The Early Childhood Development (ECD) policy of White Paper 5 protects the development right of children and to learn at an early age. In line with this, the Inclusive Education (IE) policy of White Paper 6 (2001) acknowledges that all children hold the potential of learning within all bands of education and they all require support. The purpose of this research was to investigate the practices of Inclusive Education in mainstream schools in Grade R, Nylstroom circuit, Limpopo in South Africa. Practicing IE in Grade R classes has become a challenge because teachers have to identify different strategies so as to accommodate the diverse needs of all learners. According to the Department of Education (2010:22) practicing IE needs a teacher with knowledge and skills to be able to adapt the curriculum and use differentiated strategies to accommodate the diverse needs of all learners. Most practitioners and teachers have not been trained to teach in IE classes; hence they experience challenges of accommodating the diverse needs of all learners. Even though mainstream schools with Grade R classes are being encouraged to practice Inclusive Education, learners are not receiving the education based on their educational needs. Based on the assumption that challenges may be caused by the education system and other related factors, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and the qualitative research design were used in this study to explore the practices of IE in selected Grade R classes in primary schools, with nine teachers being interviewed and observed. Yin’s method of data analysis was applied and factors affecting the practices of IE in Grade R were highlighted. The following factors were identified: curriculum policy factor, classroom factors, parents’ involvement and collaboration with NGOs and health professionals, teaching strategies, education matters and resources. It was recommended that Grade R teachers needs to be trained in inclusive practices so that they can respond appropriately to the learners’ needs. The involvement and support of parents should be encouraged in the education of young learners so that learners could succeed in their academic careers. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

M.A. (Social Work) / The lack of relevant therapeutic programmes suitable for pre-school children staying in children's homes became apparent whilst the researcher was working in children's homes, as well as during discussions with colleagues. The inability of the pre-school child to converse fluently leads to a continuous search for quality interventions. In an attempt to resolve this need, two therapeutic programmes namely Viola Brody (1975) Developmental Touch Therapy Programme as well as a developmental group work programme developed by the researcher are implemented in a children's home. An exploratory, evaluating study, with two groups of four pre-school children each, are conducted in a children's home. An adapted experimental design is used to compare the results of the two groups. The children's behaviour are monitored and reported on in case studies. A singlesystem design is used to arrange the data, compare the two groups with each other and to monitor individual behaviour changes. The study is an exploratory probe into the viability / workableness and effectiveness of the two interventions with pre-school children in a children's home. The objective is to establish whether the programmes can be implemented in a children's homes and whether it will lead to a change in the general functioning of the children involved. The study concluded that both programmes is viable / workable. In addition, the Developmental Touch Therapy programme prove effective in the development of self concept as well as improving their general functionality, especially in developing positive behaviour. The developmental group work programme is marginal successful in respect of developing positive behaviour but unsuccessful in developing self concept.

The South African government has developed various policies to promote equality and inclusivity in education. Despite all the efforts, Grade R in-service teachers seem unable to cope with inclusive education and it appears that they are not adequately prepared for inclusive education. The purpose of this study is to explore Grade R in-service teacher preparation for inclusive education in South Africa, with a view to add to existing knowledge on this topic and propose guidelines that can be used to enhance Grade R in-service teacher preparation for inclusive education. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory formed the theoretical foundation for this study. Qualitative approach was used to understand Grade R in-service teacher preparation for inclusive education. A sample group of eleven Grade R teachers were selected to provide “information-rich” data. Interviews, observations and document analysis were selected as data collection techniques. Data analysis and interpretation was a qualitative and inductive process. The findings revealed that Grade R in-service teacher preparation programmes are inadequate to prepare them for inclusive education; and they have difficulty coping with inclusive education because of insufficient translation of theory into practice and insufficient knowledge on the use of available resources for inclusive education. Curriculum differentiation should form an important aspect of teacher training. It is recommended that there should be a consultative process between all stakeholders who are involved in training of Grade R teachers. Guidelines were also proposed that could be used to enhance Grade R in-service teacher preparation programmes for inclusive education. These include preparing Grade R in-service teachers to apply curriculum differentiation in practical situations, and using teacher trainers who are knowledgeable about inclusive education in the context of the Grade R classroom. The researcher proposes that Grade R teachers be prepared so they are skilled, knowledgeable and confident to transfer knowledge and skills among themselves, even in cluster meetings. / Inclusive Education / Ph. D. (Inclusive Education)

In this qualitative investigation, the ways in which four ethnically diverse mothers' perceptions of early childhood education combined with the school experiences of their children were examined. Research tools included audiotaped interviews with Mexican-American, Korean-American, African-American, and Anglo mothers; videotaped school experiences; and a video message with a viewing guide requesting written reaction.

