Submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2008. / The aim of this study was to investigate the role of educators in the value orientation of the adolescent. The one thing that transcends language, culture, physical appearance, age and gender is the values a person cherishes and lives by. Vales are essential for life and the normative principles that ensure ease of Hie lived in common. From the literature study it becomes clear that adolescents spend most of their time at school and with their peers, and that their behaviour is shaped by what is happening at school and the values acquired at school serve as a pathway to adulthood. The literature supplied evidence that school educators play an importeint role in influencing the adolescent to adopt positive values. Neither the educator at school, nor parents at home can avoid teaching values through their words and actions. The peer group also plays a key role in the transmission of values. As a result of the adolescent's need to be accepted by the peer group he conforms to the group's values. For the purpose of the empirical investigation a self-structured questionnaire was utilised. The data obtained from the completed questionnaires was processed and analysed by means of descriptive statistics. The findings from the empirical study confirmed that educators play a significant role in the value orientation of the adolescent. In conclusion a summary of the study was presented and based on the findings of the literature and empirical study, the following recommendations were made: > The inculcation of positive values which vdll enable the adolescent to function effectively in society as an adult. > A school environment that is conducive for the effective transfer of healthy value. > Further research ought to be conducted concerning the role of educators in the value orientation of the adolescent.

This study investigated the way in which educators identified and managed the needs of the orphaned learners they encountered in their situation as educators in a school setting. The sample in the study consisted of a total of 12-orphaned learners and 8 educators from one primary and one secondary school in the rural part of Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. Data on how orphaned learners viewed their situation were collected using draw-and-write strategy and observation followed by in-depth interviews and follow-up interview questions. The aim of interviewing the orphans themselves was to explore their own views of the realities of their lived experiences of orphanhood and their expectations of the world around them. Data on how educators identified and responded to the needs of the orphaned learners were collected using in-depth interviews and follow up interview questions. The experiences of the orphaned learners interviewed indicate a need for social and emotional support besides the obvious material need. Two distinct identities (among the educators themselves) emerged from the interviews with these educators: <ul><li>There were educators who responded positively by providing support to the orphaned learners.</li> <li>And there were educators who responded by referring the orphaned learners to the educators who help orphaned learners.</ul> The findings of the study revealed that internal motivational factors had a strong influence on the choices these educators made in responding to the needs of the orphans; and lack of knowledge and skills in identifying and responding to the orphans’ emotional needs could have a negative impact on educator response. The findings also showed that the level of interaction and involvement in a relationship with the orphans determined the way the educators identified and responded to these orphans’ needs. The study suggest the need for training educators to be in a position to provide care and build relationships, as a means of helping fulfill the social and emotional needs of these learners. / Thesis (PhD (Education Management, Law and Policy))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

<p>Den här studien handlar om specialpedagogens roll som handledare i skolan. Syftet med studien är att undersöka om specialpedagoger handleder andra pedagoger och i så fall i vilken omfattning. Jag vill också ta reda på specialpedagogers, rektorers och andra pedagogers inställning till specialpedagoger som handledare. Studien genomförs med hjälp av intervjuer och enkäter till specialpedagoger, rektorer och andra pedagoger i en mellanstor svensk kommun. Jag har valt att använda diskursanalys för att analysera och tolka mina resultat. Sammanfattningsvis pekar resultaten i min studie på att kommunens specialpedagoger handleder i mycket liten omfattning, men är positiva till att handleda. Rektorerna har en vision om att specialpedagogerna ska arbeta mer utifrån intentionerna i deras utbildning, men verkligheten ser inte ut så. Övriga pedagoger i skolan har liten erfarenhet av handledning och alla är inte positiva till specialpedagogen som handledare.</p>

Den här studien handlar om specialpedagogens roll som handledare i skolan. Syftet med studien är att undersöka om specialpedagoger handleder andra pedagoger och i så fall i vilken omfattning. Jag vill också ta reda på specialpedagogers, rektorers och andra pedagogers inställning till specialpedagoger som handledare. Studien genomförs med hjälp av intervjuer och enkäter till specialpedagoger, rektorer och andra pedagoger i en mellanstor svensk kommun. Jag har valt att använda diskursanalys för att analysera och tolka mina resultat. Sammanfattningsvis pekar resultaten i min studie på att kommunens specialpedagoger handleder i mycket liten omfattning, men är positiva till att handleda. Rektorerna har en vision om att specialpedagogerna ska arbeta mer utifrån intentionerna i deras utbildning, men verkligheten ser inte ut så. Övriga pedagoger i skolan har liten erfarenhet av handledning och alla är inte positiva till specialpedagogen som handledare.