Schools globally are characterised by an increasingly diverse learner population in terms of age, gender, language, socio-economic background, cultural practices and learning abilities. The diverse needs of learners in schools have implications for teacher training, as it demands a shift from the traditional “one-size-fits-all” approach to a more inclusive approach. Because teachers play a significant role in addressing diversity among all learners, several teacher-training programmes have been implemented worldwide since the inception of inclusive education. The main purpose of these programmes is to ensure that teachers acquire the relevant knowledge and skills to meet the learning needs of all learners in schools. One of these skills pertains to curriculum differentiation for making the curriculum accessible to all learners irrespective of their abilities. This research investigation was rooted in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. Situated in the interpretative paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative approach. A multiple case study research design was employed to investigate nine Foundation Phase teachers from rural, township, and former Model C full-service schools. All of them had completed the BEd (Hons) in Learning Support programme at one of South Africa’s major universities. Semi-structured face-to-face individual interviews were conducted, and a document analysis was used to explore participants’ understanding and implementation of curriculum differentiation. The analysis of the study revealed that teachers who had completed the BEd (Hons) in Learning Support programme had the necessary theoretical knowledge of the concept of curriculum differentiation. However, most of them faced difficulties regarding the understanding and implementation of curriculum differentiation. The study also showed that teachers did not make use of official documents that guide and explain the differentiation of school curriculum to meet the diverse needs of learners in full-service schools. In the light of these findings, five sets of recommendations were made in ensuring the effective implementation of curriculum differentiation in schools in order to make the curriculum accessible to all learners. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Early Childhood Education / PhD / Unrestricted

This small-scale qualitative, action research study sought to establish the efficacy of using the Individualised Education Programme (IEP) as an assistive tool towards the differentiation of reading programmes for young, gifted and talented readers. Despite a growing awareness about the importance of curriculum differentiation for all students, research indicates how little some classroom teachers do to meet the needs of gifted readers. The literature reviewed reveals how the prolonged mismatching of instructional reading programmes to the academic and emotional maturity of the gifted reader may well result in underachievement, and a diminished opportunity to learn how to react to challenge. In November 2006, the New Zealand Ministry of Education launched its personalising learning initiative, which promotes the active participation of students in their education by creating their own learning pathways. Students are encouraged to articulate their learning needs and preferences, and set goals in collaboration with their parents and family/whanau and teachers. With its underlying principles based on collaboration and communication, together with its seemingly flexible structure, this study utilised the IEP as a personalising learning framework for young gifted and talented readers, and as a differentiation tool for their teachers. Over a five month period, the researcher worked alongside three Year Two/Three teachers from an urban, decile five primary school as they each identified one gifted reader from their classes, and together with the student and the student's parents, set about planning and implementing an IEP, using strategies and approaches suggested by the literature as the most apposite for gifted readers. Data was gathered through in-class observations, participants' journals, focus group meetings, IEP meetings, and semi-structured interviews. This study reveals the use of the IEP holds great promise as a differentiation tool towards the personalisation of learning programmes for young, gifted readers. Each student attended his or her own IEP meetings, indicated their learning preferences and needs, helped to set his or her own learning goals, and assessed their own achievement using the IEP goal indicators. Significantly, for the teachers involved in this project, the IEPs proved not only useful as qualitatively differentiated planning frameworks for the students in the study, but many of the goals and strategies used proved pertinent for all children, in particular, for the 'top' reading groups. In this regard, IEPs proved to be 'work-smarter' tools for the teachers involved, serving as planning blueprints for the most able readers in their classes, thereby creating inclusive rather than exclusive conditions for the gifted readers. Furthermore, the insights gained by the teachers involved into the needs of their gifted readers ultimately challenged their personal teaching philosophies, and resulted in changes to their teaching practices for their gifted students.

