A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Needs at the University Of Zululand, South Africa, 2016 / The present study examines the intervention strategies used by educators to reduce bullying behaviour in high schools in KwaDlangezwa. The objectives of the study include the following: • To determine educators’ intervention strategies to reduce bullying behaviour in high schools in KwaDlangezwa. • To determine educators’ perceptions concerning bullying behaviour in high schools in KwaDlangezwa • To determine learners’ perceptions of educators’ intervention strategies to reduce bullying behaviour in high schools in KwaDlangezwa. The study involved both quantitative and qualitative approach (mixed method approach). Data was collected using purposive sampling in selecting educators and learners. The study contained seventeen educators and twenty learners. To collect data, semi-structured interview schedule were formulated. Interview questions of both educators and learners consisted of open-ended and closed-ended questions. A descriptive and exploratory design was used in this research. Qualitative data analysis was utilised and quantitative frequency distribution. The findings of the study indicated that educators are doing enough to minimise bullying behaviour in schools and different strategies are being utilised to reduce the issue. Some of the positive strategies used include the following: reporting procedures, discipline, advocacy and supervision of learners. However, obstacles have been reported in the process of intervening such as gender related problem, un-reported bullying behaviour and outside school bullying. Ideal strategies which could be used in future to improve the interventions of educators in the issue of bullying behaviour suggested by learners include role playing, segregation of learners and strict security. The study concluded with suggestions on the avenue for further research and recommendations with regards to bullies and victim assistance when bullying behaviour occurs.

Orientador: Odilon Helou Fleury Curado / Resumo: A presente pesquisa tem como tema central a questão da linguagem em seu eixo dialógico, em particular os postulados sociointeracionistas. Nosso estudo adota como ponto inicial o trabalho desenvolvido em sala de aula focalizando justamente as práticas de leitura realizadas num contexto cuja caracterização, definida por orientações monologizantes, tende a promover a fragilização da relação entre sujeito e linguagem, com repercussões decisivas no antagonismo que se cria entre o sujeito discursivo/leitor e o estudante, mantendo-os isolados. Privilegiam-se ações e atitudes do estudante por intermédio de sua relação com a disciplina de língua portuguesa, com perdas importantes para a formação do sujeito discursivo da língua materna, na medida da desconfiguração desta, como mecanismo cultural de interação sociocomunicativa. Os parâmetros monológicos de ensino, burocratizantes e confinados à escola, abrem mão do contexto sócio-histórico-cultural como basilares de toda e qualquer possível e efetiva compreensão, a partir da construção de modelos de representação funcional da língua, limitando ao indivíduo percepções formadoras de sua identidade de sujeito leitor. A pesquisa pretende investigar o instrumento pedagógico utilizado em sala de aula, pressuposto nas práticas de leitura realizadas, como agenciadores destas ações dicotômicas. Na tentativa de fortalecer a relação entre sujeito e linguagem, fundamental neste processo formativo do leitor, cabe ainda pensar em práticas que invista... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The current research has as its central theme the question of language in its dialogical axis, especially the socio-interactionist postulates. Our study adopts as a starting point the work developed in the classroom focusing precisely on the reading practices carried out in a context whose characterization, defined by monologistic orientations, tends to promote the weakening of the relation between subject and language, with decisive repercussions on the antagonism that is created between the discursive subject / reader and the student, keeping them isolated. Students' actions and attitudes are privileged through their relationship with the portuguese language subject, with important losses for the formation of the discursive subject of the mother tongue, in the measure of the deconfiguration of this, as a cultural mechanism of socio-communicative interaction. The monological parameters of teaching, bureaucratic and confined to the school, ignore the socio-historical-cultural context as the bases of any possible and effective understanding, from the construction of functional representation models of the language, limiting to the individual perceptions his identity as a reader. The research intends to investigate the pedagogical instrument used in the classroom, presupposed in the practices of reading carried out, as agents of these dichotomous actions. In an attempt to strengthen the relation between subject and language, crucial to this formative process of the reader, it i... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Behavioural difficulty is probably the least understood area of special education as it is very problematic to identify a specific cause. Behavioural difficulties are those behaviours that students sometimes exhibit that are inappropriate and unacceptable in the classrooms or schools, as they disrupt the smooth process of teaching and learning. This study investigated primary school teachers' perspectives of the causal factors of students' behavioural problems and what can be done to minimise this problem. The study was carried out in the Madang Province involving two primary schools. From the two schools, twelve teachers (six from each school) participated in the study. The same participants were involved in both the questionnaire and the semi structured interview. The data gathered for the questionnaire and interview were analysed and transcribed respectively. The findings discovered that the family and school factors contributed substantially towards students' inappropriate behaviours. Family factors include parental problems, abuse in the families, and the constant struggle to provide the basic necessities due to the high living cost. School factors, on the other hand, include negative teacher attitudes, teacher lack of knowledge and skills to adapt the curriculum to include social skills, lack of teacher support and encouragement, and peer influences. The findings also discovered that teachers were more bothered about externalising behaviours such as disruption and aggression than internalising behavioural problems like withdrawal and depression displayed by students. Further, teachers' limited pre-service and in-service training and lack of experience in teaching students with behavioural problems contributed significantly for teachers not attending to students who behave inappropriately. Based on the findings identified in the study, several recommendations were made on how to intervene to alleviate this problem. Of particular importance is teacher training at both the pre-service and in-service level. Also government support is needed in terms of funding for training, involving specialists and other resources to respond to student behavioural problems effectively and efficiently. The findings may have particular relevance to future studies in this area and provide teachers with effective and workable intervention strategies for students' behavioural problems in the classrooms.

