Enhancing teachers’ skills to improve academic performance among learners with visual impairment: a case of selected primary schools in Maseru, Lesotho

Abstract

Studies het getoon dat leerders met visuele gestremdhede dikwels beduidende uitdagings ervaar om toegang tot opvoedkundige materiaal te verkry, aan klaskameraktiwiteite deel te neem en die nodige aanpassings te ontvang wat hul vermoë om hoë akademiese prestasie te behaal kan belemmer. Lesotho Onderwys en die Lesotho-beleidsrigting vir inklusiewe onderwys, in ooreenstemming met die Salamanca-verklaring, erken dat die onderwysstelsel meer inklusief en ondersteunend moet wees en leerders in die primêre hoofstroom omgewing moet bevoordeel, ongeag hul gestremdhede. Onderwysers vind dit egter moeilik om die onderrig- en leeromgewing suksesvol te hanteer om die akademiese omgewing vir leerders met visuele gestremdhede te verbeter. Hierdie studie het ten doel om ondersoek in te stel op watter wyse onderwysers se vaardighede verbeter kan word om akademiese prestasie onder leerders met visuele gestremdhede in primêre skole in die Maseru-distrik te bevorder, nieteenstaande die pogings wat deur die Ministerie van Onderwys en Opleiding aangewend is om onderwys gratis en verpligtend vir primêre leerders te maak, ongeag hul gestremdhede. Baie onderwysers het nog nie baat gevind by die opleiding om leerders met uiteenlopende behoeftes te onderrig nie, wat hul selfdoeltreffendheid in die onderrig van leerders met visuele gestremdhede verminder het. Ten spyte van die verskeie stappe wat die Ministerie van Onderwys en Opleiding geneem het om voorsiening te maak vir die bekendstelling van gratis en verpligte primêre onderwys op alle ander vlakke van geleerdheid, ervaar leerders met visuele gestremdhede steeds uitdagings en benodig hul aandag en ondersteuning van hul onderwysers in die hoofstroom leeromgewing. In hierdie verband dra die onderwysers se gebrek aan relevante vaardighede by tot onvoldoende ondersteuning vir leerders met visuele gestremdhede. Dit bewys dat onderwysers psigologies en akademies onvoorbereid is om leerders met visuele gestremdhede in hul klaskamers te onderrig en het tot gevolg dat die leerders se sosio-ekonomiese en leerprestasie beïnvloed word. Daar word beklemtoon dat onderwysers met hoë selfdoeltreffendheid leerders se selfdoeltreffendheid, motivering en akademiese prestasies verbeter. Onderwysers speel dus ’n sleutelrol in die verhoging van leerders se akademiese prestasies deurdat hul toepaslike vaardighede en hulpbronne aanwend om leerders met visuele gestremdhede te leer. In hierdie studie word Bandura se teorie van waargenome selfdoeltreffendheid gebruik om onderwysers se vaardighede te verbeter en akademiese prestasie onder leerders met visuele gestremdhede in primêre skole te bevorder. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering is gevolg deur middel van ’n gevallestudie-ontwerp en die interpretatiewe paradigma is aangewend. Twaalf deelnemers is doelbewus uit twee skole (skool A en skool B) gekies, met ses deelnemers per skool. Die studie het van fokusgroepbesprekings, telefoniese onderhoude en niedeelnemende observasie as metodes vir dataversameling gebruik gemaak. ’n Tematiese analise is gebruik om die kwalitatiewe data te ontleed. Die bevindinge het getoon dat swak akademiese prestasie onder leerders met visuele gestremdhede beïnvloed word deur verskeie faktore, naamlik ’n gebrek aan onderwysersvaardighede, ouerondersteuning en inhoudskennis om leerders met visuele gestremdhede te onderrig; onvoldoende onderwyservergoeding, onervare onderwysers, ’n rigiede kurrikulum, ontoereikende assesseringsinstrumente, ’n beperkende leeromgewing en ’n kurrikulum wat nie voorsiening maak vir leerders met visuele gestremdhede nie. Daar is ook ’n tekort aan relevante hulpbronne, soos Braille-lees en -skryf, vir leerders met visuele gestremdhede. Die behoefte om onderwysers deur hul salarisse te vergoed as waardering vir hul werkslading in die hoofstroom, is ook uitgelig. Uit hierdie studie se bevindinge word aanbeveel dat die regering van Lesotho (deur die Ministerie van Onderwys en Opleiding) die Eenheid vir Spesiale Onderwys moet versterk om gereed te wees om deurlopende opleiding te implementeer en om onderwysers toe te rus met relevante vaardighede om die akademiese prestasie van leerders met visuele gestremdhede te verhoog.