La recherche a développé, dans le premier chapitre, le cadre théorique et l’analyse de certains aspects conceptuels concernant les systèmes éducatifs et l’éducation préscolaire, ainsi que l’analyse de données permettant la comparaison et l’évaluation des structures éducatives et d’accueil de la petite enfance dans les pays suivants :Australie, Belgique, Brésil, Canada, France, Pérou et Cuba. <p>Ceux-ci ont servi aussi en partie comme base pour l’étude comparative et évaluative des structures éducatives préscolaires au Pérou. <p>Nous avons mis en évidence qu’il existe différentes manières de concevoir l’organisation des services d’accueil pour les petits enfants, en fonction par exemple de facteurs sociaux, économiques, géographiques, etc. qui peuvent « configurer » différemment les services et programmes d’éducation proposés. <p>Dans les pays d’Amérique Latine et du Caraïbe, particulièrement dans le cas du Pérou, en accord à leur situation géographique, les services d’éducation préscolaire se concentrent principalement dans le contexte urbain, où il y a prédominance des services « formels » (publics ou privés). Les modalités « non formelles » prédominent dans les zones rurales, zones de frontière et zones caractérisées par de hauts taux de pauvreté et de vulnérabilité.<p>Dans ces pays, l’éducation « non formelle » a acquis au départ un caractère social, plus que éducatif puisqu’elle s’est développée pour venir en appui aux parents qui travaillent et compenser les situations de risque des enfants, comme la pauvreté ou le fait d’habiter dans des zones urbaines marginales, rurales ou de frontière, ce qui implique le développement social et l’amélioration des conditions de vie. Dans le cas de Cuba, du Pérou et du Brésil il existe ainsi un grand nombre de ces structures.<p>Dans les pays développés, on utilise rarement les termes d’éducation « formelle » et « non formelle ». Cette dernière correspondrait par exemple aux structures alternatives d’accueil des enfants dans son propre domicile, surtout pour les plus petits, avec du personnel privé (gardiennes) mais pouvant être contrôlé par les autorités. Le concept de « non formel » pourrait être pris aussi dans un sens plus large pour qualifier des initiatives qui constituent des alternatives à l’enseignement classique, qui associent différents types de partenaire et qui visent par exemple à renforcer les liens entre une école et la communauté locale dans laquelle elle s’insère. <p>L’intérêt par le thème répond aux besoins d’identifier et d’analyser les caractéristiques des structures éducatives préscolaires et les modes de gestion des institutions qui accueillent les petits enfants (de moins de trois ans), afin de connaître les mécanismes de prise en charge qu’elles développent pour répondre aux besoins éducatifs liés au développement social, économique, politique et culturel.<p>Après, nous présentons les objectifs, la méthodologie et les résultats sur les aspects comparatifs et évaluatifs de la première partie de cette recherche, réalisée dans le cadre du DEA.<p>Ensuite, dans le deuxième chapitre, nous formulons la problématique de recherche et sa justification, et nous présentons le plan de recherche en ce qui concerne les objectifs, hypothèses, variables, méthodologie, échantillon, processus de recueil des données, techniques et instruments de recueil des données.<p>Nous développons ensuite, dans le troisième chapitre, les aspects méthodologiques, en ce qui concerne le niveau et type de recherche, description de la population et de l’échantillon, présentation des méthodes, des techniques et des instruments pour le recueil, les modalités pour l’organisation, le traitement et l’analyse des donnés.<p>Finalement, dans le quatrième chapitre, nous présentons les données, analyses et discussion des résultats, ainsi que les conclusions générales.<p>Notre travail peut apporter à la recherche concernant ce groupe d’âge, parce qu’il peut constituer une systématisation de l’organisation et du fonctionnement des structures d’accueil pour les enfants les plus petits et peut être une motivation pour continuer d’autres études sur le thème de l’éducation préscolaire, liées à des autres aspects de la gestion, aux méthodologies d’enseignement, à l’analyse des programmes, à la formation des enseignantes, etc. et dans d’autres contextes.<p>Cela mettre en évidence le besoin d’actions multisectorielles et la coordination articulée et intégrée entre les différents secteurs pour assurer aux enfants un développement intégral (l’éducation et le développement de toutes leurs potentialités, la garde de la nourrice et de la santé).<p>On peut tirer de cette recherche certaines conclusions qui comprennent un cadre conceptuel pour la comparaison et l’évaluation des structures éducatives préscolaires pour les enfants de moins de trois ans, indiquant les facteurs et des critères qu’il convient de prendre en considération pour des études similaires. À cet égard, à partir de la recherche a surgi la réflexion sur les critères pour évaluer la cohérence, la qualité et l’équité dans les structures d’accueil, mais elle a démontré aussi qu’il n’est pas possible de fixer les mêmes indicateurs ou standards à niveau général, ils doivent être fixés d’après la perspective de chaque réalité concrète, avec la participation des acteurs, en considérant les caractéristiques culturels et du contexte, leurs expectatives et leurs besoins. <p>Cette recherche propose aussi une réflexion qui peut donner lieu aux connaissances sur les structures d’accueil pour les enfants les plus petits en différents contextes.