The prevalence of conduct problems in children impacts upon families, educational settings, and broader society within Australia. Conduct problems develop early in an individual's life and can lead to more serious problems including substance abuse and delinquency in adolescence and adulthood. Given the high incidence of conduct problems in children, the need for prevention and early intervention strategies to target the onset and development of this phenomenon is paramount. This thesis focuses on early intervention strategies for reducing the incidence of conduct problems in children and explores a multi-modal early intervention and prevention program targeting children and families at-risk of the development of conduct problems. A randomised controlled trial involving 455 children was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of this program. Participants were drawn from ten Education Queensland primary schools in the Mount Gravatt district of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The 455 children were randomly assigned to either experimental or control conditions for the purposes of the program's evaluation. From this initial cohort, an indicated sample of 1 52 participants was identified through a universal screening process. This sample included children who were considered more at-risk of conduct problems. Participants designated to experimental conditions engaged in the school component of the program, with 66 of the experimental group receiving an additional indicated component facilitated in the school setting. Further, a selection of parents of children in the experimental group participated in the home component of the intervention. The retention rate for families engaged in the study was high with 96% of participants remaining engaged in the study throughout the evaluation process. The findings that emerged from the study revealed significant differences between participants who engaged in the intervention program compared with those designated to control conditions. Positive changes in the behaviour of students reported at the school level were statistically significant. However, while some changes were identified in the home setting, the treatment effects of the program were not significant. These findings were sustained at the six-month follow up period. Conclusions drawn from this study were conceptualised within the framework of current advances in the social science literature that focus on conduct problems and early intervention and prevention. The outcomes of the research emphasise the significance of comprehensive interventions programs for children and families at-risk that focus on both school and home settings and that are easily implemented in, and cost-effective to, community populations. Recommendations from this research serve to inform ftiture research agendas in early intervention and prevention and specialists in the fields of psychology and education.

The purpose of the study was to investigate teachers? perceptions and experiences of the management of learner absenteeism in rural primary schools in the Kavango region of Namibia. This study was conducted in the Kavango region of Namibia where absenteeism has been identified as a problem in achieving quality education. A further purpose of the study was to gain some insight into the management challenges faced by teachers and the strategies they use to reduce learner absenteeism in their classes. The main research question was: How do teachers in rural primary school in the Kavango region of Namibia manage learner absenteeism? This exploratory study was conducted within an interpretive, qualitative paradigm. The researcher used semi-structured interviews to generate data and the findings of the study showed that learner absenteeism is a problem in the rural primary schools in the Kavango region of Namibia. Factors that contribute to learners absenteeism were identified and categorized as family (domestic work); individual (lack of motivation, especially over-aged learners); environmental (changing seasons, such as cold, rain and harvesting); and socio-economic (hunger). The study also found that there is little parental participation in dealing with learner absenteeism because of the lack of teacher-parent relationships; a lack of value for education; and a lack of learner support. Furthermore, the study showed that some the classroom management challenges faced by the teachers in terms of learner absenteeism include the need to repeat lessons for absent learners; a lack of learner motivation; and other individual learner problems. Some of the strategies teachers use to reduce learner absenteeism emerged from findings of the study, including providing a school feeding scheme; presenting certificates and awards to learners for regular attendance; and establishing positive relationship strategies. It was also found that teachers apply an ethic of care in terms of modelling, dialogue, practice and confirmation in order to reduce learner absenteeism in the classroom. The ethic of care was evident in initiatives, like teachers making home visits to assess the domestic situations of learners and giving motivational talks to learners, encouraging them to care for other learners by using prefects to the encourage learners. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Education Management and Policy Studies / MEd / Unrestricted

