in young children’s social and emotional development. Utilizing interviews, observations, and through the collection of student-created artifacts, in situated ways this study found that Black male teachers perceived their relationships with Black boys in early childhood classrooms as: • being grounded in providing explicit role models for Black boys; • empowering young Black boys to see their individual potential and future success in life as Black men; • focusing on showcasing affection that is often not expressed towards Black boys in early childhood due to implicit biases, through explicit verbal praise, loving gestures, and body language; and • an understanding that early childhood classrooms should serve as a space for children to learn through their mistakes, as this is a key component in the development of positive feelings towards schooling and learning. The implications for practice point to the importance of recruiting more teachers who view their teacher identities as being intricately connected to role modeling and the empowerment of Black boys. Additionally, because love is foundational to justice, Black boys need teachers who love them—accepting, caring, displaying respect, defending their right to be children, and regarding the education of Black boys as their responsibility. Finally, young Black boys thrive in classrooms where there is the freedom to make mistakes.

Please read the abstract (Summary) in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2000. / Psychology / MA / unrestricted

The present study examined the relationship between parenting styles and the socioemotional adjustment of children at school. A sample size of 90 research participants was selected and included black South African grade I school children aged between 6 and 7 years from single parent households in Pretoria Central. Factor analyses and Cronbach's alphas were determined in order to establish the validity and reliability (alpha= 0.89 and 0. 72 respectively) of the measurement instruments. In general, results were inconsistent with previous findings: The three parenting styles had no direct relationship with children's socio-emotional adjustment at school. Except for two links, non- significant relations between parenting styles and six subscales of socio-emotional adjustment were detected. However, maternal age, preschool attendance and gender of the child interacted in different combinations with four of the six subscales of socio-emotional adjustment. Future studies investigating parenting styles should take account of other areas of adjustment. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

The present study examined the relationship between parenting styles and the socioemotional adjustment of children at school. A sample size of 90 research participants was selected and included black South African grade I school children aged between 6 and 7 years from single parent households in Pretoria Central. Factor analyses and Cronbach's alphas were determined in order to establish the validity and reliability (alpha= 0.89 and 0. 72 respectively) of the measurement instruments. In general, results were inconsistent with previous findings: The three parenting styles had no direct relationship with children's socio-emotional adjustment at school. Except for two links, non- significant relations between parenting styles and six subscales of socio-emotional adjustment were detected. However, maternal age, preschool attendance and gender of the child interacted in different combinations with four of the six subscales of socio-emotional adjustment. Future studies investigating parenting styles should take account of other areas of adjustment. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)