Exploring inclusive pedagogical practices within school curriculum: a case study of Motupa circuit, Limpopo province

Abstract

The core fundamentals of teaching and learning are attributed to the practice of various teaching strategies and skills. These skills are a pre-requisite for the strategies for the successful implementation of inclusive pedagogical practices to accommodate all learners in teaching and learning. This study employed Archer’s social realist theory as a theoretical framework to underpin the exploration of inclusive pedagogies within the school curriculum. A qualitative approach was used for this study with an interpretive research paradigm and a case study design. Data for this study was collected through semi-structured individual interviews, structured observations and document analysis. The study population consisted of teachers from secondary schools in the Motupa Circuit. Purposive sampling was used to select seven schools and fourteen teachers representing the Motupa circuits. Data from the study was analysed through a thematic approach. The study’s findings reveal that teachers have various misconceptions about the concept of inclusive pedagogy. In addition, the study revealed that teachers have the will to use various teaching strategies to accommodate learners, despite the challenges they face due to a lack of in-service training and insufficient resources aligned with inclusive pedagogies, among others. The study recommends a collaborative framework for the practice of inclusive pedagogy where teachers, parents, learners, School-Based Support Teams, the Department of Basic Education and curriculum planners should reconfigure and incorporate to work together to enhance the practice of inclusive pedagogy.