M.A. (Social Science) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / The aim of the study was to investigate whether evoked potential distinguishes between motor coordinated and-uncoordinated African children. Because the brain functions as a unified entity and different brain systems are integrated simultaneously, it was postulated that there is a relationship between the auditory evoked potential of the brain stem on the one hand and motor coordination on the other hand, that is, the sensory and the motor systems are related. Sensory- motor activity is thus perceived to form a unified function within the total framework of human functioning. The relevant literature points to a possible relationship between the auditory evoked potential of the brain stem and motor coordination. Patients with degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis exhibit abnormal evoked potential responses as well as unusual motor behaviour and coordination. Similarly, children with hearing problems also show unusual evoked potential responses of the brain stem as well as motor lethargy(delayed motor responses) and clumsiness. As a result of these tendencies it was postulated that evoked potential would be able to distinguish between motor-coordinated and -uncoordinated subjects. The brain's evoked potential response is a robust phenomenon that provides a record of electrical brain activity, even in trials where overt responses are not usually expected. The present study focuses on the auditory evoked potential of the brain stem (AEP). The evoked potential serves as a measure of the sensory transmission of information in the brain and consequently highlights the neural activity underlying normal sensory experiences. The subjects selected for the study were 46 eight- to twelve-year-old African children attending a farm school. They can be regarded as representative of the population of eight- to twelve-year old African farm children. All the subjects were administered the Quick Neurological Screening Test in order to catagorise them into two groups, namely the motor-coordinated group and the motor-uncoordinated group. Thereafter the auditory evoked potential of the brain stem was recorded from all the subjects in both groups ...

M.Ed. (Educational Leadership) / The purpose of this study was: A. To discuss the term slow learner and to identify certain problems experienced by the slow learner. B. To identify specific problems experienced by the parents of the slow learner. C. To design a parent guidance programme for the head of the guidance department to aid Afrikaans speaking parents of the slow learner to accept their child and to try and solve the problems that their child experiences. D. To evaluate the effectiveness of the parent guidance programme. In evaluating the effectiveness of the parent guidance programme, the specific aims of the study were: - To ascertain what kind of parenting style the parents were using. - To teach the parents the advantage of the democratic parenting style. - To ascertain how the selfimages of the parents have improved in attending the programme. - To design guidelines for the parents how to cope with problems existing in the relationship between parent and child such as: * how to cope with conflict, * how to communicate effectively, * how to motivate the slow learner to become a successful student, * how to improve the selfconcept of the slow learner, and * how to cope with discipline. The Head of the Guidance department has a very important role to play in the establishing of such a parent guidance programme. This can be accomplished by keeping track of the needs of the parents and to update all the information regarding the slow learner. The ultimate goal will still be to create a positive working relationship between parent and teacher, to accommodate the needs of the slow learner and to cooperate in making the slow learner a successful student and eventually a successful adult.

This research focuses on the perceptions of future fulfilment of visually impaired adolescent learners at the Khanyisa Special School. The qualitative research was undertaken at the selected special school, which is situated in Nelson Mandela Bay in the western region of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, with ten learners, ten parents and five teachers as participants. The concluding chapter suggests ways and recommendations to assist the visually impaired adolescent learners at the Khanyisa Special School financially and academically.

M.Ed. / Chapter One constitutes the heart of this study which entails the statement of the problem, prevailing attitudes and beliefs in the Tsonga community, attitudes and feelings of parents whose children are handicapped. This chapter also gives the aim, delimitation, method and plan of the study. Chapter Two elucidates what cerebral palsy and orthopaedic handicap are. It is a thought provoking and interesting chapter since it gives definitions, occurrence and causes of cerebral palsy and orthopaedic handicaps. Types of cerebral palsy such as spasticity, athetosis, rigidity, tremor and mixed type are clearly indicated. This also applies to orthopaedic handicap, where handicapism like poliomyelitis, dwarfism, tuberculosis of the spine, amputation of a limb or limbs, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, scoliosis, osteogenesis, rachitis, kwashiorkor and congenital deformities are discussed in detail. Cerebral palsy and orthopaedic handicap occur during four different stages, i. e. pre-natal, para-natal,neo-natal and post-natal stages . Chapter Three gives the traditional attitudes of the Tsonga communi ty towards cerebral palsied and orthopaedically handicapped children. The chapter first elucidates terms which also constitute the heart of this dissertation. It highlights the treatment of handicapped children by the ancient Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, and also the Sothos, Zulus and Tsongas...

M.Ed. / This study focuses on problems of adjustment which black pupils in Soweto (may) experience in the transition from primary to secondary school as far as mathematics is concerned. This problem is not investigated in vacuo, but is located within a definite context. This context consists of children of a distinct population group, who have reached a distinct level of development; who come from a distinct home background and who are taught a distinct subject by a distinct teacher in the service of a distinct education authority with a distinct teaching policy. As background to the problem a contextual and research literature survey is directed towards an empirical investigation. After the literature survey an empirical study focusing on standard 6 pupils was made. In this empirical investigation, various research methods were used in order to illuminate the purpose and hypothesis of this investigation. * Emphases is placed on determining the standard of mathematics amongst black pupils in the standard 6 experimental group by using a three-pronged approach: 1) The standard 6 pubils completed the HSRC diagnostic mathematics test for standard 5 and 6 in order to determine their competence in the basic functions of addition, subtraction, mUltiplication and division. 2) In order to determine the mathematical proficiency of standard 6 pupils the TOAM computer system was used. 3) To determine any possible deterioration in mathematical competency in standard 6 pupils in their transition from primary to secondary school, the same mathematics examination written at the end of standard 5, was written after three months in standard 6. * In order to attempt to determine the factors influencing the problems experienced by black pupils compelled to move from standard 5 to standard 6, a questionnaire probing socio-economic and general school situation was completed by all standard 6 pupils in the eight secondary schools used from this investigation. Questionnaires completed by teachers responsible for standard 6 mathematics teaching in the secondary schools were used to determine opinions concerning both the-standard of mathematics amongst standard 6 pupils and the problem of adjustment to the secondary School.

