8 research outputs found
Teachers’ experiences on teaching learners with visual impairment in Lesotho inclusive classrooms
No full textDissertation (M.Ed.(Psychology of Education))--University of the Free State, 2024The study explores teachers' experiences of teaching learners with visual impairment in Lesotho-inclusive classrooms. Despite all the efforts done by the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho to include learners with visual impairment, teachers seemed to experience challenges in teaching these learners. Although teachers are seen as the primary implementers of inclusive education, it is presumed that teachers' self-efficacy is critical in accepting inclusive education. Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory (1977) was used as the framework to understand the objectives of the study. The qualitative research approach was used to determine teachers' experience who educate learners with visual impairment. A phenomenological research design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants with the intention that the people who will be interviewed will have experience teaching learners with visual impairment. Four teachers who teach learners with visual impairment were interviewed from two high schools in Maseru Lesotho, two from each school. Content analysis was used to analyse data.
The findings revealed a lack of braille textbooks and other assistive devices like voice recorders and Perkins Braillers that assist learners with visual impairment in learning effectively in the classroom. The study also showed that visual-impaired learners require extra time to understand the content. The study recommends that learners with visual impairment be provided with assistive devices because their learning becomes difficult without them, and the environment should accommodate learners with visual impairment
A programme for facilitating effective leadership for inclusive schooling
No full textInclusive education in South Africa is no longer a matter of choice because it has reached its implementation phase. Inclusive education aims to improve the total education system by providing quality education for all learners - including disabled learners and those who experience barriers to learning due to other reasons.
In this study, the researcher investigated leadership knowledge and skills that are of crucial importance when trying to implement inclusive schooling effectively. The researcher employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to investigate the following problem statement: what knowledge and skills are essential for school managers to implement inclusive education effectively?
The literature revealed that efficient leadership remains one of the most important indicators of successful inclusive education implementation. Leaders (in this study represented by School Management Teams) should be democratic change agents who lead from the front in terms of selling a vision, obtaining resources, adapting standard operating procedures, monitoring the progress made and handling conflict arising from inclusion. The Index for Inclusion was explored and eventually utilized as the basis of the empirical study through questionnaires: leaders should create an inclusive culture, produce inclusive policies and lead the evolvement of inclusive practices.
In the empirical study the indicators of the Index for Inclusion were utilized to ascertain the opinions of School Management Teams and educators with regards to the knowledge and skills of school leaders within an inclusive environment. It became apparent that, on the whole, respondents are well aware of most of the leadership issues to ensure effective inclusive education implementation, but that many issues have not been addressed sufficiently in practice.
In the light of these findings, a programme framework for facilitating effective leadership for inclusive schooling was developed. The programme framework consists of seven modules and is based on the three dimensions of the Index for Inclusion. It is foreseen that this programme framework will contribute substantially to the effective implementation of inclusive education in South African schools, by empowering school leaders
Teaching learners with learning disabilities in inclusive classrooms: Challenges and possible solutions
No full textIn 2001, the government of Lesotho increased access to schooling for all learners by incrementally eliminating school fees in primary schools. As a result, the admission of children with learning disabilities (LD) in primary schools also increased. Despite these important gains in the restructuring of the education system towards full inclusion during the past two decades, the national policy on teacher training and implementation and school- and classroom-based challenges, remain. Data for this qualitative study were generated through meetings with two groups of participants (Grade 1 teachers). Free-attitude interviews were also conducted in the meetings to conduct an in-depth investigation in the study and the generated data were analysed using conversation analysis. The study concludes that all identified challenges are surmountable and therefore require careful planning, dedicated effort and financial assistance to enable teachers to act as a driving force for inclusive schooling
Utilizing Dimensions of Critical Literacy to Improve Active Learning in Teaching English Novels in Lesotho
