Browsing by Author "Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni."

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The attitudes of primary school educators towards the South African policy of inclusive education.
(2006) Ramdeo, Ramesh.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
Education policy in South Africa seems set to follow the international trend towards inclusion of learners with special education needs. [LSEN]. Research has shown that the attitudes of educators towards mainstreaming are one of the most important factors impacting on the success of the implementation of this philosophy. Against this background, the study investigated the attitudes and views of educators regarding inclusive education. To achieve the objectives, a quantitative research approach was used. The questionnaire was administered to one hundred and twenty five primary
A case study of seven families who have tried alternative treatment to ritalin for children clinically diagnosed with ADHD.
(2005) Naidoo, Kameshni.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of alternative treatment to Ritalin.
Challenges of school counselors in the provision of psychological services in high schools.
(2015) Zurakat, Ganiyat Olushola.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
Access to a variety of psychological services that cater for the emotional, psychological, personal/social and other needs of learners within the school setting no doubt enhances their academic and general achievement in life. This is why there is a need to focus on barriers that might mitigate against the availability of such services. This study explored one such barrier, in the form of challenges to school counsellors in the provision of psychological services in high schools. Positioned within the interpretivist paradigm, the study adopted a qualitative method, using semi-structured interviews with four counsellors from four schools within the Durban metropolis, to investigate the challenges of the counsellors and their coping mechanisms. The ecosystems theory and transactional model of stress and coping served as frameworks for understanding the phenomenon under study. Findings from the study indicated that top among the challenges which school counsellors experience are time and financial constraints, lack of support from the Department of Education, parental involvement, and challenges emanating from their teaching colleagues. On the other hand, enthusiasm and passion for helping, support from the school head/management, organisations and professionals, improvising and adapting to the situation as it is, are some of the major coping mechanisms counsellors reported that they adopted to manage the situation. Based on these findings, the appointment of individuals whose sole duty would be counselling, establishment of discussion forums for counsellors and strategies for involving parents are some of the recommendations made to reduce, if not completely eradicate, the challenges.
Educators perceptions of the impact of the learning environment on the behaviour of learners diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
(2009) Moodley, Caressa Alexandria.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
The purpose of this study was to investigate educators perceptions of the impact of the
The effects of parental separation and divorce on the psychological well-being of secondary school learners in a school in the Durban South region.
(2010) Adam, Muneera.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
FOR MY MOTHER I love you I hate you I abuse And appreciate you You feed my guilty conscious I fuel your shattered soul Your misguided love and affection Have turned my heart into stone You are nothing You are everything You stole my voice You made me sing In this separation we create We grow together In love And in hate ……..Saron. The above poem is written by a learner who comes from a broken home. There are many children like Saron in our classrooms who have suffered consequences of parental separation and divorce. This study investigates the experiences of children from a secondary school in the Durban South Region. Their parents are either separated or divorced. The study was undertaken to ascertain how these learners are psychologically affected by their family situations. The rationale for the research study is grounded by statistics and a wide variety of literature that indicates that children from separated and divorced families experience multiple problems, develop abnormal behavioural patterns and seek attention and release from alternate sources. The research study is framed within the social constructivist paradigm to indicate how social phenomena develop in particular social contexts. In order to answer the research questions and gain clarity on the topic, data was gathered using narrative stories, personal narrative diary entries, time line representations and interviews. The narrative diary entries and time line representations were used as prompts for the interviews, whereby the researcher not only allowed the participants to discuss their experiences but also spent a prolonged period of time with them. The research study was qualitative in nature and aimed to achieve a greater level of depth by studying four participants. This was accomplished using the method of purposive sampling. The data obtained from the participants was transcribed and analysed using the open-coding technique and thematic analysis. The results revealed that even though the effects of the divorce and separation varied, the participants shared similarities with regard to their emotional state. They all experienced feelings of sadness, distress, abandonment, anger, helplessness, and stress. The results also indicated that the effects of divorce were on the participant’s behaviour, their families’ financial and economic situation, their academic school lives and integration at school. The participants reported both positive and negative effects of their parents’ separation and divorce. Taking all the data collected into consideration, the researcher was then able to make recommendations which would prove beneficial to all stakeholders.