This study aims at examining capacity building for Foundation Phase Mathematics teachers in curriculum differentiation in Limpopo Province. Proceeding within the framework of inclusive education, it takes as its point of departure two issues which are collectively critical for learner performance in Mathematics, namely, teacher capacity and differentiated instruction. The study revolves around the view that for improved learner achievement in Mathematics, particularly in lower grades, instructional practices aimed at supporting learners should be differentiated; and, that for this to be possible, teachers should be equipped with the capacity needed to carry out curriculum differentiation. This view emerges from the convergence of three problems which constitute the motivation for conducting this study. The first problem is poor learner achievement in Mathematics in South Africa, which is a subject dominating the public media and scientific discourse. The second problem is a documented general lack among teachers of appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for modification and adaptation of curriculum to the differentiated needs of learners. The last problem is the changing curriculum policy context in which teachers work as represented by the current national curriculum policy taking place against the backdrop of the broader South African education transformation agenda, geared towards inclusion. Underlying these problems is the recognition of curriculum as constituting one of the barriers to inclusive education.Based on an assumption that poor performance of learners in the Foundation Phase Mathematics is due to teachers’ inability to differentiate curriculum and their lack of the necessary capacity, this study adopts a qualitative research design and follows a qualitative approach to examine the problem. Data was collected by means of interviews, observations and document analysis. Twelve Mathematics teachers from three purposively selected schools and one curriculumadvisor from one circuit participated in the study. Data were analysed by means ofBraun and Clarke’s method of thematic analysis. The results present the challenges that Foundation Phase Mathematics teachers face, which include inability to respond to learner diversity and inadequate training in curriculum differentiation. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study aims at examining capacity building for Foundation Phase Mathematics teachers in curriculum differentiation in Limpopo Province. Proceeding within the framework of inclusive education, it takes as its point of departure two issues which are collectively critical for learner performance in Mathematics, namely, teacher capacity and differentiated instruction. The study revolves around the view that for improved learner achievement in Mathematics, particularly in lower grades, instructional practices aimed at supporting learners should be differentiated; and, that for this to be possible, teachers should be equipped with the capacity needed to carry out curriculum differentiation. This view emerges from the convergence of three problems which constitute the motivation for conducting this study. The first problem is poor learner achievement in Mathematics in South Africa, which is a subject dominating the public media and scientific discourse. The second problem is a documented general lack among teachers of appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for modification and adaptation of curriculum to the differentiated needs of learners. The last problem is the changing curriculum policy context in which teachers work as represented by the current national curriculum policy taking place against the backdrop of the broader South African education transformation agenda, geared towards inclusion. Underlying these problems is the recognition of curriculum as constituting one of the barriers to inclusive education.Based on an assumption that poor performance of learners in the Foundation Phase Mathematics is due to teachers’ inability to differentiate curriculum and their lack of the necessary capacity, this study adopts a qualitative research design and follows a qualitative approach to examine the problem. Data was collected by means of interviews, observations and document analysis. Twelve Mathematics teachers from three purposively selected schools and one curriculumadvisor from one circuit participated in the study. Data were analysed by means ofBraun and Clarke’s method of thematic analysis. The results present the challenges that Foundation Phase Mathematics teachers face, which include inability to respond to learner diversity and inadequate training in curriculum differentiation. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study investigated how educational policies and law affect the teaching and learning of inclusive education in overcrowded Gauteng classrooms. The intention of the study was to explore various challenges that teachers are facing to implement inclusion policies in the classroom; determine different ways in which teachers implement inclusive education in overcrowded classrooms; establish if inclusive education policies are realistically implemented in overcrowded classrooms in Gauteng and to determine if the needs of learners are truly met in these public school classrooms. It was a qualitative study. Teachers teaching in the Foundation Phase were interviewed and they also participated in focus group discussions. This study revealed that educational policies and law do affect the teaching and learning of inclusive education in overcrowded Gauteng classrooms. Inclusive education can only be successful if teachers have an extensive understanding of how to identify barriers to learning, obtain skills to implement inclusive education in overcrowded classrooms and plan for diversity with confidence. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Educational Leadership and Management)

