M.Ed. (Multiculturalism and Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. / The problem of different languages, as well as academic, social and educational performance, among learners of different cultures within a multicultural school career, is a cause for concern. The number of cases of failure, underachievement, low self-image and poor socialisation is unacceptably high among these learners of diverse cultures. The unfamiliar educational milieu leads to feelings of frustration and confusion. Although it is true that the explanation for this frustration and confusion is complex, certain aspects of the problem are readily identifiable, viz. the unpreparedness of the new learner to learn in a strange language rather than his mother-tongue; his inability to adapt quickly enough to the new milieu; and the low academic and educational standards to which he has previously been accustomed. The expectations to which such a learned is subjected are, inter alia, that they should be able to speak and read fluently; that they should be able to interact socially in an acceptable way; and that they should aim to perform well in spite of new academic expectations and challenges. Many learners of various cultures do not have the abovementioned abilities and qualities, hence the necessity to intervene when it comes to studies in a foreign, i.e. non-mother-tongue, language. This study is thus of instructive value. The literature review confirms the existence of the above named problem, which is discussed from the learner's point of view, together with areas for concern and suggestions for strategies for possible success in overcoming the problem. The most challenging task of all is that of the teacher in the classroom. This is where an atmosphere can and must be created in which the less privileged learner can be exposed to a productive learning environment so that he can achieve his full potential. The teaching profession in South Africa is on the threshold of enormous change; and its role in the creation of a new nation is pivotal.

While South Africa's new democracy has meant that schools are now open to all, there is still racism in our schools. The changes in schools have in some cases exacerbated racial tensions and mistrust. Teachers everywhere are struggling with the changing dynamics of their classrooms and schools. There is much talk about how to work against racism. Various programmes and schools have developed different ways of dealing with it. All have particular ideas about how best to counter it. Resisting Racism aims to discuss and understand the beliefs and assumptions underlying many of these approaches. We look at the theories behind the different practices, present a range of ideas to illustrate them and consider their limits and possibilities. The book is a starting point for teachers and schools to reflect on their practices and help them to work out new strategies in the classroom and school. The approaches described will probably work best if they are used together, specially adapted to the specific context in which they are to be used. In the first part of the book we look at psychological and sociological explanations of why people are racist. Four different ways of looking at the issues are described. Each suggests practical ways of dealing with racism in the classroom and in the school. Chapter Three, on multi-cultural and anti-racist education, covers similar ground but from a slightly different angle, looking at curriculum debates about race, culture and equality. The final section looks at the concerns that many teachers have every day, such as "How can I deal with the language problem?" and "How can I involve parents in these issues?" In discussing these questions we have tried to use current theory to inform the practical ideas suggested. You will discover that this book is not neutral. It does have a point of view. It seeks to explain the limitations of assimilating students into a status quo and asks that schools take a critical look at their policies and practices. There are no easy answers or quick solutions. However thinking about and understanding the issues of racism and the ways in which it may be resisted can only bring us closer to positive change.

Multicultural countries such as England have recognised the need to multiculturalise their mathematics curricula to cater for the needs of all ethnic/cultural groups, to encourage racial harmony and have pupils of a specific culture learn about, and accord respect to, another culture (Duncan, 1986;Dyson, 1986; Gilbert, 1984). However, in South Africa, a multicultural country with its large Black majority, such an approach has not been given the necessary attention. Laridon (1990) has criticised the way in which curriculum development in mathematics is conducted in South Africa. He describes it as a "top-down" approach and based on input from non-representative samples of teachers and not taking into account the needs of all cultural groups in South Africa. He criticises the manner in which topics are added to or removed from the syllabus and calls this "syllabus tinkering". With a number of, mostly English medium, schools opening their doors to all races, it is possible that certain cultural groups are at a disadvantage when compared with others if modifications to the syllabus, to accommodate their needs, are not made. This study is a small scale case-study, conducted at Woolhope Secondary, a predominantly Indian school, but with a significant number of Black pupils (approximately 25%). The study focusses on the need for a multicultural approach to mathematics curriculum design. The views of the senior mathematics pupils and mathematics teachers are considered in this regard, and together with the relevant literature, broad guidelines for a multicultural mathematics curriculum design in South Africa are suggested.