Dyscalculia implies difficulty in acquiring mathematical skills and requires intervention that focuses on the acquisition of the necessary basic mathematical skills. Against this background the purpose of this study was to investigate how Grade 6 learners with dyscalculia may be supported by implementing an Information Communication Technology (ICT) intervention, with a specific focus on number sense and basic mathematical skills. I followed a nomothetic quantitative approach and employed a quasi-experimental design, using a pre-test, followed by an ICT intervention and then a post-test with a small sample of Grade 6 learners that displayed learning difficulties in Mathematics. I combined convenience and purposive sampling to identify two full- service primary schools and utilised non-probable and purposive sampling to select 24 participants, randomly assigning them to either an experimental or control group. Following implementation of the six-week ICT intervention, the scores of all pre- and post-test were documented as data. For the ICT intervention, I used the Number Race application, the Sheppard Software mathematical applications, more specifically Math Lines (addition, multiplication), Math Man (rounding, addition, multiplication), Pop the Balloon (add and order), and The Rockseries. I then completed non-parametric data analysis by utilising the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 25) to test the formulated hypotheses and draw conclusions about the possible value of the ICT intervention. The findings of the study indicate that an ICT intervention can have (i) a positive effect on some aspects of number sense with learners experiencing difficulties in Mathematics, however, (ii) although an improvement in mathematical skills was evident, it was not statistically significant. Better results may be possible when additional software are included or more time is spent on such an ICT intervention to teach basic mathematical skills like adding, subtracting and multiplying after the improvement of number sense. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

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With the recent implementation of the Graduation and Completion Index (GCI), schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia are charged with graduating students within a four year time frame. The purpose of this study was to investigate the intervention strategies implemented by a school receiving the status of 'warned' for falling below the GCI benchmark in the school year 2011-2012 and subsequently receiving 'meets benchmark' status for the next two school years, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014. This study sought to determine what support and interventions this school provided for students who successfully graduated from high school within the designated four year time frame. A review of previous research and findings demonstrated the need for further research in this area. The intervention strategies implemented at a school that received 'warning' status yet currently maintains 'meets benchmark' status could benefit other schools and students. Some of the identified intervention strategies were: a) in-school detention was used as an intervention strategy; b) calling home and home visits were used as intervention strategies; c) the four by four block schedule was used as an intervention strategy d); attendance, retention, and discipline influenced a student's decision to stay in school; e) intervention strategies for students must be supported at the elementary, middle, and high school levels; and f) additional academic support (Saturday school) was an effective strategy for meeting the GCI benchmark. Implications were that school leaders should: a) consider creating a team that meets frequently to address the needs of at-risk students; b) identify ways to engage parents and the community in meeting the needs of students who are at risk of dropping out; c) consider alternatives to out of school suspension; and d) consider the four by four block scheduling model to support on time graduation rates for students. / Ed. D.

Thesis (M.Ed.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The majority of the young adult offenders have a low level of education and are without the proper skills desired by employers. Vocational rehabilitation programme offered to young adult offenders seem ineffective in preparing young adult offenders for better lives after release. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible intervention strategies for improving vocational rehabilitation programme offered to young adult offenders at Polokwane Correctional Services Centre. Focus was also on the challenges faced by young adult offenders during the implementation of vocational rehabilitation programmes for the young adult offenders. Qualitative research approach was applied using case study design. Semi-structured interviews, focus group and documents analysis were employed to gather data. The major research findings indicated that:  Young adult offenders receive insufficient and inadequate vocational rehabilitation training due to lack of qualified trainers for specific field.  Young adult offenders often skip classes due to shortage of prison officers who can escort them to their classes.  There is lack of resources such as textbooks, apparatus to conduct practicals for engineering studies and skills development programmes.  There is insufficient support and motivation to the young adult offenders from the management and educational staff. It was recommended that:  Enough qualified trainers and section heads should be appointed to conduct vocational rehabilitation training to the young adult offenders.  Enough prison officers should be appointed to escort young adult offenders from cells to classroom to avoid the issue of skipping lessons.  Sufficient resources such as textbooks and apparatus to conduct practicals must be provided to centre should be made in order to provide support and motivation to young adult offenders.

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the effectiveness of individualized, non-individualized, and package cognitive intervention strategies on karate performance. Subjects were 43 male volunteer students enrolled in karate classes at North Texas State University. They were randomly assigned to one of five experimental groups including an individualized, non-individualized, package, placebo control, and control condition. The data were collected through performance evaluations which were administered during the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth weeks of classes. The physical performance evaluation consisted of dependent measures including skill, combinations, sparring, flexibility, and muscular endurance.