Browsing by Author "Stofile, Sindiswa"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Educators’ perceptions of barriers to learning in a Correctional Centre in the Western Cape region
    (University of Western Cape, 2020) Stamp, Nombulelo Margaret; Stofile, Sindiswa
    In South Africa and elsewhere all correctional centres offer educational programmes today with the aim of rehabilitating offenders by giving them the opportunity to further their studies and to develop vocational skills. However, reports show that the dropout rate is very high. This study thus explores educators’ perceptions of factors that hinder effective learning in South African correctional centres. It also examines barriers and probes strategies with the aim of finding out how deficiencies may be addressed. To this end the enquiry relied on a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with eleven individual educators.
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    Investigating a comparison of the factors influencing teachers’ attitudes toward inclusion of learners with specific learning disorder with the reading subtype and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in public ordinary schools
    (University of Western Cape, 2020) Ahmed, Wardah; Stofile, Sindiswa
    Inclusive education is practised globally as well as in South Africa and is researched widely. South Africa’s policy document, Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Training system was implemented in 2001. This policy is grounded in human rights and strives to promote the rights of children who have disabilities by including them in mainstream schools. The attitudes that teachers have toward the inclusion of learners with disabilities influence the success of the implementation of this policy as teachers are at the forefront of implementing it
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    Investigating the challenges facing Itinerant Learning Support Educators (ilse) in the context of inclusive education in the Metro South Education District
    (University of the Western Cape, 2010) Arendse, Agnetha; Stofile, Sindiswa; Dept. of Comparative Education; Faculty of Education
    The study aims to understand the challenges facing the Itinerant Learning Support Educators in an Inclusive Education framework. At the onset of the study there were very limited research studies and literature available on the challenges facing Itinerant Learning Support Educators hence literature in the study drew on the development and history of Special Education towards a global shift with regard to Inclusive Education policy development. As such the literature was utilized to understand how global phenomena and policies in developed countries impact on local policy transformation and contexts. The study followed a qualitative research approach to explore the challenges facing Itinerant Learning Support Educators in performing their functions. To gain an in depth understanding of their perceptions a case study method was followed and data collection techniques included focus group interviews. The sample in this study comprised of 14 Itinerant Learning Support Educators. The data was analyzed using a thematic approach. The findings of this study highlighted that despite a shift towards Inclusive Education in South Africa, Itinerant Learning Support Educators found themselves challenged by a range of contextual issues that impacted on the effective delivery of inclusive principles and practices. The study recommends that the Department of Education should take cognisance of these challenges, review the job description of Itinerant Learning Support Educators and put clear guidelines and support structures in place to support them in functioning optimally within an Inclusive Education paradigm.
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    An investigation of the challenges of implementing inclusive education in one Khayelitsha mainstream school
    (University of the Western Cape, 2007) Matela, Lineo Jane; Stofile, Sindiswa; Faculty of Education
    This study investigated the challenges of implementing inclusive education in one Khayelitsha mainstream school. The key objectives of this study were to determine which aspects of implementation have worked well in the school and which have not, while exploring the underlying reasons in each case.
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    Learners’ experiences of learning support in selected Western Cape schools
    (Education Association of South Africa, 2014) Bojuwoye, Olaniyi; Moletsane, Mokgadi; Stofile, Sindiswa
    The study explored Western Cape primary and secondary school learners’ experiences regarding the provision and utilization of support services for improving learning. A qualitative interpretive approach was adopted and data gathered through focus group interviews involving 90 learners. Results revealed that learners received and utilized various forms of learning support from their schools, teachers, and peers. The learning support assisted in meeting learners’ academic, social and emotional needs by addressing barriers to learning, creating conducive learning environments, enhancing learners’ self-esteem and improving learners’ academic performance.
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    Signposting foundation phase teachers’ professional identities in selected Western Cape primary schools, South Africa
    (Education Association South Africa, 2018) Nomlomo, Vuyokazi; Stofile, Sindiswa; Sivasubramaniam, Sivakumar
    The aim of this article is to report on the Foundation Phase (FP) teachers’ professional identities in two primary schools in the Western Cape. This is meant to serve as a basis for understanding teachers’ identities with regard to their teaching experience, qualifications, specialised knowledge base, and ongoing professional development. The article is based on data collected by means of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with the FP teachers in two township schools where isiXhosa is used as the medium of instruction in the Foundation Phase (Grades R to Three). We argue that while teacher identity research has received attention across the globe in the past four decades, little is known about the implications of teacher professional identity for literacy teaching in South African classrooms, especially where an African language is used as a language of learning and teaching. Our findings reveal the pluricentric nature of the FP teachers’ qualifications and backgrounds. We conclude that FP teachers’ professional identity (TPI) cannot be conceptualised in a simplistic and unidimensional way, but can be viewed as an intersectional construct that impacts on literacy instructional practices.