Multicultural education is only one of the major changes since the inception of the new democracy in South Africa. However, this inevitable change has resulted in many challenges for educators and educational institutions in the Isipingo District, KwaZulu Natal (KZN). One of the primary responsibilities of a teacher is to manage diversity. The research addressed here focused on challenges experienced by Grade R teachers to create and maintain an unbiased classroom environment for Grade R learners in the Isipingo District, (KZN). A literature review regarding unbiased classroom environments for Grade R learners as well as an empirical investigation using a qualitative approach was conducted. A semi-structured focus group interview and a follow-up focus group interview with Grade R teachers from 3 different public multicultural primary schools were used for data gathering. The findings indicated that Grade R teachers lack the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to enhance unbiased classroom environments. The results of the investigation also indicated that teachers require effective training to help them cope with creating and managing unbiased classroom environments. / Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Early Childhood Development)

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-190) / Abstract in English and Afrikaans / This study aimed to determine whether classroom climate or school climate is a greater predictor of emotional intelligence in South African primary school learners from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, as well as which factors promote and which inhibit its development. A purposive sample of 119 primary school learners from six classes in two government schools in Durban was obtained. The learners assessed their classroom climate with the My Class Inventory (short form) (MCI-SF), and their emotional intelligence with the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (Child Short Form) (TEIQue-CSF). The six teachers assessed the school climate with the School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ). Results suggest that classroom climate is a predictor of emotional intelligence while school climate is not; that satisfaction and cohesiveness positively correlate with emotional intelligence levels, and friction, competitiveness, and difficulty negatively correlate with emotional intelligence levels. The identified relationship between classroom climate factors and emotional intelligence warrants further research into the topic. / M.A. (Psychology) / Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om te bepaal of klaskamerklimaat of skoolklimaat 'n groter voorspeller van emosionele intelligensie by Suid-Afrikaanse laerskool leerlinge van Durban, Kwazulu-Natal is, asook watter faktore die ontwikkeling bevorder en watter die ontwikkeling daarvan belemmer. 'n Doelgerigte steekproef van 119 laerskool leerlinge van ses klasse in twee regering skole in Durban is verkry. Die leerlinge het hulle klasklimaat beoordeel met behulp van die ‘My Class Inventory (short form) (MCI-SF)’, en hulle emosionele intelligensie met die ‘Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (Child Short Form) (TEIQue-CSF)’. Die ses onderwysers het die skoolklimaat beoordeel met die ‘School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ)’.. Resultate dui daarop dat klasklimaat 'n voorspeller van emosionele intelligensie is terwyl skoolklimaat nie is nie; dat tevredenheid en samehorigheid positief korreleer met emosionele intelligensievlakke, en wrywing, mededingendheid en probleme negatief korreleer met emosionele intelligensievlakke. Die geïdentifiseerde verwantskap tussen klimaatfaktore in die klaskamer en emosionele intelligensie regverdig verdere navorsing oor die onderwerp. / Psychology

