Exploring the assessment process used in public schools when assessing learners who are referred to special schools

Abstract

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.