Teachers' experiences of employing inclusive teaching strategies in selected primary schools in Sekhukhune South District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

The study explored teachers’ experiences of employing inclusive teaching strategies in selected primary schools in Sekhukhune South District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Anchored in Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-ecological Systems Theory and Vygotsky’s Social Constructivism Theory, the study explored the strategies teachers use to implement inclusive education, the challenges they encounter, and the support they receive in their classroom context. This study was grounded in an interpretivist research design, which assumes that reality is socially constructed and best understood through the meanings people assign to their experiences. In aligning with this worldview, the study adopted a qualitative research approach to gain an in-depth understanding of participants’ perspectives, experiences and interpretations in their inclusive contexts. To operationalise this research approach, a multiple case study research design was employed, which enabled the researcher to identify both unique and cross-case patterns. Data were collected through observations, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with purposively selected primary school teachers. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns, similarities, differences, and contradictions in participants' experiences. The findings revealed that teachers employ various inclusive teaching strategies, including differentiated instruction, peer-assisted learning, multimodal strategies, individualised support, parental involvement, and adapted assessment practices. Despite these efforts, teachers faced significant challenges, including overcrowded classrooms, inadequate resources, limited training, time constraints, language barriers, and inconsistent support at the institutional and district levels. Support for teachers was uneven, with heavy reliance on peer collaboration, partial parental involvement, and personal innovation. The study further revealed tensions between teachers' strong commitment to inclusive ideals and the realities of under-resourced rural classrooms. While teachers demonstrated resilience, creativity, and professional agency in responding to learner diversity, structural, systemic, and contextual constraints continued to hinder effective implementation of inclusive education. The study concludes that inclusive education in the Sekhukhune South District is largely driven by teacher v initiative rather than sustained systemic support. The findings of this study may contribute to the growing body of knowledge on inclusive education in rural South African settings and present a framework to guide inclusive teaching. The study also provides recommendations for teacher development, enhanced institutional support, and improved implementation of inclusive policies.