A positive learning environment is more important if students are considered to perform better in their schoolwork. The school environment the students attend mostly influences their performance. The school that each student attends sets its own pillars that promote students’ positive learning. This research study looks thoroughly at the schools climate, and socio-economic background of students. Most public schools have insufficient funds to run their day-to-day activities. One of the disturbing factor to promote learning environment is the class sizes are too big. The more funds a school receives, the better it performs because the school invests more in its resources. The teachers’ experience also contributes to students’ performance. Usually, the students who attend a school where more teachers have pastoral care tend to perform better. The research intended to investigate the causes and consequences of a school’s setting in promoting a positive learning environment and further discussed the benefit of positive learning environment in schools. The students’ success in their learning progress is determined by a positive learning and teaching environment. Generally, if there is a caring environment in the school set up, then that leads to the students obtaining good envisaged outcomes. The schools help the students achieve the good results, or alternatively, they could make the students fail. The students perform better in a positive learning environment that also is tantamount to personal student/teacher relationships. The findings of this study encourage the researcher to come up with new strategies that can be used to uplift the performance of students. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum and Instructional Studies)

Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

Abstract in English, Zulu and Sesotho / The study set out to investigate the state of teacher-learner relationships in a culturally diverse Grade 10 classroom from a social wellness perspective. The views of teachers and learners who were purposively sampled as study participants were explored on issues relating to the phenomena under study. A triple integrative theoretical lens comprising three theories, namely, Ubuntu theory, the self-system theory and the social wellness theory were used to guide this study. These theories collectively view the social system as influencing individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, feelings, and relationships with others, and as determining individuals’ development of the total self and identity, ultimately. The study is qualitative in nature and hence employed the interpretivist paradigm as well as the case study design. The case was a multicultural secondary school located in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Data were collected from participants using an open-ended questionnaire and structured interviews. Data collected through the open-ended questionnaire were analysed using Creswell’s (2009) sequential steps for data analysis, while data from structured interviews were analysed through Tesch’s (1990) steps of data analysis. Analysed data was interpreted from the participants’ viewpoint and discussed in relation to related literature. Several themes were identified from the analysed data and these answer the research questions. Generally, the findings reveal that in the case school, the teacher-learner relationship is positive, and that the cultural diversity in the school is recognised, acknowledged, valued, and embraced. Basically, the case school embraces the values of Ubuntu. The researcher managed to generate a new theory called the ‘Self with Others Wellness Theory, derived from the study’s findings which embraces the African values of Ubuntu. Therefore, the study contributes and adds to existing theory, and is valuable for guiding and informing policy. The study also therefore adds value to the practice of education and other disciplines to which it is applicable. / Ucwaningo lolu luqonde ukuhlaziya isimo sobudlelwano bothisha nabafundi bebanga leshumi abanamasiko ahlukile egumbini labo lokufundela esifundazweni saseGauteng. Imibono yothisha neyabafundi ababambiqhaza ocwaningweni bekhethwe ngokwenhloso iye yahlolwa, yaphenyisiswa ngokuphathelene nobudlelwano babo basegumbini lokufundela. Uhlaka oluhlangene lwemibono olunemibono emithathu lusetshenzisiwe kwaba yilo oluqondisa lolucwaningo. Loluhlaka lwemibono ehlangene lugoqela umbono woBuntu, uhlelo lokuzenzela kanye nempilo yenhlalo. Imibono le yomithathu ithi inkolelo yabantu, isimo sabo sengqondo nemizwa yabo kuthuthukiswa luhlelo lwezenhlalo. Ephenyweni lolu kusetshenziswe ucwaningo lokuqonda yingakhonje kuye kwasetshenziswa futhi neparadigm yomhumushi kunye nomklamo wesifundo sesigameko. Isigameko sesifundo yisikole samabanga aphezulu esinabafundi nothisha abanamasiko ahlukile esifundazweni saseGauteng, eMzansi Africa. Imininingo yophenyo yathathwa kwababambiqhaza ocwaningweni kusetshenziswa