Teaching learners with learning difficulties in mainstream primary schools: the educators' sense of coherence

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Date
2010-05
Authors
Jacobs, Meagan
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University of the Free State
Abstract
English: South Africa’s education system has undergone dramatic changes the last ten years resulting in an increase in the levels of stress reported by educators. Changes, such as the introduction of Inclusive and Outcomes Based Education as well as the new culture of human rights in schools, created extra responsibilities for educators. Today, educators don’t just have to adjust to these changes, but also have to deal with the rise in behavioural problems displayed by learners. This study attempted to explore the experience of educators teaching students with learning difficulties in the mainstream classroom. The purpose of this study was to obtain an understanding of these educators’ sense of coherence by exploring and describing the everyday challenges educators’ face. The coping resources and the coping strategies used by these educators in dealing with these challenges were also described. A mixed-method approach was used which allowed the researcher to combine the strengths of both qualitative and quantitative research. The Sense of Coherence Scale was administered to educators teaching learners with learning difficulties in primary schools in a metropolitan area in the Free State Province. Educators who scored high on the sense of coherence questionnaire were included in a qualitative part of the study. Five female educators, scoring high on the Sense of Coherence Scale, were purposively selected for inclusion in the qualitative part of the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and the interview transcripts analyzed by means of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis The findings of the study suggest that educators experience high levels of stress from various environments, which include the school environment and aspects in their personal lives. Several support mechanisms were also identified, which included spouses, colleagues and friends. Religion was found to play a major role in the comprehensibility, controllability and meaning that educators attached to their classroom situation.
Afrikaans: Suid-Afrika se onderwysstelsel het die afgelope tien jaar dramatiese veranderinge ondergaan, met ’n gevolglike toename in die stresvlakke wat deur opvoeders gerapporteer word. Veranderinge soos die bekendstelling van Inklusiewe en Uitkoms-gebaseerde Onderwys, asook die nuwe kultuur van menseregte in skole, het ekstra verantwoordelikhede vir opvoeders meegebring. Opvoerders moet vandag nie net meer by hierdie veranderinge aanpas nie, maar moet ook die toename in gedragsprobleme wat deur leerders openbaar word, hanteer. Hierdie studie het gepoog om die ervaring van opvoeders wat studente met leerprobleme in die hoofstroomklaskamer onderrig, te ondersoek. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ’n begrip van hierdie opvoeders se sin vir koherensie te verkry deur die daaglikse uitdagings waarvoor opvoeders te staan kom, te ondersoek en te beskryf. Die hanteringshulpbronne en -strategieë wat deur hierdie opvoeders gebruik word, is ook beskryf. ’n Gemengdemetodebenadering is gebruik wat die navorser in staat gestel het om die sterktes van sowel kwalitatiewe as kwantitatiewe navorsing te kombineer. Die Sin van Koherensie-skaal is toegepas op opvoeders wat leerders met leerprobleme in primêre skole in ’n metropolitaanse gebied in die Vrystaat Provinsie onderrig. Opvoeders wat hoog op die Sin van Koherensie-vraelys toets, is ingesluit in die kwalitatiewe deel van die studie. Vyf vroulike opvoeders wat hoog op die Sin van Koherensie-skaal getoets het, is doelbewus vir insluiting in hierdie studie gekies. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer en die transkripsies van die onderhoude is by wyse van ’n Interpretatiewe-Fenomenologiese Analise geanaliseer . Hierdie studie het bevind dat opvoeders hoë vlakke van stres vanuit verskillende omgewings ervaar, wat die skoolomgewing en aspekte in hulle persoonlike lewe insluit. Verskeie ondersteuningsmeganismes is ook geïdentifiseer, insluitend eggenotes, kollegas en vriende. Daar is bevind dat godsdiens ’n belangrike rol speel in die begrip en beheerbaarheid van, en betekenis wat opvoeders aan hulle klaskamersituasie heg.
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Dissertation (M.Soc.Sc. (Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2010, Teachers -- Job stress, Education, Primary -- Study and teaching, Teachers -- Psychological aspects, Sense of coherence, Phenomenology, Mainstream classes, Learning difficulties, Interpretative phenomenological analysis, Coping strategies
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