<p>The research develops, in the first chapter, the theoretical frame and the analysis of certain conceptual aspects that concern the educational systems and the pre-school education, as well as the analysis of information that have allowed the comparison and the evaluation of the educational structures and of the attention to the small infancy in the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Peru and Cuba. <p>These served, partly, as base for the comparative study and evaluative of the educational pre-school structures in Peru. It has put in evidence that there exist different ways of conceiving the organization of the services of attention for the children, in function for example of social, economic and geographical factors, etc. That can "form" differently the services and the educational proposed programs. <p>In the countries of Latin America and of the Caribe, particularly in case of Peru, in agreement to her geographical situation, the educational pre-school services principally center in the urban context, where there is predominance of the "formal" services (public or private). The " not formal " modalities prevail in the rural zones, the zones of border and the zones characterized by high indexes of poverty and of vulnerability.<p>In these countries, the " not formal " education acquired initially a social character, more than educational since she developed to support the parents who work and to compensate the situations of risk of the children, as the poverty or the fact of living in zones urban marginal and rural or of border, which implies the social development and the improvement of the living conditions. In case of Cuba, Peru and Brazil there exists a great number of these structures.<p>In the developed countries, we use strange the educational formal and not formal terms. The latter would correspond for example to the alternative structures of reception of the children in your own domicile, especially for the smallest, with private personnel but that might be controlled by the authorities. The concept of "formal" might be taken also in a more wide sense to qualify initiatives that constitute alternatives to the classic education, which different types of actors associate and which the bows try to reinforce for example between a school and a local community in which it is inserted.<p>The interest for the topic answers to the need to identify and to analyze the characteristics of the educational pre-school structures and the manners of management of the institutions that receive the three-year-old minor children, in order to know the mechanisms that they develop to answer to the educational needs linked to the social, economic, political and cultural development.<p>Later, let's sense beforehand the aims, the methodology and the results on the comparative and evaluative aspects of the first part of the research, realized in the frame of the DEA.<p>Then, in the second chapter, we formulate the problematic of research and the justification, and let's sense beforehand the plan of research as for the aims, the hypotheses, the variables, the methodology, the sample, the process, the technologies and the instruments of compilation of the information.<p>We develop then, in the third chapter, the methodological aspects, as for the level and the type of research, description of the population and of the sample, the presentation of the methods, the technologies and the instruments for the compilation of information, the modalities for the organization, the treatment and the analysis of the information.<p>Finally, in the fourth chapter, let's sense beforehand the information, the analysis and the discussion of the results, as well as the general conclusions.<p>Our work can reach to the research that concerns this group of age, because it can constitute a systematizing of the organization and of the functioning of the structures of attention for the smallest children and can be a motivation to continue other studies on the topic of the pre-school education, linked to other aspects of the management, to the methodologies of education, to the analysis of the programs, to the formation of the teachers, etc. and in other contexts.<p>It puts in evidence the need of the actions of different sectors and the coordination articulated and integrated between the different sectors to assure the children an integral development (the education and the development of all your potentials, the care of the nutrition and of the health).<p>We can obtain of this research certain conclusions that include a conceptual frame for the comparison and the evaluation of the educational pre-school structures for the three-year-old minor children, indicating the factors and criteria that it suits to bear in mind for similar studies.<p>In the matter, from the research the reflection has arisen on the criteria to evaluate the coherence, the quality and the equity in the structures of attention to the small children, but there has been demonstrated also that it is not possible to fix the same indicators or standards to general level, these must be fixed according to the perspective of every concrete reality, with the participation of the actors, considering the cultural characteristics and of the context, your expectations and your needs.<p>This research proposes also a reflection that can give place to knowledge on the structures of attention for the smallest children in different contexts. / Doctorat en Sciences Psychologiques et de l'éducation / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

