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Speech Language Pathology

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Browsing Speech Language Pathology by Author "John, Desiree Charmaine."

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    Early communication development : parenting beliefs and practices in a rural context.
    (2011) Earl, Bronwyn.; John, Desiree Charmaine.; Moodley, Legini.
    Many children in the foundation phase in rural schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa struggle to acquire early literacy skills. A review of the literature demonstrates the link between early communication development and academic achievement, including literacy skills (Rossetti, 2001). This study explored the beliefs and practices of caregivers regarding early communication development as a means to providing culturally appropriate early communication intervention. The study drew on phenomenological and interpretive viewpoints to inform the qualitative design. Fifteen caregivers with healthy infants in the age range of 0-12 months were recruited from a post-natal clinic in Inanda, a rural community in KwaZulu-Natal. The study took place in three phases. Phase 1) Nine of the participants were divided between two focus groups. Focus groups used photo elicitation as a method of stimulating discussion on subjects relevant to the topic. Phase 2) Data from the focus groups was used to inform the development of an individual guided interview schedule. One participant took part in a pilot study of an individual interview. Phase 3) The remaining five caregivers participated in individual guided interviews. Data obtained through both focus groups and individual interviews was analyzed for themes using Creswell’s Data Analysis Spiral (1998). Five themes were identified as falling within the two study objectives: Parenting beliefs and parenting practices. The themes under parenting beliefs included: the role of the parent; needs and abilities of the infant and communication. Themes included under parenting practices were: daily activities and language stimulation. The results show that caregivers’ beliefs are guided by the desire for their infants to be accepted by community members, thus prioritizing issues of respect and observable health as their parenting goals. Caregivers’ daily activities facilitate the development of the maternal bond which serves as the foundation for the development of communication and provides language stimulation. These practices are however noted to be intuitive and lack a formal knowledge base. Practice and research implications for these findings are discussed.
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    Educating learners with communication disorders: an exploration of the experiences of mainstream educators in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
    (2017) Ngcobo, Nomfundo Peaceful.; John, Desiree Charmaine.
    Aim: To explore mainstream educators’ experiences of educating learners with communication disorders in rural KwaZulu-Natal. An exploration of mainstream educator’s experiences provided insight into the current status of service delivery for learners with communication disorders in rural mainstream schools of the iLembe South Circuit District. Background: The researcher’s personal experience has revealed that learners with communication disorders are promoted based on age. Such learners are not literate when they exit the secondary education system. Inclusive policies have been developed to facilitate the process of transformation but the implementation of such policies remains a challenge. Design: A qualitative, phenomenological approach was adopted. Method: Eleven Black African mainstream educators were interviewed individually using a semi-structured interview schedule. Results and Discussion: A thematic analysis yielded three superordinate and nine subordinate themes. Positive educator experiences were related to individualizing educational practices, accessing support teams and collaborating with private and public health professionals. Negative educator experiences were related to large classes, poor quality of educator training, implementation of the National Education Policy on Promotion, non-existent and dysfunctional support teams and poor collaboration amongst professionals. A few of the educators experienced a shift in their thinking and embraced inclusive practices. It is argued that paradigm shifts are facilitated in the context of increased support and hindered when the system is flawed by many challenges. The proper implementation of South African Educational policies is emphasized, as well as collaborative teamwork for the learner with a communication disorder. The limitations of the study are highlighted.
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    Transition to special education : the experiences of parents of children with communication disorders associated with intellectual disability in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
    (2015) Laalje, Sitha.; John, Desiree Charmaine.; Pillay, Mershen.
    Millions of children around the world are affected by childhood disabilities, and are much less likely to participate in schooling than those not affected (Filmer, 2008). This study supports the global initiative to ensure that all children, including those with disabilities, are schooled. The aim of this study was to therefore explore the experiences of parents of children with communication disorders associated with Intellectual Disability (ID), specifically during their children‟s transition to special education. An understanding of the nature of the parents‟ experiences could lead to improved service delivery, which could result in better outcomes for the parent and the child. The researcher adopted a qualitative approach to the study and explored the perspectives of the parents. Focus group and individual interviews were conducted to obtain the data which was transcribed and analysed thematically. The results revealed that at a formal level, parents received inconsistent support from the education structures. Some of their children were removed from school registers, whilst others could not access appropriate education. Assistance was sought from public health facilities and from private psychologists. The parents indicated supportive and non-supportive responses from informal support systems. They also talked about their associated negative and positive emotional experiences during their children‟s transition to special education. The study limitations and implications have been discussed. This study made recommendations for stakeholders involved in the transition of affected children to special education. This new knowledge can be translated into action and act as a tool for improving service delivery.