The experiences of teenage learners from single parent households.
(2016) Bhengu, Nombulelo Precious.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
The focus of this study is to investigate the experiences of teenage learners from single parent households. Single parent households refers to a home that is headed by a single mother or father. According to various literatures, the number of single parent households is increasing nationally. The main reasons for single parent households are: divorce, death of a partner, children born out of wedlock and sometimes the parent chooses to stay single. The assumption is that children belonging to such a family setup are associated with poor academic performance, are likely to drop out of school, which often results in teenage pregnancy and drug abuse. It is because of these reasons that single parent households are negatively stereotyped. There is a notion that children in intact families (with both parents) fare better academically, socially and emotionally than those in single parent families, because children in intact families typically have access to two parents rather than only one. This study adopts a qualitative approach. An in-depth investigation of experiences of teenage learners from single parent households is presented. The study adopted an interpretive paradigm since knowledge is socially constructed by people active in the research process. Data was collected using structured interviews and was administered using open-ended questions. In a structured interview the researcher uses an interview schedule, which is a set of questions in a predetermined order. The findings in this research study indicate that most children that are raised in single-parent households are usually raised by mothers. Single mothers are likely to experience some economic problems causing them to live below the poverty line; as a result children can have less access to well-resourced schools and tend to live in poor neighbourhoods. It has also been indicated that children from single parent households are likely to have behavioural problems and perform less academically, because there is less supervision from the single parent. However, children growing up in single-parent households, whether the parents were never married, or have separated or divorced, have twice the risk of repeating the grade, having behavioural problems, dropping out of high school and girls have the risk of becoming teenage mothers. This is because parents have to work long hours in order to make ends meet, leaving them with minimum time to spend with their children. However, the findings also reveal there are some positive experiences from single parent households, such as getting more attention from the parent and peaceful home environment. The study also revealed that the impact of single parenthood on learners’ well-being and academic performance could either be positive or negative.
Exploration of bereavement on learner’s psychological well-being in selected primary school in Ugu District.
(2018) Cele, Silindile Primrose.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
This is a qualitative study focusing on exploration of bereavement on learner’s psychological well-being in selected primary schools in Ugu district’ psychological well-being. Based on the objectives of this study it evident that losing a loved one is indeed a traumatic experience for anyone; more so for children who are still in the battle of discovering themselves. Often, children are left out when death strikes, yet they are the most affected by the loss of a significant other. In order to generate data, the researcher drew meaning from tem participants, all of whom had lost a significant other such as a mother, a father, an aunt, and grandparents. This was done with an aim of letting participants share their own personal experiences of the loss at such a young age; and how it affected their wellbeing and academic/scholastic performance. Findings revealed that seventy percent of the participants in the study have not yet come to terms with the loss of their loved ones even though some happened five years ago. They also mentioned they felt very alone and helpless, and mostly isolated themselves during the bereavement period as they did not receive any support from their families or schools. Problems they experienced ranged from social isolation, helplessness, depression, financial problems and academic problems often leading to failure and others dropping out of school. There were limitations in conducting the research one was the study used a case study. A case study uses small sample sizes, which means data collected cannot be generalizable. Data consisted of the opinions of those few selected as participants from the school. Moreover, there was only one ethnic group selected for the research, which means the data does not include every bereaved child but only those selected from that particular group. Thus, the implication for future research on the same topic can be can be conducted in school with diversity in racial and ethnic groups to broaden the research’s results. The study recommends that there should be a policy with guidelines to help educators with learners dealing with bereavement in schools. The study was done in one racial group, therefore for future studies it could be done on other racial groups to compare findings. It is also important that psychological services such as counselling and other psychological interventions services be provided for these learners.
An exploration of educators' experiences in teaching learners with learning disabilities in three primary schools in Lesotho : case study.