The study explored the changing role of libraries/media centres at ex-Model C (now Section 21) high schools in the Nelson Mandela Metropole (NMM), focussing on a case study of the Framesby High School (FHS) media centre in Port Elizabeth. Model C schools originated in the 1990s, just before the transition to democratic rule in 1994, when White, or House of Assembly schools were given a choice of three school governing models, namely, fully-private Model A schools, Model B state schools and semi-private Model C schools. Model C schools would receive state subsidies of about 50%, with the balance raised through school fees. A major research purpose was to present a comprehensive description of the current ex- Model C school library context and how these influenced the service orientation and intended core functions of school librarians, such as teaching information literacy, providing academic support and promoting general literacy and reading. The FHS media centre service was further described with an aim of providing functional library/media centre management guidelines, applicable to high school libraries/media centres in similar ex-Model C school situations, or any libraries that could find such guidelines useful. This qualitative FHS media centre case study was based on the FHS media centre manager’s personal observation as participative action researcher and further supported by literature, an interview and questionnaire feedback from FHS educators and respondents from selected NMM ex-Model C high school libraries. By comparing historical and existing national and provincial school library issues, conclusions were reached regarding macro- and micro-school library contexts, for example, the effect of having no national policy, the support roles of school management and governing bodies, the influence of digital media and the position of school librarians. School librarian concerns, including their roles, qualifications, service conditions and professional status, especially within Section 21 schools, were considered with the high school library and librarian’s contribution towards curriculum outcomes and life-long learning. With specific reference to ex-Model C schools, the absence of a library policy also resulted in diverse levels of school management and school governing body recognition of the school library/media centre. This impacted on the school librarian’s role in curriculum support and information literacy teaching as well as the availability of funds, infrastructure and resources. It is recommended that government should address the supply of library facilities, services and posts for school librarians and assistants. Lack of governmental action is maintaining the growing divide between ex-Model C schools and disadvantaged schools, while the lack of school library services also has a negative influence on literacy and pass rates, especially in poorer regions, like the Eastern Cape. In the light of the vast difference between the results of ex-Model C schools and other schools in the Eastern Cape, these schools and their library services could provide a benchmark towards improving educational contexts in the province.

This study explores pre-service student teachers’ experiences of lecturers’ approaches to dealing with diversity in university classrooms. It includes student insights into the strategies that lecturers employ as they manage the complexities of diversity in university classrooms. The research is located in the realm of diversity education and diversity pedagogy and is contextualized against the backdrop of the historical and socio-political climate in South Africa. The challenging consequences of the desegregation of educational institutions in a post-apartheid South Africa has resulted in the advent of diverse and heterogeneous student populations which both challenge and de-marginalise educational practices bringing into focus the need for a humanizing and culturally relevant pedagogy. This, to counter the hegemonic dangers of perpetuating the status quo by further entrenching deep-seated racism disguised as integration. Using qualitative data generated by pre-service student teachers, the results suggest that lecturers fail to embrace diversity to its fullest. The findings illuminate the disparity between policy and practice in a forward-thinking faculty and lecturers’ lack of pedagogical knowledge and skills, which inhibit them from embodying the principles of diversity education. The lecturers’ approaches to dealing with diversity in practice indicate that they are stuck in the quagmire of assimilationist, colour-blind, contributionist and business-as-usual strategies which militate against culturally responsive pedagogy thereby marginalizing learners.

M.Ed. (Multicultural Education) / The study focuses on the process-deficit model (within child-approach) and the concept of learning disabilities within the framework of a changing South African educational system. The research questions concentrate on the appropriateness of the model and paradigm In a multicultural educational system. The following questions are researched: Which ct1teria have to be considered In orthodidactlcal Intervention procedures for cultural diverse learners? How can the problems within the field of learnlng difficulties be addressed In a unitary educational system? Primarily the study alms to determine the status of the process-deficit model In a multicultural school. Secondly It attempts to identify the problem areas within the existing system and to find acceptable alternatives. Thirdly, the aim Is to use the identified ct1terta as guidelines In the search for a model for effective orthodidactlcal strategy planning. To comply with the above mentioned requirements, the study consists of a perspective on the history and future prospects of the process-deflclt model and the paradigm of specific leamlng difficulties practical evaluation of the model a search for criteria for appropriate Intervention procedures which may lead to a model for orthodldadlc support In the unique South African circumstances. The research Indicates the failure of both the concept and the category of speclflc leamlng disabilities to comply with the demands of science and practice In the field. As a result of theoretical and scientific shortcomings, the Integrity of the process-deflclt model is questioned to the extent that specific learning disabilities cannot be Justified 81 a category In a multicultural South African educational system. The model which was derived from a sophistlcated monocultural phase In the American educational system of the sixties is not reconcilable with the cultural complexity of South African circumstances. Should the South African conceptualisation of specific learning disabilities continue, the following problems are foreseeable: Since process-deficits can only be proven In a miniscule number of learners, the number of children who qualify for this category is extremely limited. Literally millions of children with learning difficulties are / wilI be excluded from It. Since It Is virtually Impossible to distinguish consistently between Intrinsic and environmental causes of learnlng disabilities, fair assessment of culturally diverse children Is unattainable according to the criteria and the diagnostic procedures of the model. Should the American example be followed, and the criteria expanded, over ldentiflcation of children will be Inevitable. The number of children then entitled to this category, will be overwhelming. The Infrastructure and current mode of Intervention willbe confronted by Impossible demands, as Is already the case. The quest for optimal effectiveness leads to a thorough Investigation of the theory, practice (Including diagnostic and Intervention procedures), provisional measures and structural aspect subjacent to the current orthodidactlc support system. The need for change In all areas Is emphasised. Guidelines as to how these changes may be brought about are discussed and reflected In the tentative model for orthopedagogics-orthodidactlc support In mainstream education submitted by the Interest Group, Orthopedagogics, of the Education AssocIation of South Africa