Studies have shown that learners with visual impairment often face significant challenges in accessing educational material, participating in classroom activities, and receiving the necessary accommodations, which can impede them from attaining high academic performance. The Lesotho Education and The Lesotho Inclusive Education Policy, in line with the Salamanca Statement, acknowledged that the education system should be more inclusive and supportive and benefit learners in the primary mainstream setting, irrespective of their disabilities. However, teachers find it challenging to successfully handle the teaching and learning environment to improve the LVI academic environment. The study aims to explore how teachers’ skills can be enhanced in improving academic performance among Learners with Visual Impairment (LVI) in primary schools in the Maseru district, regardless of the efforts utilized by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) to make education free and Compulsory for primary learners irrespective of their disabilities. Many teachers had not yet benefited from being trained to teach learners with diverse needs, which reduced teachers’ self-efficacy in teaching Learners with Visual Impairment. Despite the various steps the Ministry of Education and Training had taken to make provisions for introducing Free and Compulsory Primary Education to all other levels of learning. LVI still faced challenges in learning and needed attention and support from their teachers in mainstream teaching and learning. In this regard, lacking teachers’ relevant skills contributes to insufficient delivery to provide LVI with the appropriate support they need. This proved that teachers were psychologically and academically unprepared to teach LVI in their classrooms, affecting their socio-economic and learning performance. It is highlighted that teachers with high self-efficacy improve learners’ self-efficacy, motivation, and academic achievements. Therefore, teachers play a vital role in improving learners’ academic performance because they apply appropriate skills and resources to teach LVI.

This study used Bandura’s Perceived Self-efficacy theory to enhance teachers’ skills and improve academic performance among LVI in primary schools. It adopted a qualitative research approach through the case study design. It employed the interpretive paradigm. Twelve participants were purposively selected in this study from two schools (School A and School B) were equally constituted of six participants. This study employed Focus Group Discussions, telephonic interviews, and non-participatory observation methods for data collection. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The findings showed that underperforming of LVI is some of the factors affecting their academic performance, including lack of teachers’ skills, lack of content knowledge to teach LVI, lack of parental support, remuneration of teachers, Inexpert teachers, rigid curriculum, assessment tools, constraining learning environment the rigid curriculum that does not cater for LVI, lack of relevant resources for LVI such as Braille reading and writing, lack of parental involvement, remunerating teachers’ salaries to show appreciation on the workload in the mainstream. The study recommended that the government of Lesotho, through MoET, should improve on the Special Education Unit to be ready to implement continuous training and equip teachers with relevant skills to improve academic performance of learners with visual impairment programs.