(2011) Mntambo, Mafakazile Bernice.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
In Lesotho the provision of education and care for learners with special educational needs was primarily the responsibility of non-governmental organizations, churches and individuals until the Lesotho Ministry of Education took an active interest in the early 1980s. Inclusive education has, since then, become a critical aspect of the Lesotho education system. This study explores educators' experiences in teaching learners with learning disabilities in three primary schools in Lesotho. Using a qualitative, descriptive and theoretical research design, the study employs a case study approach to answer the following questions: What are educators' understandings of learning disabilities in the classroom? What are the challenges that educators experience in teaching learners with learning disabilities? The data was collected from a sample of six educators from three primary schools (two educators from each school) through semi-structured interviews, observations, document reviews and questionnaires. The study revealed that the educators have not been properly prepared for implementation of the policy of inclusive education; this is reflected by their limited understanding of inclusive education. It also shows a weakness in dissemination of inclusive education policies as educators are not well trained, especially to assist learners with learning disabilities. The focus tended to be only on children with hearing impairment, sight impairment and physical disability. Therefore there is a need for the Lesotho Ministry of Education, not only to review the policy and curriculum of inclusive education, but also unpack the dissemination process so that it empowers and supports educators with knowledge and practical strategies. There are many learning disabilities which educators do not seem to know and the training of educators for the implementation of IE should address the issue.
Exploring full-service school educators’ understanding of inclusive education and its impact on learners' psychological wellbeing.
(2018) Appalsamy, Prenola.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
This study explored the experiences of seven primary school educators within one full-service school in the Chatsworth area in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The educators were selected purposively since they were based within a full-service school. Each educator was selected per grade to identify different experiences within the classroom setting as learner needs tend to develop as they progress to the next grade. The study was a qualitative study grounded within the interpretive paradigm. The theoretical framework was guided by social constructivism. Social constructivism was appropriate for this study as it looked at educators' experiences of implementing inclusive education, and how teaching inclusively was influenced by the social settings in which they live. It was necessary in understanding how learners were influenced by the surroundings in which they lived, their peers and how this behavior affected teaching and learning in an inclusive environment. In spite of this, educators’ religious affiliations, belief systems, culture and values were often overlooked by policy designers. Data for this study was generated by means of three research instruments: unstructured observation, semi-structured interviews and semi-structured questionnaires. The findings from this study revealed that the experiences of educators teaching inclusive education was not fully accepted by the teachers. Educators conveyed their frustrations with regard to the teaching of inclusive education mentioning that the problems they experience are about the behavioral problems, emotional/psychological problems, lack of proper resources to support these learning barriers and lack of teacher training/skills. Furthermore, there were many limitations of the study. Since the study was limited to one school under one district, research outcomes cannot be generalised to other secondary schools with similar descriptions since contexts would be dissimilar. Also, most educators were reluctant to participate, time was lost and educators were absent. Despite this, recommendations were put forward for this study. Some that were mentioned includes differentiated teaching methods, appointment of trained and specialised educators in implementing inclusive education as well as continuous support provided by the Department of Education regularly.
Exploring teenage mothers' experiences of psycho-social support services provided in a secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2016) Jwili, Nomusa Victoria.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
This study is an exploration of teenage mothers` experiences of psycho-social support services provided in a secondary school in KwaZulu-Natal. This study was anchored on two major research questions; what are experiences do teenage mothers have of school-based-psycho social support services provided in a secondary school, and how can these school-based psycho-social can be improved to ensure excellent performance by the teenage mother? To answer these research questions, the qualitative approach to research was used to generate deep insight around the research phenomenon. To fine-tune the research, the case study style to research was employed to give focus to the study as well as to dig deeper into the phenomenon. Exploring teenage mother’s experiences require depth and continuous digging which can only be done under the canopy of case study research. For this digging to be effective, semi-structured interviews were used to generate data for the study. This was complemented using observation to make sure that what the researchers say happened, actually happened. The participants of the study were sampled purposively and the data generated was analyzed using grounded analyses. The interpretive paradigm and the social constructionist’s theory was used to make sense of the data generated. The data was categorized into three main themes; educational support, financial support and emotional support. These themes were further divided into six subthemes; extra classes, mentoring, financial exclusion, financial upliftment, counseling and personal care. These themes were analyzed alongside literature and direct quotations from the participants. Secondly, the researcher also recommends that the Department of Education or the Department of Social Welfare should take full responsibility for the provision of these services to ensure that some teenage mothers don’t benefit from the services more than others. Since teachers were the ones sourcing and providing these services, those under them can only benefit from what they were able to raise or offer. Lastly, the researcher recommends that the challenges teenage mothers facing should be the bases of the provision of psycho- social support and not the resource available to the school or that which the mentor or teachers can raise on behalf of teenage mothers.
