https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/6438 2026-06-26T23:47:46Z 2026-06-26T23:47:46Z Mathebula Motloung, Zinhle Zandile https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32568 2026-06-02T07:01:00Z 2026-04-26T00:00:00Z

Exploring the assessment process used in public schools when assessing learners who are referred to special schools Mathebula Motloung, Zinhle Zandile The purpose of this study was to explore the assessment process used in public schools when assessing learners who are referred to special schools in Johannesburg Central District, South Africa. The research objectives were to determine the policy expectation regarding the assessment and referral of learners to special schools, to establish how the assessment process is guided in mainstream schools to assess and refer learners to special schools, to establish what support is available to learners with barriers to learning in mainstream schools, and to determine how trained mainstream school teachers are to assess and refer learners to special schools. This study employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing a single case study design within the interpretivist paradigm. This study was underpinned by behaviourism theory, which emphasises that learning is a change in observable behaviour resulting from the learner’s interaction with the environment through reinforcement, repetition, and conditioning. Methods of gathering data included individual and focus group interviews, as well as document analysis. The study was conducted in three mainstream primary schools, with a total of 26 participants purposively sampled: nine teachers, nine parents, seven SBST members, and one DBST representative. Thematic analysis showed that the assessment and referral process is not conducted in accordance with SIAS Policy expectations, and there is a lack of collaboration between the primary stakeholders in the execution of intervention and support strategies. This suggests that several learners are not adequately assessed and supported, and as a result, they are referred to special schools. The study recommends that, to ensure a fair and accurate assessment and referral process, all relevant stakeholders must be adequately trained in implementing the SIAS policy and actively involved throughout the entire SIAS process.; Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuhlola inqubo yokuhlola esetshenziswa ezikoleni zomphakathi ezijwayelekile lapho kuhlolwa abafundi abathunyelwa ezikoleni ezikhethekile eJohannesburg Central District, eNingizimu Afrika. Izinjongo zocwaningo bekuwukunquma okulindelwe yinqubomgomo mayelana nokuhlolwa nokudluliselwa kwabafundi ezikoleni ezikhethekile, ukuthola ukuthi inqubo yokuhlola iqondiswa kanjani ezikoleni ezijwayelekile ukuze kuhlolwe futhi kudluliselwe abafundi ezikoleni ezikhethekile, ukuthola ukuthi yiluphi usizo olutholakala kubafundi abanezithiyo zokufunda ezikoleni ezijwayelekile, kanye nokunquma ukuthi othisha bezikole ezijwayelekile baqeqeshwe kangakanani bahlole futhi badlulisele abafundi ezikoleni ezikhethekile. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise indlela yocwaningo olusezingeni eliphezulu, lusebenzisa umklamo wocwaningo lwendaba ngaphakathi kwepharadigm ye-tolika. Lolu cwaningo lwesekelwe ithiyori yokuziphatha, egcizelela ukuthi ukufunda kuwushintsho ekuziphatheni okuqaphelekayo okuvela ekusebenzelaneni komfundi nendawo ezungezile ngokuqiniswa, ukuphindaphinda, nokubeka isimo. Izindlela zokuqoqa idatha zazihlanganisa inhlolokhono yomuntu ngamunye kanye neqembu okugxilwe kulo, kanye nokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo. Ucwaningo lwenziwe ezikoleni ezintathu ezijwayelekile zamabanga aphansi, okunabahlanganyeli abangama-26 sebebonke abathathwa ngamasampula okuhlosiwe: othisha abayisishiyagalolunye, abazali abayisishiyagalolunye, amalungu ayisikhombisa e-SBST, kanye noyedwa omele-iDBST. Ukuhlaziywa kwetimu kubonise ukuthi inqubo yokuhlola neyokudlulisela ayenziwa ngokuhambisana nokulindelwe Inqubomgomo ye-SIAS, futhi kukhona ukuntuleka kokubambisana phakathi kwababambe iqhaza abayinhloko ekwenzeni amasu okungenelela nawokweseka. Lokhu kuphakamisa ukuthi abafundi abaningana abahlolwa ngokwanele futhi abasekelwa, futhi ngenxa yalokho, badluliselwa ezikoleni ezikhethekile. Ucwaningo luncoma ukuthi, ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuhlola okulungile nokunembile kanye nenqubo yokudlulisela, bonke ababambe iqhaza abafanelekile kufanele baqeqeshwe ngokwanele ekusebenziseni inqubomgomo ye-SIAS futhi babandakanyeke ngokukhuthele kuyo yonke inqubo ye-SIAS.; Xikongomelo xa ndzavisiso lowu a ku ri ku kambisisa phurosese ya ku kambela leyi tirhisiwaka eswikolweni swa mfumo loko ku kamberiwa vadyondzi lava rhumeriwaka eswikolweni swo hlawuleka eXifundzheni xa Joni, eAfrika Dzonga. Swikongomelo swa ndzavisiso a ku ri ku kumisisa leswi languteriweke eka pholisi mayelana ni ku kambela ni ku rhumela vadyondzi eswikolweni swo hlawuleka, ku kumisisa ndlela leyi phurosese ya ku kambela yi kongomisiwaka ha yona eswikolweni swa mfumo ku kambela ni ku rhumela vadyondzi eswikolweni swo hlawuleka, ku kumisisa leswaku i nseketelo wihi lowu nga kona eka vadyondzi lava nga ni swirhalanganyi swo dyondza eswikolweni swa mfumo, ni ku kumisisa ndlela leyi vadyondzisi va le swikolweni swa mfumo va leteriweke ha yona ku kambela ni ku rhumela vadyondzi eswikolweni swo hlawuleka. Ndzavisiso lowu wu tirhisile endlelo ra ndzavisiso ro pimanisa, hi ku tirhisa endlelo ra nkambisiso wa mhaka hi ku landza endlelo ra ku pimanisa. Ndzavisiso lowu wu seketeriwile hi dyondzo ya mahanyelo, leyi tiyisisaka leswaku ku dyondza i ku cinca ka mahanyelo loku xiyekaka loku vangiwaka hi ku hlangana ka mudyondzi ni mbango hi ku tirhisa ku khutaza, ku phindha-phindha ni ku lawula. Tindlela ta ku hlengeleta data a ti katsa ku burisana ni vanhu ha un'we-un'we ni ku burisana ni mintlawa leyi kambisisaka, swin'we ni ku xopaxopa dokhumente. Nkambisiso lowu wu endliwile eswikolweni swinharhu swa mfumo swa le hansi laha ku ngheneleleke 26 wa vanhu hi nhlayo: vadyondzisi va kaye, vatswari va kaye, swirho swa nkombo swa SBST ni muyimeri un'we wa DBST. Vulavisisi bya timhaka byi kombisile leswaku ku kamberiwa na phurosese ya ku hundzisela emahlweni a swi endliwi hi ku landza leswi languteriwaka eka pholisi ya SIAS na leswaku ku na ku pfumaleka ka ntirhisano exikarhi ka vatlangi va nkoka eku tirhisiweni ka tindlela ta ku nghenelela na nseketelo. Leswi swi ringanyeta leswaku vadyondzi vo tala a va kamberiwi hi ndlela leyi faneleke naswona a va seketeriwi, mbuyelo wa kona, va rhumeriwa eswikolweni swo hlawuleka. Ndzavisiso lowu wu bumabumela leswaku, ku tiyisisa leswaku ku na phurosese ya nkambisiso wo ringanana na ku va lowu lulameke na ku rhumeriwa, vakhumbeki hinkwavo va fanele ku leteriwa kahle eka ku tirhisiwa ka pholisi ya SIAS na ku nghenelela hi ku gingirika eka phurosese hinkwayo ya SIAS. Abstract in English, IsiZulu and Xitsonga