No full textEnglish is the language of learning and teaching in many countries, as in Lesotho. This language has a curriculum, and one of its components includes reading English novels. Although English is accorded this prestigious status in Lesotho secondary schools, minimal effort has been made to address the improvement of learners’ reading skills of English novels. With this in mind, this theoretical paper focused on teachers’ use of Critical Literacy (CL) by highlighting some literature perspectives on traditional banking education and CL, the emerging relationship between CL and Active Learning (AL), and the dimensions of CL as enhancers. The methodology used in this article is derived from the experiences of the authors and three English teachers in Lesotho schools related to the dimensions of CL in the teaching of English novels (EN). The study concluded that CL should be re-visited and recognized to enable teachers to act as the driving force in teaching EN
Educators’ Views on Management Practices in the Implementation of Inclusive Education: An Ecosystemic Approach
No full textTeaching strategy: The key to supporting learners with autism spectrum disorders’ well-being in Lesotho mainstream schools
No full textImproving the well-being of learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Lesotho public regular classrooms can be challenging. It may require different teaching strategies or additional support from self-efficacious teachers. This paper aimed to dissect the teaching strategy concept concerning supporting the well-being of learners with autism spectrum disorder in mainstream primary schools in Maseru District within the context of Lesotho. Fourteen participants, including two principals, six teachers and six parents of learners with ASD from two mainstream primary schools in Lesotho, were purposively chosen. Semi-structured individual interviews and observations were employed to generate in-depth data. The data were then analysed thematically. The paper adopted Bandura’s (1986) Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) as the framework for the research design. Overall, participants consider teaching strategies necessary for promoting learners’ holistic well-being, developing intrapersonal strength, promoting learner self-regulation, and increasing learner motivation. Conclusions are made that teachers in mainstream classrooms understand that teaching strategy is a crucial element for bringing desirable changes in the behaviour of learners with ASD. However, they are not well-capacitated to implement these strategies for supporting learners with ASD. It was further recommended that the teachers enhance more differentiated teaching and/or learning strategies and approaches to promote the teaching to keep learners with ASD engaged and learning different skill sets, as these would yield positive results
Pondering Collaborative School Board Roles in Alleviating Dropout among Learners with Physical Disabilities in Schools
No full textThe present paper explores collaborative school board roles in alleviating dropout among Children with Physical Disabilities (CwPDs) in primary schools in Lesotho. An interpretive approach with a qualitative case study design provided insight into how school board members interpret and understand their roles and responsibilities and shed light on school boards' strategies to alleviate dropout of CwPDs. In-depth individual interviews were conducted to obtain rich and accurate data from 10 participants from two purposively selected mainstream primary schools. Bronfenbrenners' bio-ecological systems theory and Telford's collaborative leadership theory were used in the study. Through a process of thematic analysis, apparent themes emerged. Findings reveal that many school board members lack the necessary knowledge and skills to address the needs of CwPDs. The research concludes that CwPDs drop out of school because of poor infrastructure, ineffective collaboration, and unclear school policies. It is recommended that through forging collaboration between school board members and other role players, a transformation of policies, in-service training for school boards, and raising disability awareness and dropout among CwPDs can be better alleviated
Collaboration: The Key for Creating Conditions Conducive to Academic Performance of Children with Physical Disabilities in Lesotho Schools
No full textCreating a positive and conducive learning environment for learners, particularly for children with physical disabilities (CwPDs) and other vulnerable children, is a major call for collaborative school boards, and this is evident in the education policies and conceptual frameworks nationally and internationally. This study explores the collaborative school board members’ creation of conditions conducive to the academic performance of children with physical disabilities in primary schools in Lesotho. A qualitative approach and interpretive paradigm were adopted for this study through a case study design. Ten participants were selected purposively from two primary schools in the Maseru district, and semi-structured individual interviews for data collection. The findings further revealed that CwPDs become more engaged within a supportive learning environment when school boards respect and appreciate their responses. Findings also revealed the challenges in creating a conducive learning environment for CwPDs, such as overcrowded classrooms, lack of collaboration between teachers and school boards, lack of mobile clinics for everyday referral, and inappropriate resources for learners’ type of disability. This study recommended the Ministry of Education and Training provide ongoing professional development training for new school boards to employ collaborative leadership strategies and skills that increase student engagement and, ultimately, improve the academic achievement of CwPDs in primary school