Exploring the experiences of the primary school educators of teaching AIDS orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
(2013) King, Adesoji Ojuri Oladokun.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
This study explores the experiences of primary school educators of teaching AIDS orphans and vulnerable children. It further explores how primary school educators can be equipped to be able to respond to the challenge of having AIDS orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in their classroom. This means, it explores how the primary school educators through continuous and active interaction with other levels of the ecosystem became agents of change to the critical circumstances of OVC. By utilising the resources available within and outside the school, the primary school educators are required/expected to respond to changing the circumstances of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in their classroom by going the extra-mile in their responsibilities towards OVC by not just assume the position of an educator only but also representing a parental figure to OVC, so that the holistic needs of OVC can be met. This study is located within the interpretivist paradigm and uses qualitative methods to explore the experiences of primary school educators of teaching AIDS orphans and vulnerable children. An interview schedule was used to access participants’ experiences of teaching AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in their school contexts. The research which was a case study used semi structured interviews to generate data from educators in an active one-on-one interview. The data generated was analysed using Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystemic theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1997). Result indicated that primary school educators relied so much on the school sending them out for training on how to care for OVC, whereas they can do this on their own, on a part time-basis, to enable them care for OVC. This will portrays how serious they are with the issue of caring for OVC on a more holistic and professional level. They also rely heavily on some external assistance, whereas the challenges of AIDS orphans can better be viewed internally through collaboration between the School Management Board (SMG) and other educators, also by encouraging other peers in that school who are from stabled home to freely relate with OVC and see how this relationship can positively influence the life of OVC as some of the OVC find it more suitable talking to their fellow learners than talking to the educators. It is therefore, pragmatic that primary school educators’ involvement should go beyond their participation as recipients of service, and they should endeavour to have an understanding of contextual and social factors related to AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in their school context. The quality of education system in semi-rural areas of Pinetown is still not up to the required level as the initiated educational reform system has not been implemented in all the schools. Therefore, it is expedient that educators should profoundly explore orphanhood especially the AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in these areas and design intervention programmes to ameliorate their negative experiences.
Guidance and counselling services in high schools : problems, implications and solutions.
(2003) Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.; Chohan, Ebrahim Ajee.
The purpose of this study is to determine the perceptions of school counselors or guidance educators and students about the need for Guidance and Counselling in schools. Changes in the political arena and the birth of the new dispensation brought about changes in education and service delivery. The doors of education were opened to allow even the poorest of the poor to access equal opportunities. Apartheid education had disempowered black people to the advantage of whites. For the first time in the history of our education everyone enjoyed equal access and opportunities. Our classrooms became places where young people, black and white, can now access the best education for them to succeed in life, and fulfill ambitions that not so long ago seemed so remote. The study focuses on the availability of psychological services in ten high schools in the greater Durban North region. Questionnaires were administered to School Counsellors, Guidance educators and students in schools where school Guidance and Counselling is offered and to those in schools where it is not offered. It was hypothesized that Guidance and Counselling was not effectively and adequately offered in high schools. The results of the study indicate that both educators and students feel that there is the need to either revive or improve guidance and counselling services. Statistical analysis indicated that the majority of African schools that participated in the study do not offer Guidance and Counselling, with the lack of resources as the main cause. Retrenchments and the granting of voluntary severance packages were cited as some of the factors affecting the delivery of quality guidance and counselling. Schools are unique and problems and challenges facing them differ from one area to another, yet there is a dire need to improve the Guidance and Counselling services that are generally inadequate. It is hoped that the study will, firstly, stimulate further research in education support services, specifically Guidance and Counselling as a school subject, and, secondly, the findings will evoke debates about guidance and counselling services in schools.