2026-04-26T00:00:00Z Kubayi, Hlamalani Agnes https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32521 2026-05-28T13:07:00Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

The role of parents in mother tongue teaching and learning in the foundation phase: a case study of the Man’ombe Circuit, Limpopo province, South Africa Kubayi, Hlamalani Agnes This study explores the role of parents in supporting the teaching and learning of the mother tongue in the Foundation Phase within the Man'ombe Circuit, Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The primary aim was to investigate how parental involvement influences the development of learners' language skills in their home language and how it impacts their academic performance. Through a qualitative research approach, the study employed interviews and surveys with parents, teachers, and school administrators to gather data on parental practices, challenges, and perceptions regarding mother tongue instruction. The findings indicate that active parental involvement, such as storytelling, reading, and conversing in the home language, is essential for reinforcing classroom learning. However, barriers like limited resources, a lack of awareness about mother tongue education, and communication challenges between parents and teachers were identified. The study emphasizes the need for improved collaboration between schools and parents, better access to culturally relevant teaching materials, and professional development for teachers to engage parents effectively. The study concludes by recommending that parents adopt more proactive strategies to support their children's language development at home and that educators and policymakers work together to create an environment that fosters mother tongue education. Future research is suggested to focus on the use of technology to support home-language learning and on the long-term impact of parental involvement on academic achievement.