Limited research is available on teachers’ perspectives on addressing barriers to learning in learners in low to middle-income countries, such as South Africa. The main aim of the current research was to describe teachers’ perspectives on addressing barriers to learning in learners in an independent mainstream high school in Gauteng province. The study adopted a qualitative approach and data was collected by means of interviews, document analysis, and observations with 12 teachers in the school. The results of the study indicate that there are various challenges when addressing barriers to learning in learners. Furthermore, teachers respond to the diverse needs of learners by identifying the needs of learners and differentiating the curriculum. Lastly, teachers mentioned various forms of support that could help them effectively address the barriers to learning in learners in inclusive settings. Future countrywide research should focus on teachers’ perceptions when addressing barriers to learning in independent mainstream schools in South Africa. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie het die navorser die probleem van kurrikulumdifferensiasie vir Wiskunde Graad R aangespreek, sodat leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid ook sukses in Wiskunde Graad R kan ervaar. Die primêre vraag wat aangespreek is, is hoe die vereiste begrippe en vaardighede van die Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV), vir Wiskunde Graad R aangepas kan word vir leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid. Die belangrikheid van die studie lê in die verskil wat differensiasie kan maak aan 'n leerder se geleentheid om sukses te ervaar volgens sy vermoë. Die doel hiervan is om leerkragte wat leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid onderrig, te bemagtig. Dit word gedoen deur aanpassings en aktiwiteite voor te stel wat tot voordeel van hierdie leerders in hul onderrigprogram geïmplementeer kan word. Dit sal daartoe bydra dat hierdie leerders die vereistes wat in die kurrikulum gestel word, in ’n beperkte mate kan bereik. Die navorsing is onderneem vanuit 'n inklusiewe perspektief aan die hand van 'n literatuurstudie en kwalitatiewe navorsing (gevalle-studie) wat semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude ingesluit het. Die resultate toon dat differensiasie wel moontlik is en dat daar verskeie aanpassings en aktiwiteite is wat leerkragte kan gebruik om hierdie leerders die geleentheid te bied om sukses te kan ervaar. / In this study the researcher addressed the challenges of curriculum differentiation for Mathematics Grade R to ensure that learners with severe intellectual disability may experience success. The primary question addressed was the manner in which the concepts and skills requirements of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), for Mathematics Grade R can be adjusted to suit the needs of learners with severe intellectual impairment. The importance of this study lies in the significant impact that differentiation can make in providing the opportunity for a learner to experience success according to his abilities. The purpose of this study was to empower teachers of learners with severe intellectual disability with the necessary knowledge, enabling them to successfully implement adaptations. This would allow the learners to achieve the requirements of the proposed curriculum, to a limited extent. Qualitative (case study) research was conducted from an inclusive perspective using a literature review and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that differentiation is possible and that there are several adaptations and activities that could be used by teachers to offer these learners the opportunity to experience success. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inklusiewe Onderwys)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie studie het die navorser die probleem van kurrikulumdifferensiasie vir Wiskunde Graad R aangespreek, sodat leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid ook sukses in Wiskunde Graad R kan ervaar. Die primêre vraag wat aangespreek is, is hoe die vereiste begrippe en vaardighede van die Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring (KABV), vir Wiskunde Graad R aangepas kan word vir leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid. Die belangrikheid van die studie lê in die verskil wat differensiasie kan maak aan 'n leerder se geleentheid om sukses te ervaar volgens sy vermoë. Die doel hiervan is om leerkragte wat leerders met erge intellektuele gestremdheid onderrig, te bemagtig. Dit word gedoen deur aanpassings en aktiwiteite voor te stel wat tot voordeel van hierdie leerders in hul onderrigprogram geïmplementeer kan word. Dit sal daartoe bydra dat hierdie leerders die vereistes wat in die kurrikulum gestel word, in ’n beperkte mate kan bereik. Die navorsing is onderneem vanuit 'n inklusiewe perspektief aan die hand van 'n literatuurstudie en kwalitatiewe navorsing (gevalle-studie) wat semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude ingesluit het. Die resultate toon dat differensiasie wel moontlik is en dat daar verskeie aanpassings en aktiwiteite is wat leerkragte kan gebruik om hierdie leerders die geleentheid te bied om sukses te kan ervaar. / In this study the researcher addressed the challenges of curriculum differentiation for Mathematics Grade R to ensure that learners with severe intellectual disability may experience success. The primary question addressed was the manner in which the concepts and skills requirements of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), for Mathematics Grade R can be adjusted to suit the needs of learners with severe intellectual impairment. The importance of this study lies in the significant impact that differentiation can make in providing the opportunity for a learner to experience success according to his abilities. The purpose of this study was to empower teachers of learners with severe intellectual disability with the necessary knowledge, enabling them to successfully implement adaptations. This would allow the learners to achieve the requirements of the proposed curriculum, to a limited extent. Qualitative (case study) research was conducted from an inclusive perspective using a literature review and semi-structured interviews. The results showed that differentiation is possible and that there are several adaptations and activities that could be used by teachers to offer these learners the opportunity to experience success. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inklusiewe Onderwys)