Ucwaningo luye lwabonisa ukuthi abafundi abanenkinga yokubona bavame ukubhekana nezinselele ezinkulu ekufinyeleleni izinto zokufunda, ukubamba iqhaza emisebenzini yasekilasini, kanye nokuthola indawo yokuhlala edingekayo, okungabathiya ekutholeni ukusebenza kahle kwezemfundo. I-Lesotho Education and The Lesotho Inclusive Education Policy, ngokuhambisana neSitatimende se-Salamanca, yavuma ukuthi uhlelo lwezemfundo kufanele lubandakanye kakhudlwana futhi lusekele futhi luhlomulise abafundi esimweni esivamile, kungakhathaliseki ukukhubazeka kwabo. Nokho, othisha bakuthola kuyinselele ukuphatha ngempumelelo indawo yokufundisa nokufunda ukuze kuthuthukiswe indawo yokufunda ye-LVI. Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuhlola ukuthi amakhono othisha angathuthukiswa kanjani ekuthuthukiseni ukusebenza kahle kwezemfundo kubafundi abanokukhubazeka okubonakalayo (LVI) ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi esifundeni saseMaseru, ngaphandle kwemizamo esetshenziswa uMnyango wezeMfundo Nokuqeqesha (i-MoET) ukwenza imfundo ibe mahhala futhi eyimpoqo kubafundi bamabanga aphansi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bakhubazekile. Othisha abaningi bebengakahlomuli ngokuqeqeshelwa ukufundisa abafundi abanezidingo ezehlukene, okwenze othisha bakwazi ukuzimela ekufundiseni aBafundi abanokuKhubazeka Ekuboneni. Ngaphezu kwezinyathelo ezehlukene uMnyango Wezemfundo Nokuqeqesha ozithathile ukuze wenze izinhlinzeko zokwethula Imfundo Yamabanga Aphansi Yamahhala Neyimpoqo kuwo wonke amanye amazinga okufunda, I-LVI isabhekene nezinselelo ekufundeni futhi idinga ukunakwa nokusekelwa kothisha babo ekufundiseni nasekufundeni okujwayelekile. Mayelana nalokhu, ukuntula amakhono afanele othisha kunomthelela ekulethweni okwanele ukuze kuhlinzekwe i-LVI ngosizo olufanele oludingayo. Lokhu kwafakazela ukuthi othisha babengakulungele ngokwengqondo nangokwezemfundo ukufundisa i-LVI emakilasini abo, okuthinta ukusebenza kwabo kwezenhlalo-mnotho nokufunda. Kuyagqanyiswa ukuthi othisha abanekhono eliphezulu bathuthukisa ukusebenza kahle kwabafundi, ugqozi, kanye nempumelelo ezifundweni zabo. Ngakho-ke, othisha badlala indima ebalulekile ekuthuthukiseni ukusebenza kwabafundi ezifundweni zabo ngoba basebenzisa amakhono afanelekile nezinsiza ukufundisa i-LVI. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise injulalwazi kaBandura Ukubona Ukuzimela (Perceived Self-efficacy) ukuze kuthuthukiswe amakhono othisha futhi kuthuthukiswe ukusebenza kahle kwezemfundo phakathi kwe-LVI ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi. Yamukela indlela yocwaningo lwekhwalithethivu ngokusebenzisa i-case study design. Isebenzise ipharadayimu yokutolika. Abahlanganyeli abayishumi nambili bakhethwe ngenhloso kulolu cwaningo ezikoleni ezimbili (Isikole A kanye neSikole B) zakhiwe ngokulinganayo abahlanganyeli abayisithupha. Lolu cwaningo lusebenzise Izingxoxo Zeqembu Eligxilile, izingxoxo zocingo, nezindlela zokubheka ezingahlanganyeli zokuqoqa idatha. Ukuhlaziywa kwengqikithi kusetshenziswe ukuhlaziya idatha yekhwalithethivu. Imiphumela yabonisa ukuthi ukungenzi kahle kwe-LVI ngezinye zezinto ezithinta ukusebenza kwabo ezifundweni, okuhlanganisa ukuntula kwamakhono othisha, ukungabi nolwazi lokuqukethwe kokufundisa i-LVI, ukuntula ukwesekwa kwabazali, ukukhokhelwa kothisha, othisha abangenalwazi, uhlelo lokufunda oluqinile, amathuluzi okuhlola, ukucindezela indawo yokufunda ikharikhulamu eqinile engayikhambi i-LVI, ukuntuleka kwezinsiza ezifanele ze-LVI njengokufunda nokubhala i-Braille, ukuntula ukubamba iqhaza kwabazali, ukukhokhela amaholo othisha ukukhombisa ukwazisa ngomthwalo womsebenzi ku-mainstream. Ucwaningo luphakamise ukuthi uhulumeni waseLesotho, ngokusebenzisa i-MoET, kufanele enze ngcono uPhiko Lwezemfundo Eyisipesheli ukuze lulungele ukusebenzisa ukuqeqeshwa okuqhubekayo futhi luhlomise othisha ngamakhono afanele ukuze bathuthukise ukusebenza kahle kwezemfundo kwabafundi abanezinhlelo zokukhubazeka kokubona.