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Mintesnot Fentahun Aseress https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32438 2026-05-08T18:56:12Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Secondary school inclusive education implementation practice in the Awi Zone, Amhara National State, Ethiopia Mintesnot Fentahun Aseress Each child is entitled to an education in an environment tailored to their specific needs. This study determines students’ and teachers’ levels of knowledge, attitudes, and policy implementation on inclusive education in secondary schools. In addition, the investigation identifies and pinpoints the barriers to inclusive education implementation in secondary schools in the Awi administrative zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia. A sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was employed to perform the study. Three variables of knowledge, attitude, and policy implementation in inclusive education were measured via a questionnaire, which was used to gather quantitative data. Supplementary information was collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis for qualitative data. Three secondary schools that corresponded to these six teachers and six principals were selected for interviews using the purposive sample approach. A total of 12 have been involved, four (2 principals and teachers) in each school. Likewise, teachers (N= 186) and students (N= 1001) were chosen using a basic random sample approach for quantitative data collection. To analyse quantitative data, descriptive and inferential statistics were used. This was manipulated using SPSS version 25 software. Based on the findings of the quantitative data independent t-test, female student groups performed better than male student groups across both variables in terms of inclusive education knowledge and attitude. However, when implementing inclusive education policies, men are more competent than women. Regarding teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and policy implementations related to inclusive education, the results of the independent t-test indicate that there was no significant difference in teacher sex in the other scenario. Similar to this, the one-way ANOVA result demonstrates that the class size of students (30–40, 41–50, and above 50) and the teaching experience of teachers (1–10, 11–20, and above 21 years) have no significant difference in the implementation of inclusive education in secondary schools. The qualitative findings revealed barriers to and challenges to the implementation of inclusive education in secondary schools. Among these challenges, lack of training, budget allocation problems, low commitment for the field, principals, teachers, and parents’ attitudinal problems, government body political intention, and principals’ flying reports were the major challenges. Generally, this study found the issues of political will deficiency, infrastructure weakness, and preparedness deficiency. This implies and recommends that in-service and pre-service training should be given a lot of emphasis and that teachers need to be conversant in inclusive approaches. The realization that education is more inclusive if governments pay more attention to how and where resources and policies are targeted and implemented. This is complemented by the concept that there is much work to be done in educating parents about the rights and responsibilities of children with disabilities. These data pillars can be used to design targeted projects to promote inclusive education adoption in secondary schools across the country.

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Marufu, Loise https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32403 2026-04-30T04:57:43Z 2025-11-01T00:00:00Z

Language of instruction as an inclusive language in the lower public primary schools in Gauteng Province Marufu, Loise This study investigates the use of language of instruction as a tool for inclusion in lower primary public schools in Gauteng Province, South Africa. However, many learners in Gauteng's lower primary public schools face exclusion due to a mismatch between their home language and the classroom language. This disconnect often results in reduced comprehension, participation, and academic performance, particularly for children from multilingual and marginalized communities. The exclusion of many learners in Gauteng's lower primary public schools is due to a mismatch between their home language and the language of instruction. This linguistic mismatch creates a disconnect that negatively impacts comprehension of classroom content, participation in learning activities, and academic performance, especially for those from multilingual and marginalized communities. This challenge highlights a gap between the linguistic realities of learners’ home languages and the language policies and practices in schools that often favour dominant languages. As a result, the study seeks to explore how language can be better leveraged as a tool for inclusive education, addressing this gap through theory-informed research and practical recommendations. Guided by Vygotsky’s social development theory and Bandura’s social cognitive theory, it investigates how language supports inclusive education for learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Using interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis, the research captures the perspectives of teachers, learners, and stakeholders. Findings reveal both challenges and opportunities in implementing inclusive language practices in multilingual classrooms. The study emphasizes the need for language policies that reflect South Africa’s linguistic diversity to ensure all learners feel valued and included. Despite some progress in inclusivity, the research underscores the need for a more coordinated approach to language use in education. It offers practical recommendations for educators, policymakers, and schools to improve language instruction and promote better learning outcomes through inclusive and contextually relevant language practices.

2025-11-01T00:00:00Z