Homeschooling in South Africa: a multiple case study
(2019) Steytler, Jennifer Rae.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
Homeschooling is a growing phenomenon, in South Africa and worldwide. Despite this increasing popularity, it remains somewhat of an enigma, particularly in South Africa. This qualitative study explores the motivations of parents who have chosen to homeschool their children, their academic approach, and their perceptions of the academic, social and emotional benefits of homeschooling. Initial sampling was purposeful, based on established criteria. Thereafter, snowball sampling was utilised. Data was gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and field observations. All research was conducted within the greater Durban area. There were eight participants, of which five were parents currently homeschooling and three were people who had other experience of homeschooling. Following the interview process, a non-participant observation was conducted at each of the homeschooling sites. Data from interviews was collected by digital recording and manual note-taking. Field observations were recorded manually. All data was transcribed by the researcher, and analysed using thematic analysis. The main themes identified during the research design process were: the contextual circumstances leading to parents choosing to homeschool their children; teaching strategies used in homeschooling; the social, emotional and academic benefits of homeschooling for children; and the challenges experienced in homeschooling. Several sub-themes arose out of the analysis of the data including, inter alia, the special educational needs of children, the perceived shortcomings of mainstream education, parents’ perceptions of the socialisation needs of homeschooled children and plans for their future education. The research findings suggest that homeschooling has benefits in the areas of academic, social and emotional development, and that it can therefore be considered to be both a valid and viable alternative educational setting in South Africa, that has value in meeting the individual educational needs of children. Recommendations are made for both homeschoolers and education authorities, and suggestions for further research are proposed, in order to develop a more accurate and positive understanding of homeschooling in South Africa.
The impact of psychosocial deprivation on the scholastic performance of grade seven learners.
(2011) Naicker, Kalamathy.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
This research topic presents a discussion on psychosocial deprivation and how it impacts on learners academic performance. It is a case study guided by the following questions: To what extent does psychosocial deprivation influence scholastic performance of grade seven learners? How can the school counteract the effects of psychosocial deprivation? What forms of assistance do parents and teachers need in order to work together to benefit the learners? This is a quantitative study underpinned by the ecosystemic perspective as well as the social constructivist theory. The sample size consisted of seventy learners taken from a primary school which was later reduced to twenty eight learners. The findings of the study were lack of motivation, absenteeism, learning disabilities, difficulties learning English as a second language, stressful family life, poverty and the like were some of the factors that affect learners and eventually results in their poor academic performance. The learners’ environment or neighbourhood is seen as one of the many social contexts that shape children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. However the neighborhood context does not simply “imprint” itself on children, but can be mediated or moderated by other social contexts, in particular the family. Learners who struggle with schoolwork without receiving effective intervention often drop out of school and, as a consequence, have increasingly dire employment prospects. Many learners are invisible strugglers, falling through the cracks and being written off as not needing the extra effort and intervention that educators can provide. Schools, educators and education policy makers must strive to level the playing field by counteracting or minimizing the impact of socio-economic factors on learner’s academic performance by doing the following: Supplying educational materials timeously. Preparing syllabi suited to the age, level and language of learners. Provide ongoing learner support with the help of guidance counselors and social workers. Provide nutritious programmes to supplement those with inadequate diets. Parents and teachers should work together to promote teaching and learning.