An increased focus on school readiness exists as students enter public school for the first time. Given unique challenges for students who are blind and use braille, school readiness in the transition to and preparation for kindergarten is even more critical to their future academic success. If children who are blind and use braille as their primary learning medium have the necessary school readiness skills entering kindergarten, they will be better prepared to participate in the academic classroom. There is a need for additional research to illuminate the skills needed for school readiness for children who are blind and use braille so programs can tailor their resources to provide appropriate instruction and intervention. The purpose of this research is to describe and explain how Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVI) and primary caregivers construct the idea of school readiness for children who are blind and use braille as their primary learning medium. This research will examine current practice in relation to the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and the Expanded Core Curriculum. Grounded in the Ecological and Dynamic Model of Transition the research will situate the whole child within natural contexts to identify supports for successful transition to public school. Qualitative research design will use permanent product review, including Individual Family Service Plans and Individual Education Plans to identify themes of current practice. Identified themes will be verified through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders to better understand school readiness for children who are blind.

The problem of this study was a comparison of young children's intensity of task—involvement in child—selected activities. A group of 23 children, four to six years of age, was selected as the subjects from a university affiliated child development laboratory school. These children were observed during child-selected activities for five consecutive weeks. The instrument utilized to collect the data was the Intensity Of Involvement Scale, composed of seven categories of intensity from "Unoccupied" to "Complete." To obtain reliable data, two observers were involved in the observation and a carefully planned procedure of observation was followed accurately. The comparison of children's intensity of task-involvement among child-selected activities, using statistical methods of mean and standard deviation, yielded a similar result among various groups of children. The learning centers in which children were involved most intensely were water play, family living, manipulative, and art centers. The children, however, were involved in the reading, block, and writing centers less intensely. In comparing children's intensity of task-involvement between age-groups and sex-groups, the analyses of two-way t-test revealed that age-differences were significant (p<.05) but sex-differences were not significant in children's overall intensity of task-involvement. Also, the results showed that the significance of differences in children's intensity of task-involvement in each child-selected activity depended more upon the age than the sex of children. In addition, individual differences in children's intensity of task-involvement were examined using mean, frequency distribution, and range. The finding was that children differed from one another in their degrees and variability of intensity of task-involvement in child-selected activities.

The study was an investigation of parental decision-making regarding preschool programs for their children. Data indicated that parents investigated a preschool program beyond a conversation with the preschool director and that non-educational aspects of preschool programs were important considerations in the selection of a preschool program by parents. Parents educational preferences tended to coincide with the educational programs of the preschools they selected, although parents indicated favorable opinions of more educational variables than any of the preschools surveyed offered. Levels of education attained by mothers appeared to have little effect on educational preferences, and parents whose first child was attending preschool had educational preferences similar to those of parents whose older children had attended preschool.

This thesis clarifies the role that preschool education plays in the successful inclusion of culturally disadvantaged children into mainstream education. The theoretical part characterizes the conditions of present preschool education with regard to the specifics of families from socially and culturally disadvantaged backgrounds. The research part is aimed at identifying the views and attitudes of parents and teaching staff on the issue and monitoring the progress in the development of children during the educational process in kindergarten.