M.A. / Conduct disorder is one of the most frequently diagnosed childhood disorders. The prevalence of this disorder has increased over the past few decades, which has ramifications for many facets of society, such as with families, justice systems, institutions involved with the rehabilitation of these children, and society as a whole. Conduct disorder has been found to be stable over time, and is therefore often associated with problems later in life such as violent crime, alcoholism, marital discord, and antisocial personality disorder. There have been many theories advanced for the aetiology of conduct disorder, but it is generally a bio-psychosocial model, rather than a single theory that receives the most attention when considering the development of this disorder. Included within such a model are variables such as a genetic component, neuropsychological factor, comorbid factor, socio-economic element, and a social learning component, that are involved with the development and maintenance of conduct disorder. One of the most consistently researched aspects involved within such models proposed for the aetiology of conduct disorder has been the role that certain parental styles have in the development of conduct disorder. Parental styles and the home environment have been consistently found to be a precursor of conduct disorder in foreign studies, however there is a lack of research within a South African context in this area. In order to establish whether there are specific styles of parenting related to conduct disorder in a South African sample, two measuring instruments were utilised, which were the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and the Family Environment Scale (FES). The PBI and FES were administered to two groups of adolescents (n=80): one group of males (n=40) diagnosed with conduct disorder, and one group of males (n=40) without a diagnosis of conduct disorder. These instruments were used in order to establish if there were any differences in the perceived style of parenting between the two groups. The study yielded results that are similar to those found in foreign based studies. It was found with the South African sample, that a parenting style characterised by a low amount of care on the part of the mother, and overprotection on the part of the father was found within the conduct disorder group. Together these form a Parenting style of `affectionless control'. These parents were found to exert a high amount of control over their children, have a low expressiveness of emotions and feelings, have a low involvement with their children, and were poor at supervising and monitoring their children. These results indicate that parental styles could be a precursor of conduct disorder within a South African context. The implications of these results are discussed as well as the limitations of the study. Recommendations for future research and possible applications of the results are delineated.

Limited research has been conducted about the involvement of parents in the education of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in South Africa. The main aim of this study was to explore how involved parents and teachers are in the education of learners with ASD in a special educational needs school in Emalahleni. The research investigation was rooted in Epstein’s model for parental involvement. Situated in the interpretivist paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative approach. Data were collected through interviews, document analysis and observations with four parents and four teachers in a special educational needs school in Emalahleni, accommodating learners with ASD. Only parents of learners with ASD and teachers working with children with ASD were included in the study. The findings of the study highlight the importance of parental involvement, benefits and barriers that are associated with parental involvement in the education of children with ASD. The researcher also reported on ways in which parental involvement in the education of children with ASD can be enhanced. The recommendations concluded that in order to promote academic success, the teachers and the parents need to work together. Lastly, the data obtained in this study can be used as a baseline for future research on the parental involvement in South Africa. Future research is needed in order to determine the barriers and benefits of parental involvement in the education of learners with ASD in South Africa. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This prospective descriptive study describes the referral patterns to the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital. The study was conducted from 1st July to 31st December 1987 and entailed the collection of all referral letters presented (9288) to the hospital and the analysis of a sample of these letters (4702). The results indicated: * The patients are similar in terms of age and sex to those attending the Outpatients Department except that relatively fewer referred patients are Black. * The private sector, i.e. general practitioners, is the largest referral agency followed by Day Hospitals. * Most patients were ref erred to the Outpatients Department without an appointment. * Of the specialist clinics, the surgical clinics, i.e. Ophthalmology and Ear, Nose and Throat Clinics, were utilised the most. * The majority of patients (84,90%) were not admitted. * The contact made by the hospital with referral agents was poor (only in 30,30%). * The quality of information in referral letters was generally poor and did not contribute to patient care. Recommendations are made to the hospital and relevant health authorities.

This thesis examines indentured and apprenticed labor in Cape Town between the years 1808 and 1840. Through analysis of primary material such as the South African Commercial Advertiser, the Colonist, and the Mediator, as well as contemporary travel accounts, contracts of indenture and apprenticeship, and an examination of the records of the Cape Town Magistrates, this study explores the attitudes and perceptions towards indentured and apprenticed labor by both employers and indentured and apprenticed servants.This study hopes to add to the existing literature pertaining to nineteenth-century Cape Colony labor. This thesis commences with an examination of the different indenture and apprenticeship systems which existed in Cape Town between the years 1808 and 1840. It explores the issue of how employers and the government sought to maintain a constant supply of labor in the city as the prominence of urban slavery declined. It also discusses the important issue of how employers defined the terms apprentice and indenture. Chapter two explores the topic of child apprenticeship in Cape Town between the years 1812 to 1840, and illustrates that the notion of child apprenticeship was understood in different ways between employers and parents of apprenticed children. Chapter three investigates the stereotypes Cape Town's English speaking employers held towards the city's indentured and apprenticed laborers. The final chapter explores the question of status and incorporation into Cape Town society for the city's indentured and apprenticed laborers, and demonstrates that laborers did not enjoy equal status to the city's slaves.