M.Ed. / The difficulties experienced by children with Asperger syndrome are complex and pervasive and the resultant impact on the successful accommodation of such children in classes of mixed abilities is considerable. Teachers who teach children with Asperger syndrome within a specialised school require formal training and ongoing support so that they can provide the specific and often individualized interventions to cater for the diverse needs of these learners. This study was informed by a critical theory perspective and used a qualitative research design that focused on the emic or insider’s point of view. A participatory action research approach was chosen as it suited small-scale research conducted within a school setting where teachers experienced specific problems. The aim of this enquiry was to identify the support required for teachers to effectively teach children with Asperger syndrome within classes of mixed abilities from Grade R to Grade 3 at a specialised school. The study incorporated qualitative methods of data collection that gave voice to the participants. These inductive methods included open-ended interviews, observations and written documents in the form of a researcher’s and a teacher’s journal.

D.Ed. / This study focuses on disability and specific learning difficulties as barriers to learning. With the introduction of inclusive education in South Africa, the fundamental rights of learners with disabilities to access educational opportunities equal to their non-disabled peers, were recognised. Many learners with physical disabilities and specific learning difficulties started attending mainstream schools, instead of being referred to special schools. The inclusion of these learners brought about many challenges to them, as well as to their teachers. It was now expected from teachers to make instructional, curriculum and assessment adaptions, in order to support and assist learners with a variety of disabilities and learning difficulties and to cater for their diverse needs. Learners with physical-, sensory- or neurological disabilities, as well as those with specific learning difficulties, may experience reading and writing difficulties which prevent them from giving a true reflection of their acquired knowledge in classroom tests and examinations. These barriers to learning are therefore causing barriers to assessment. The purpose of adaptive methods of assessment (also called special concessions) is to minimize the effects of a learner’s intrinsic or extrinsic barriers upon assessment performance and to place him/her on par with other learners. It provides the opportunity for learners experiencing barriers to assessment, to participate in the assessment process and to reach their full potential - which is in accordance to an inclusive learning community. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers should be familiar with the various types of disabilities and learning difficulties, as well as the appropriate special concessions that should be implemented, should a learner experience a barrier to assessment. The purpose of this research study was to explore and describe Grade 7 teachers’ understanding and implementation of adaptive methods of assessment (particularly amanuenses), for learners with reading and writing difficulties. A qualitative research study from an interpretative research paradigm was conducted. In this study I used a qualitative case study design. Sixteen teachers from four primary schools, as well as the four principals of the respective schools in the district of Gauteng East, were selected purposively as participants. Openended questionnaires, focus group interviews, observations and field notes, as well as document analysis of the schools’ assessment policies, were used as methods of data collection. The data was transcribed and analysed, using Tesch’s method of open coding and was interpreted on the basis of the literature.

D.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Educational and Learning Support) / The research problem addressed in this research essay focused on the teaching strategies that were used by the teacher in the classroom to facilitate inclusion. The investigation was carried out with the aim of exploring these teaching strategies. The South African Constitution supports the inclusion of learners with barriers to learning and development in regular classrooms as a human rights issue. This right is further underpinned by White Paper 6, which compels all the schools to admit and accommodate these learners in their classrooms. One of the aims of inclusion is quality education for all. The change to inclusion implies that teachers are required to adapt their teaching strategies to accommodate all learners in their classrooms. This means that teachers need to be trained in the relevant teaching skills if they are to accommodate the needs of all learners in their classrooms. Qualitative research methods were used for data collection and analysis. The literature review in this investigation was confined to inclusive teaching strategies, the teacher used to accommodate learners with barriers to learning in her classroom. It also included the development of an inclusive education and training system, the principles of inclusive teaching strategies and the role of the educator in response to change. To identify the school and a suitable classroom for observation, purposive sampling was used. Two individual interviews and four observations were used to collect data. Data collection took place in a classroom situation were the researcher observed the strategies the teacher used to include all learners in the classroom. Data analysis in this study was done using the constant comparative method. Findings indicated that the teacher adapted her teaching strategies to accommodate learners with barriers to learning and development in her classroom. The strategies she used were co-operative learning, direct instruction and motivation. She has found the value of collaborating with colleagues and thus began the process of teacher support. The Education Support Services can use the findings of the investigation towards the structuring of training for teachers in inclusive settings.

M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / To improve teacher-parent partnerships, continuous communication between all individuals is essential. The most effective form of communication between parents and a teacher is the parent feedback meeting. Therefore, this study aims to understand the content and organisation of Trans-Disciplinary Team parent feedback conversations and its influence on the process of collaboration. This study was motivated due to the need to better understand Trans-Disciplinary Team parent feedback conversations. It also aims to contribute to the gap in literature, as it is essential that teachers, therapists and psychologists understand these interactions and the role it plays in collaboration in attempt to effectively address barriers to learning within a LSEN school context. As this is the study of the interactions of a Trans-Disciplinary Team parent feedback conversation, it follows an interpretivist qualitative paradigm within an ethnomethodological research design. This enabled me to provide a detailed report and discussion on data that was captured within its natural setting. It also provided insight into the social nature of the activity and ultimately into the actions of the participants. Data was collected through a video-recoding of an annual Transdisciplinary Team parent feedback conversation. A verbatim transcription of this recording was analysed. Content Analysis provided an extensive analysis of the transcription to identify the conversational topics of discussion. Conversation Analysis provided a more in-depth analysis of the participants‘ conversational interactions.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.