uhla lwemibuzo evulekile kunye nezingxoxo ezihlelekile ezinemibuzo evulekile. Indlela ka Creswell (2009) yokuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo yasetshanziswa ukuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo eyaqoqwa kusetshenziswa uhla lwemibuzo evulekile; ikanti imininingo yocwaningo eyaqoqwa kusetshenziswa izingxoxo ezihlelekile ezinemibuzo evulekile yona yahlaziywa kusetshenziswa indlela ka Tesch (1990) yokuhlaziya imininingo yophenyo. Imininingo yocwaningo ehlaziyiwe yaxoxwa yabuye yachazwa ngendlela ababambiqhaza ocwaningweni abayibona ngayo, yasisekelwa yimibhalo yabacwaningi bangaphambilini. Imibono embalwa yavela kumininingo yophenyo ehlaziyiwe, kanti lemibono izimpendulo kwimibuzo yocwaningo loluphenyo oluqonde ukuyiphendula. Jikelelenje, kutholakala ukuthi ubudlelwano phakathi kothisha nabafundi egumbini lokufundela esikoleni sesigameko buhle, nokuthi futhi ukwehluka kwamasiko kulesikole kuyabonakala, kuyavunywa, kuyamukelwa ikanti njalo kuyabalulekiswa. Kuye kwavelake futhi kuloluphenyo ukuthi isikole sesigameko siyabubalulekisa Ubuntu. Umcwaningi wenelisile ukwakha umbono esebenzisa impumela yalolucwaningo wawubiza ngokuthi yi ‘African Self with others wellness theory’, okuchaza ukuthi mina nabanye kumele siphilisane njalo sihlalisane kahle. Lokhu kuyingxenye yobuntu. Lolucwaningo luyelwengeza imibono ekhona ngakhoke lubalulekile futhi luyakwazi ukwazisa inqubomgomo. Lolucwaningoke luyawuphakamisa umkhuba wezemfundo kunye neminye iminyango ehambisana nawo. / Peyakanyo ya dipoelo tša dinyakišišo tše tša thutho e tšweleditšwe go nyakišiša seemo sa phedišano magareng ga morutwana le morutiši ka phaphušing ya bolesome yeo e swerego bana bao ba tšwago ditšong tše di fapanego, gagologolo go lebedišišwa phedišano go ya ka maitswaro a botho. Mebono ya barutwana le barutiši e šomišitšwe bjalo ka mohlala go bakgatha tema mo dinyakišišong tše, go lekodišišwa ditabanatabana tšeo di sepelelanago le peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo. Setšweletšwa sa go bonagatša sa mmono seo se hlagišago ke megopolo e meraro yeo e kopanego, se šomišitšwe go hlahla peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo e le ge gothwe ke mogopolo wa botho, mokgwa wo motho a ipotšago ka gona le boemo ba tšhumišo ya botho bathong. Megopolo ye e tšweletša mokgwa wo re phelago ka gona, go na le seabe mo go fekeetšeng mokgwa wa motho, maitshwaro a motho, maikutlo a motho le go phedišana le ba bangwe e bile go bonagatša tswelopele ya motho gore ke mang ge se a feleletše ka bo yena go fihla bofelong. Peyakanyo ya mongwalo wo e tšweletšwa gabotse ke tlhago, e šomišitše mekgwana ya go hlalosa ka setlwaedi e le ka mokgwa wo mongwalo wo o kgabišitšwego ka gona. Tirelo ya mongwalo wo e diretšwe mo sekolong sa bana ba batšwago ditšong tše fapanego, gona Provenseng ya Gauteng, Afrika borwa. Kgoboketšo ya ditaba e humanwe gotšwa dipoledišanong tše beyakantšweng le mekgwana yeo e šomišiwago go botšišana ka go lokologa mo bakgathatemeng. Kgoboketšo ya ditaba tšeo di tšwago go wona mokgwa wa go botšišana ka go lokologa, dilekodišitšwe e le ge go berekišitšwe mokgwa wa tekodišišo ya kgato ka kgato ka go latelelana ya go lekodišiša ya Creswell (2009), mola kgoboketšo ya ditaba tšeo di tšwago go poledišano tšeo di beyakantšwego di lekudišišitšwe ka mokgwa wa tekudišišo ya dikgato ya Tesch (1990). Tekodišišo ya ditaba e be e lebeletše gagolo mebono ya bakgathatatema gammogo le go boledišana ga bona mo mongwalong wo. Tlhogo ya ditaba e bile ya lemogiwa gotšwa go ditekedišišo tšeo di dirilwego e le ge di araba dipotšišo mo dinyakišišong tše. Ka kakaretšo go humanegile gore maitshwaro a morutiši le morutwana ke a mabotse ka maatla e bile le ditšo tše fapanego di ya kgona go lemogiwa, di amogelegile, di dumeletšwe, e bile di ya hlomphiwa le go ratiwa. Gabotse mongwalo wo o kgantšha maemo a godimo a botho bathong. Monyakišiši wa tša dipuku o kgonne go tšweletša mogopolo o moswa wo o bitšwago gore ‘’Motho ke Motho ka Batho’’ e le ge o etšwa dinyakišišong tše humanegilego tša go kgantšha botho ba Mafrika bathong. Peakanyo ya mongwalo woo e ba le seabe le go oketša megopolo yeo e bego e le gona, e bile e bohlokwa go šomišwa go hlahla le go beya melao yeo go ka phelwago ka yona. Peakanyo ya mongwalo wo e oketša mokgwa woo thuto le mekgwa ye mengwe e mebotse e tšwelelago ka gona. / Psychology of Education / Ph. D. (Psychology of Education)