Intermediate phase educators' perceptions and knowledge of co-operative learning
(2008) Pillay, Anita Antoinette.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
This study is intended as a contribution and upliftment to pedagogy in South- African Intermediate Phase Classrooms. The thrust of this dissertation revolves around attempts to unravel, intermediate phase educators’ perceptions and knowledge of co-operative learning, and to ascertain, to what extent co-operative learning enhances learning, in intermediate phase classrooms. Through a process of simple random sampling, three intermediate phase educators were selected as a sample for this research. An observation schedule was used to ascertain whether co-operative learning was being practised in the intermediate phase classrooms. Through my observation and discussion thereafter with the educators, it was clear that co-operative learning was not being used as a teaching strategy in the intermediate phase classrooms. Furthermore, these three educators, indicated to me that they were not knowledgeable on co-operative learning and were not exposed to this pedagogy at all. I presented a workshop on co-operative learning, to these educators. Thereafter, they practised this type of pedagogy in their classrooms for three weeks, after which they were interviewed. This sought to provide an insight into intermediate phase educators’ perceptions and knowledge of cooperative learning, as well as to see the extent to which co-operative learning enhances learning. This dissertation encapsulates the findings of the study conducted with educators, with regards to co-operative learning. Findings of the study, indicated that intermediate phase educators, perceived co-operative learning as a significant pedagogy that will enhance the culture of learning and teaching in the intermediate phase class. Furthermore, they indicated that cooperative learning assists intermediate phase learners to achieve a range of academic, as well as social outcomes. Conclusions and recommendations, emanating from the study, list the significance of the use of co-operative learning in intermediate phase classrooms. According to Johnson and Johnson (1994) “ The ability of all students to learn to work co-operatively with others is the keystone to building and maintaining stable marriages, families, careers and friendships ”. Education is the forefront of any nation. It is therefore incumbent on educationists to ensure that schools promote the culture of teaching and learning, in pedagogical styles, that develops the learner holistically and prepares him for society at large.
Investigating FET college lecturers' experiences of the inclusion of students with learning disabilities in a mainstream classroom.
(2015) Makanya, Sibongile.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
This is a qualitative study that involved 7 FET College lecturers and investigated their experiences of including the learning disabled in a mainstream classroom. Both in-depth qualitative interviews and observations were used to investigate their experiences. The findings indicate that the lecturers have both positive and negative experiences of including students with learning disabilities in the mainstream classroom. Despite any formal training on inclusive education as highlighted in Education White Paper 6 (EWP6), the FET College lecturers are striving to include the learning disabled in the mainstream classroom. However, they also encounter a myriad of challenges when including the learning disabled in the mainstream classrooms. The findings indicate that the FET College is currently not equipped with adequate resources and programmes that cater for the needs of students with learning disabilities. Moreover, FET College lecturers that were interviewed indicated that they had no qualifications that specifically equip them to teach students with learning disabilities. They all felt a need for training and staff development in the area of teaching and supporting students with learning disabilities. Recommendations into improving the provisioning of support to the lecturers teaching students with learning disabilities and the students concerned are made.
Investigating the experiences of gay high school learners and the impact thereof on their academic performance.
(2015) Dare, Sunday Adesoji.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
In the wider awareness of homosexuality across the world, stereotypes and prejudices associated with gay and lesbian learners are visible in most South African high schools. It was deemed important for this research to investigate and understand the experiences of gay learners and the impact it has on their academic performance. This was done through semi-structured interviews i.e., eliciting qualitative data, at one of the schools located in the Durban metropolitan, with five participants whose ages ranged from 16 to 18 years. This study will use interpretive paradigm underscored by the ecosystemic perspective. The findings generated from the data indicated that gay and lesbian learners encountered negative experiences which impact on their academic performance. Gay and Lesbian learners indicated that there must be advocacy campaigns to ensure the inclusivity of all learners irrespective of their sexual orientation and identity at school. The common sentiment expressed was that the acceptance of homosexuality enables the achievement of social justice and the sound academic performance of this group of learners. Therefore, equity in schools will improve academic performance and social well-being of gay and lesbian learners. Lastly, teaching about homosexuality at school will ensure the improvement of social justice towards achieving the aims of inclusive education. This will promote peer support, and parental intervention to actualise maximum performance on the encountered negative experiences of gay and lesbian learners, and further create a welcoming safe school environment. The slogan of ‘education for all’ stated that all learners have a right to education in all South African schools, irrespective of the religion, culture, race and sexual orientation. Thus, the findings and recommendations of this study are of special relevance to the South African context.
