Enabling environments that South African teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms: A case study on the Limpopo Province
With this article, we investigate how primary school teachers create enabling environments to accommodate diversity in their classrooms. In the study reported on here, we used the qualitative research approach and a case study research design was adopted. Five primary school teachers were recruited...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Education Association of South Africa
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | South African Journal of Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/article/view/2077/1229 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1839648905915006976 |
|---|---|
| author | RB Mabasa-Manganyi JM Mamabolo MD Sepadi F Kgopa SM Ndlhovu M Themane |
| author_facet | RB Mabasa-Manganyi JM Mamabolo MD Sepadi F Kgopa SM Ndlhovu M Themane |
| author_sort | RB Mabasa-Manganyi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With this article, we investigate how primary school teachers create enabling environments to accommodate diversity in their classrooms. In the study reported on here, we used the qualitative research approach and a case study research design was adopted. Five primary school teachers were recruited through purposive sampling to participate in the study. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire. We employed pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (Shulman,1986) as a theoretical lens to make sense of the findings. Four findings emerged from the analysis of the data. Firstly, teachers were knowledgeable about the legislation, policies and guidelines about inclusive education to leverage their efforts to create enabling environments to accommodate diversity in their classrooms. Secondly, teachers’ understanding of inclusive education was still entrapped in the medical model, and not in the social model. According to the medical model of disability people are regarded as disabled by their impairments or differences while according to the social model disability is caused by the way in which society is organised. Thirdly, teachers showed an understanding on how to use the principle of differentiation to accommodate diversity in their classrooms. Fourthly, teachers used their social capital to manage diversity in their classrooms. These findings have at least 3 implications. One, policymakers need to take teachers into consideration when they develop policies for inclusive education. Two, there is a need to empower teachers with a better understanding of what inclusive education is. Three, there is a need for parents, teachers and other stakeholders to collaborate in accommodating diversity in schools. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c1b0f1c7ddd0478c998034480d58e2f2 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 0256-0100 2076-3433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Education Association of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-c1b0f1c7ddd0478c998034480d58e2f22025-06-28T02:37:34ZengEducation Association of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Education0256-01002076-34332022-11-0142411010.15700/saje.v42n4a2077Enabling environments that South African teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms: A case study on the Limpopo ProvinceRB Mabasa-Manganyi0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1374-6621JM Mamabolo1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2095-2821MD Sepadi 2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7537-5566F Kgopa3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7576-357XSM Ndlhovu4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3347-5769M Themane5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2097-8538Department of Education Studies, School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South AfricaDepartment of Education Studies, School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South AfricaDepartment of Education Studies, School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South AfricaDepartment of Education Studies, School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South AfricaDepartment of Education Studies, School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South AfricaDepartment of Education Studies, School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South AfricaWith this article, we investigate how primary school teachers create enabling environments to accommodate diversity in their classrooms. In the study reported on here, we used the qualitative research approach and a case study research design was adopted. Five primary school teachers were recruited through purposive sampling to participate in the study. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire. We employed pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (Shulman,1986) as a theoretical lens to make sense of the findings. Four findings emerged from the analysis of the data. Firstly, teachers were knowledgeable about the legislation, policies and guidelines about inclusive education to leverage their efforts to create enabling environments to accommodate diversity in their classrooms. Secondly, teachers’ understanding of inclusive education was still entrapped in the medical model, and not in the social model. According to the medical model of disability people are regarded as disabled by their impairments or differences while according to the social model disability is caused by the way in which society is organised. Thirdly, teachers showed an understanding on how to use the principle of differentiation to accommodate diversity in their classrooms. Fourthly, teachers used their social capital to manage diversity in their classrooms. These findings have at least 3 implications. One, policymakers need to take teachers into consideration when they develop policies for inclusive education. Two, there is a need to empower teachers with a better understanding of what inclusive education is. Three, there is a need for parents, teachers and other stakeholders to collaborate in accommodating diversity in schools.http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/article/view/2077/1229accommodatediversityenabling environmentslearnersteachersteaching |
| spellingShingle | RB Mabasa-Manganyi JM Mamabolo MD Sepadi F Kgopa SM Ndlhovu M Themane Enabling environments that South African teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms: A case study on the Limpopo Province South African Journal of Education accommodate diversity enabling environments learners teachers teaching |
| title | Enabling environments that South African teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms: A case study on the Limpopo Province |
| title_full | Enabling environments that South African teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms: A case study on the Limpopo Province |
| title_fullStr | Enabling environments that South African teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms: A case study on the Limpopo Province |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enabling environments that South African teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms: A case study on the Limpopo Province |
| title_short | Enabling environments that South African teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms: A case study on the Limpopo Province |
| title_sort | enabling environments that south african teachers create to accommodate diversity in their classrooms a case study on the limpopo province |
| topic | accommodate diversity enabling environments learners teachers teaching |
| url | http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/article/view/2077/1229 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rbmabasamanganyi enablingenvironmentsthatsouthafricanteacherscreatetoaccommodatediversityintheirclassroomsacasestudyonthelimpopoprovince AT jmmamabolo enablingenvironmentsthatsouthafricanteacherscreatetoaccommodatediversityintheirclassroomsacasestudyonthelimpopoprovince AT mdsepadi enablingenvironmentsthatsouthafricanteacherscreatetoaccommodatediversityintheirclassroomsacasestudyonthelimpopoprovince AT fkgopa enablingenvironmentsthatsouthafricanteacherscreatetoaccommodatediversityintheirclassroomsacasestudyonthelimpopoprovince AT smndlhovu enablingenvironmentsthatsouthafricanteacherscreatetoaccommodatediversityintheirclassroomsacasestudyonthelimpopoprovince AT mthemane enablingenvironmentsthatsouthafricanteacherscreatetoaccommodatediversityintheirclassroomsacasestudyonthelimpopoprovince |