Diphuputso di bontshitse hore baithuti ba nang le bokowa ba pono hangata ba thulana le mathata a maholo a ho fumana boitsebiso ba thuto, ho kenya letsoho mesebetsing ya ka tlelaseng le ho fumana ditlhophiso tse hlokahalang, e leng se ka ba sitisang ho fihlela katleho e phahameng dithutong. Thuto ya Lesotho le Leano la Thuto e Akaretsang ya Lesotho, tumellanong le Phatlalatso ya Salamanca, di amohetse hore tsamaiso ya thuto e lokela ho ba e akaretsang haholwanyane le e tshehetsang le ho tswela baithuti molemo maemong a motheo a pele, ho sa tsotelehe bokowa ba bona. Leha ho le jwalo, matitjhere a fumana ho le thata ho sebetsana ka katleho le tikoloho ya ho ruta le ho ithuta ho ntlafatsa tikoloho ya thuto ya LVI. Diphuputso tsena di reretswe ho hlahloba hore na tsebo ya matitjhere e ka ntlafatswa jwang ho ntlafatsa katleho ya thuto hara baithuti ba nang le Bokowa ba Pono (LVI) dikolong tsa mathomo seterekeng sa Maseru, ho sa tsotelehe boiteko bo sebediswang ke Lekala la Thuto le Kwetliso (MoET) ho etsa thuto e lokolohe le e tlamang bakeng sa baithuti ba mathomo ho sa tsotelehe bokowa ba bona. Matitjhere a mangata a ne a eso ka a rua molemo ka ho kwetlisetswa ho ruta baithuti ba nang le ditlhoko tse fapaneng, e leng se ileng sa fokotsa katleho ya matitjhere ho ruta Baithuti ba nang le Bokowa ba Pono. Ho sa tsotellehe mehato e sa tshwaneng eo Lekala la Thuto le Kwetliso le e nkileng ho etsa ditokisetso tsa ho kenyelletsa thuto ya mahala le e tlamang ya mathomo maemong ohle a ho ithuta. LVI e ne e ntse e thulana le mathata a ho ithuta mme e hloka tlhokomelo le tshehetso ya matitjhere a yona ho ruta le ho ithuta ka kakaretso. Ntlheng ena, ho haella ha matitjhere ditsebo tse loketseng ho tlatsetsa ho faneng ka ho sa lekaneng ho fana ka LVI ka tshehetso e loketseng eo ba e hlokang. Sena se ile sa paka hore matitjhere a ne a sa itokisetsa kelello le thuto ho ruta LVI ka diphaposing tsa bona tsa ho ithuta, e leng se ileng sa ama katleho ya bona ya moruo le ya thuto. Ho totobetse hore matitjhere a nang le katleho e phahameng ya boithuti a ntlafatsa katleho ya baithuti, tshusumetso le katleho ya thuto. Ka hona, matitjhere a bapala karolo ya bohlokwa ho ntlafatsa katleho ya barutwana ba thuto hobane ba sebedisa tsebo le disebediswa tse loketseng ho ruta LVI. Diphuputso tsena di sebedisitse kgopolo ya Bandura ya ho Ikutlwa e le ya Bohlokwa ho Ntlafatsa Tsebo ya Matitjhere le ho Ntlafatsa Tshebetso ya Thuto hara LVI dikolong tsa mathomo. E ile ya sebedisa mokgwa wa ho etsa dipatlisiso tsa boleng ka moralo wa diphuputso tse ikgethileng. E ne e sebedisa mokgwa wa ho hlalosa. Barupellwa ba leshome le metso e mmedi ba ile ba kgethwa ka boomo thutong ena ho tswa dikolong tse pedi (Sekolo sa A le Sekolo sa B) ba ne ba entswe ka karolo e lekanang ya barupellwa ba tsheletseng. Diphuputso tsena di sebedisitse Dipuisano tsa Dihlopha tsa ho Tsepamisa Maikutlo, dipuisano tsa thelefono le mekgwa ya ho shebella e sa ameheng bakeng sa pokello ya boitsebiso. Ho ile ha sebediswa tlhahlobo ya dihlooho ho hlahloba boitsebiso ba boleng. Diphuputso di bontshitse hore ho se sebetse hantle ha baithuti ba LVI ke tse ding tsa dintho tse amang katleho ya bona dithutong, ho kenyelletsa le ho haellwa ke ditsebo tsa matitjhere, ho haellwa ke tsebo ya ditaba tsa ho ruta LVI, ho haellwa ke tshehetso ya batswadi, moputso wa matitjhere, matitjhere a se nang boiphihlelo, kharikhulamo e thata, disebediswa tsa tlhahlobo, tikoloho ya ho ithuta e thibelang kharikhulamo e thata e sa sebetseng bakeng sa LVI, ho haellwa ke disebediswa tse loketseng LVI jwalo ka ho bala le ho ngola Braille, ho haellwa ke ho ba le seabo ha batswadi, ho putsa meputso ya matitjhere ho bontsha kananelo bakeng sa mosebetsi o tlwaelehileng. Diphuputso di kgothaleditse hore mmuso wa Lesotho, ka MoET, o lokela ho ntlafatsa Lefapha la Thuto e Kgethehileng hore le itokisetse ho kenya kwetliso e tswelang pele le ho fa matitjhere tsebo e hlokehang ho ntlafatsa katleho ya barutwana ba nang le mananeo a ho se bone hantle.