PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF FOUNDATION PHASE TEACHERS IN IDENTIFYING LEARNERS WITH LEARNING BARRIERS AT PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

"South African Department of Education like other countries adopted an inclusive education and Training System Policy in 2001 to improve access to quality education for vulnerable learners and those who experience learning barriers. Training and Professional Development programmes were offered to teachers. Policies and guidelines were reformed to determine how support could be appropriately implemented in schools. The training programmes were perceived as the opportunity for teachers to improve their teaching skills, knowledge, and competences in identifying learners with learning barriers in an inclusive classroom. Although policies were reformed and teachers’ received training, teachers still lack experience challenges in identifying learners with learning barriers in an inclusive classroom. Research shows that many professional development programs have failed to improve teaching practice (Birman, Desimone, Porter and Garet, 2000; Newmann, King, and Youngs, 2001; Armour and Yelling, 2004; Hofman and Dijkstra, 2010). The aim of the study is to explore how teacher training and Professional development can be improved in identifying learners with learning barriers in South African primary schools. Twenty-eight participants (N=28) were purposefully selected from four South African rural primary schools. A qualitative interpretive approach was adopted, and data were gathered through four focus group interviews with twenty Foundation Phase teachers (five from each school) and eight individual face-to face interviews with four support teachers and four subject advisors. Data were thematically analysed as suggested by (Babbie and Mouton, Leedy and Ormrod, 2015). Result demonstrated that training and professional development programmes were not effective due to the following aspects: the training focused mostly on reading not the identification of learners and teachers experience challenges in identifying learners with learning barriers in an inclusive classroom. Reports also indicate that teachers lack proper skills and knowledge to implement evidence-based inclusive teaching strategies and practices for facilitating the success and participation of all learners within the inclusive classroom. (Awad, 2016; Ghoneim 2014; Alkhateeb et. al., 2016). Due to ineffective of the training, the current study suggests rethinking of a new strategy for improving teachers training to meet the needs of the teachers and improve learners’ performance."