There has been a radical exodus of learners from the townships schools to former Model C, Coloured and Indian schools and this has had an impact on township schools. In some schools in the Port Elizabeth townships, learner enrolment has dropped tremendously. This tendency has also been a concern of the Eastern Cape Department of Education. The focus of this research was to determine the reasons that prompted the learners to prefer schools that were far from their homes while there were schools situated nearer to their homes. To accomplish this, a review of literature on why learners in other parts of the world moved from school to school and or why their parents send them to particular schools was done. The literature assisted in identifying key issues pertaining to school choice. These issues were translated into questions used in questionnaires to learners and parents to determine the reasons for preference of schools outside the townships. The data gathered via the questionnaires led to interviews with the staff from the schools in the areas where the case study participants live. Apart from gathering data for interpretation the interviews were also used to triangulate data collected via the two questionnaires. The five most important factors that were common to the parents and the learners, identified and endorsed by the educators as influencing school choice, were firstly the fact that high status parents prefer high status schools; secondly that safety, discipline and the smooth running of the school are of high importance. Thirdly it was indicated that extra-mural activities in the school curriculum play an important role. The opportunity the school provides for parental involvement was rated as the fourth most important factor. The educator’s attitudes towards work were rated as the fifth most important factor. The research report finally emphasized the need to undertake a variety of projects for further research. Suggestions were also made by way of recommendations of possible factors that had to be taken into consideration when determining strategies to attract learners to township schools.

This is a qualitative case study of three Primary, schools in Port Elizabeth District.They are an ex -White, ex-Coloured and ex-Indian schools. These schools have become desegregated and are multicultural and multilingual. The medium of instruction in the schools is English. The study aims to show: Adaptations that teachers are making to make the curriculum accessible to children from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds; coping strategies that learners have needed to adapt when learning in a language that is not their mother tongue; attitudes of parents, teachers and pupils to the use of English and to the level at which the other home languages are offered as subjects. Another aim of the study is to document strategies and adaptations that teachers and learners have had to make in teaching and learning in multicultural and multilingual environments. Data was gathered through questionnaires, classroom observation, discussions with teachers, interviews with principals, parents and learners. The study concludes that two of the schools that were investigated have attempted to change school language policy. They have done this by introducing isiXhosa as one of the subjects in the curriculum. Contrary to the language policy which encourages maintenance of primary language, these learning contexts encourage the development of English to the detriment of isiXhosa. The issue that still needs to be addressed is the level at which isiXhosa primary language speakers are offered the language at school. This study further concludes that isiXhosa and Afrikaans speaking parents and learners in the English environments, value their primary languages for communicative purposes only in informal situations. English is valued as a language of access and for use as a language of learning and teaching. Finally, it is teachers in the Foundation Phase who seem to have needed to make a lot of adaptations and adjustments to accommodate non- native speakers of English in the classrooms.

This study examined experiences of teachers in ex-Model C secondary schools in Port Elizabeth with specific reference to the strategies adopted, challenges and rewards of teaching in diverse classrooms. It is located in the realm of diversity pedagogy and multi-cultural education and contextualized against the socio-political and colourful historical climate of education in South Africa. This study was conducted by using the qualitative research approach against the backdrop of the phenomenological design according to the interpretivist paradigm. Data were elicited through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 teachers from 4 ex-Model C English medium secondary schools (formerly White schools) who had experiences of teaching both pre-1994, when schools were mono-ethnic, and post-1994 when the schools were multi-ethnic. The interviews were transcribed and the rich thick data were analysed and categorized into themes and sub-themes by adopting a constant comparative method. The findings of the study indicate that teachers failed to embrace diversity to its fullest, although they did not mind teaching diverse learners. Furthermore, it is evident that they have not made concerted efforts to implement culturally responsive teaching strategies to cater for diversity in their classes as the approaches tend to be cosmetic and superficial. The findings indicate that teachers are stuck in the quagmire of business as usual-, colour-blind-, assimilationist, contributionist approaches that militate against culturally responsive pedagogy. It is recommended that teachers be empowered with skills in diversity education by various stakeholders such as School Governing Bodies, the Department of Basic Education and teacher unions so that they are better equipped to implement strategies in their classes that cater to the needs of a diverse learner population.