The issues and challenges that foundation phase educators experience when teaching learners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
(2012) Lawrence, Meryl.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of mainstream foundation phase educators who teach learners diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), as well as to understand the intervention strategies that these educators use when dealing with these learners. The study is qualitative and based on the interpretivist paradigm. It is a case study of seven mainstream educators who were all teaching learners that were diagnosed with ADHD. The study was guided by the following research questions: What are the experiences of mainstream educators who teach learners diagnosed with ADHD? What intervention strategies do educators employ to handle learners with ADHD? What support structures exist in schools to assist educators of learners with ADHD? The study reveals that the educators in these mainstream schools do not feel sufficiently skilled and effective in meeting the learning needs of their learners diagnosed with ADHD. Their large class groups, lack of available support structures, and lack of parental support and professional intervention, contribute largely to this situation. Drugs such as Ritalin may not be a cure, but are sometimes helpful in improving learner behaviour and productivity. This however is not always possible due to the varying array of symptoms that co-exist in ADHD and the effectiveness of medication and intervention is unique to each learner. Psychological assessment assists in highlighting the unique educational needs of these learners. Educators rely on the advice and support given by physicians and psychologists. Drug therapy must be used in conjunction with behaviour therapy as this is beneficial to the learner diagnosed with ADHD and to the class environment. The findings of the study indicate the absence of remedial education in these mainstream schools. There is a need for all mainstream educators to become trained and skilled in understanding and teaching learners with ADHD. Greater awareness, involvement, coaching and support needs to be available for all those involved with ADHD. This implies that the provision of effective intervention and support will empower educators, potentially minimize the early drop out of learners affected with ADHD and facilitate a productive outcome and future for them. A limitation of this study is that this small sample size does not reflect the education setting of all mainstream schools in South Africa. Mainstream schools vary extremely in degrees of resourcefulness and class size.
A parent behind bars : investigating the scholastic experiences of learners whose parents are incarcerated.
(2013) Moodley, Nolene.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
Abstract available in PDF file.
Primary school teachers’ experiences of violence towards them perpetrated by learners.
(2015) Govender, Komashni.; Muribwathoho, Henry Nkhanedzeni.
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of primary school teachers’ who were victims of learner-perpetrated violence. The teachers’ experiences were examined to gain insight and understanding of the types of violence, the contributing factors towards learner perpetrated violence, and the effects of said violence on the well-being and professional performance of teachers. The study also sought to highlight intervention strategies to decrease or curb future incidences. A qualitative research underpinned by an interpretive paradigm was employed with the use of semi-structured interviews and an observation checklist. Three schools were selected and a sample group of two teachers per school were selected according to their responses on the pre questionnaire that was distributed. Data was then analysed utilising thematic content analysis. The findings suggested that primary school teachers experienced a higher incidence of verbal aggression viz. back chatting and swearing than physical aggression. Although this study did not show a trend towards physical violence targeted at teachers, it was found that teachers were still affected. The effects varied, for e.g. poor performance in the classroom, fear for safety, a rethink of careers and so on. The use of ecological systems theory (helped conclude that violent behaviour from young learners was as a result of the interplay between individual, familial, school, community, and societal factors. Inter-sectoral collaboration was found to be an essential intervention strategy as a way forward. Involvement and the collaborative action of parents, community, school management, and Department of Education was outlined as a strategy to curb violence against teachers and thus, affect change with regards to the behaviour and attitude of learners towards their teachers. In addition, implementing skills training within classrooms would prove to be an effective strategy that would enable both teacher and learner to react to possible threatening situations in the appropriate manner.