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.

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