South African Journal of Childhood Education最新文献

{"title":"Development and validation of a teacher awareness questionnaire about dyslexia","authors":"Franca O. Okechukwu, Philip C. Mefoh, Uju I. Nubia, Ezinne J. Nwauzoije, Chidiogo L. Umennuihe, Chibundo A. Nwobi, Kalu T. Ogba, Moses E. Chukweze, Joseph C. Aliche, Ezeda K. Ogbonnaya, Dorathy N. Okoli, Clara C. Onyekachi, Stephen Abang, Esther Epistle, Chioma Nnorodi, Chidera V. Obi","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v13i1.1228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v13i1.1228","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects children of school-going age and exists in all cultures and backgrounds. Dyslexic children are deficient in phonological awareness, which makes the children to fail to attain the skills of reading, writing and spelling commensurate with their intellectual abilities. Inadequate knowledge about the nature of dyslexia by primary school teachers results in poor categorisation of at-risk children. Aim: This study sought to achieve two objectives. The first was to develop and validate the Teachers Awareness Questionnaire (TAQ), while the second goal was to use the validated TAQ to assess primary school teachers’ level of awareness about dyslexia. Setting: Primary school teachers in Nsukka and nearby rural communities filled the TAQ and the Scale of Knowledge and belief about Developmental Dyslexia. Nsukka is called the university town and it is a slow-paced environment that is devoid of the usual hustle and bustle of most major towns in Nigeria. Methods: The cross-sectional design was employed to gather data for the measurement process. Data were analysed using bivariate correlations and descriptive statistics. Results: The TAQ has good internal consistency ( r = 0.77) and an adequate convergent validity ( r = 0.74, p < 0.01). Results also reveal that primary school teachers possessed low level of awareness about dyslexia. Conclusion: The study findings show that primary school teachers in Nigeria lack the requisite knowledge about dyslexia. The study suggests psycho-education for primary school teachers to empower them with information about the condition. Contribution: This study measured primary school teachers’ level of awareness about dyslexia. The results showed that primary school teachers’ awareness about dyslexia is poor, and this suggests that the use of labels (e.g., dullard) by some primary school teachers to describe their pupils may be incorrect. The study recommend to School Management Boards to take action to improve the teachers level of awareness about dyslexia, which would promote early identification of dyslexic pupils and possible intervention.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135201063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Foundation Phase teachers’ knowledge on common visual problems affecting children","authors":"Boitumelo M.L. Ramantsi, Tuwani A. Rasengane, Thuthukile Jita","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v13i1.1106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v13i1.1106","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Vision disorders are a public health problem as they cause a delay in academic progress and affect learners’ future career. Teachers spend most of the time with children at school and can help in the early identification and referral of children with visual problems. Aim: To evaluate the knowledge of Grade R to Grade 3 teachers on children’s visual problems before and after educating them on the different visual disorders that affect learners in the classroom. Setting: Low socio-economic status (Quintile 1) schools in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Methods: Convenience sampling was carried out to include Grade R to Grade 3 teachers from 11 Quintile 1 schools. In this quantitative study, two questionnaires with nine items each were administered to determine the teachers’ knowledge. A 45-min educational session on common vision disorders was presented by the researcher. The teachers were classified as having good knowledge if they obtained seven or more correct answers in each questionnaire. Results: Thirty-six female teachers participated in the study. Most of the participants (72.22%) were in the age group of 36 years and older, and 44.44% had been teaching for more than 10 years. Thirty-four participants (94.44%) obtained an overall score of seven and higher before the educational session, and all participants obtained a score of seven and higher after the educational session. There was a statistically significant difference ( p < 0.0001) between the scores of participants before and after the educational session. Conclusion: The Foundation Phase teachers had adequate knowledge about common visual problems. The educational session was beneficial as it enhanced the teachers’ knowledge.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136082374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A year of varied research in Childhood Education","authors":"E. Henning","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1278","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1278","url":null,"abstract":"No abstract available.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45499282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mathematics subject supervisors’ role in ensuring quality teaching in preprimary and primary schools","authors":"Martin C. Ekeh, S. Ramsaroop","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1220","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The need to examine mathematics subject supervisors’ roles in ensuring quality performance in mathematics learning is evident in the declining performance of learners in mathematics. This is attributed to various variables such as inadequate supervision, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate and obsolete resources, disillusioned teachers and poor pedagogical content knowledge. Hence, this study examines mathematics subject supervisors’ roles in ensuring quality teaching in preprimary and primary schools.Aim: This study aimed to enhance subject supervisors’ role in ensuring quality teaching in preprimary and primary school mathematics.Setting: Public preprimary and primary schools in the Owerri Educational Zone of Imo State, Nigeria, served as the research setting.Methods: The research adopted the quantitative research method and a descriptive survey research design. Questionnaires were used as the instruments for data collection and were validated by experts in mathematics education. The instruments’ reliability coefficients of 0.83 and 0.78 were determined using the Cronbach’s alpha reliability method. The generated data were analysed using four-point Likert scales, means and standard deviations.Results: The results showed that mathematics subject supervisors did enhance quality teaching in mathematics, although they were not effective in developing communities of practice among teachers. Furthermore, both mathematics teachers and mathematics subject supervisors faced challenges of inadequate learning resources, low teacher morale, insufficient professional development, low learner motivation for mathematics and poor learning infrastructure.Conclusion: The researchers recommend developing a community of practice among teachers and organising competitions among learners as a panacea to enhance desirable qualities in preprimary and primary mathematics teaching.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48611717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shaping the landscape of early childhood education: An overview of two special issues","authors":"G. Harrison","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1266","url":null,"abstract":"No abstract available.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42883912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Grade 4 learners with reading and writing difficulties in Mauritius: Oral reading and spelling characteristics","authors":"Sattiavany Veerabudren, A. Kritzinger, M. Graham, Salome Geertsema, M. le Roux","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1200","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1200","url":null,"abstract":"working in the education system and primary school teachers. There is a dire need to implement intervention programs for learners with RWD in mainstream government schools in Mauritius.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49474916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Teacher awareness of psychosocial support available as per the Integrated School Health Policy in South Africa","authors":"Jace Pillay, L. Patel, R. Setlhare-Kajee","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1172","url":null,"abstract":"(Strydom, Pretorius & Joubert 2012). As a response to support schools in improving the overall well-being of their children and the community around them, the South African government initiated the Integrated School Health Policy (ISHP) in 2012 (South Africa 2012). The ISPH serves Background: In 2012, the South African government initiated the Integrated School Health Policy (ISHP) to serve as a national guideline on providing school health and support services from key stakeholders such as the Department of Health (DoH), Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Department of Social Development (DSD). However, despite the ISHP regulations, publications report that teachers in under-resourced government schools are not sufficiently equipped to address their learners’ psychosocial challenges. Aim: This study aimed to assess which psychosocial interventions implemented at the schools the school teachers are aware of. Setting: A total of 50 school teachers from five under-resourced primary schools in Gauteng school communities of Meadowlands, Ivory Park, Alexandra and Doornkop-Soweto completed a feedback questionnaire designed by the investigators. Methods: This descriptive study follows a quantitative descriptive design. A comparative descriptive analysis between schools using frequencies, percentages and graphs was used to analyse the results. Results: Results indicate that a school teachers’ ability to support their learners varies per school and is based on their school’s compliance to training their teachers on the school safety protocols and is not affected much by external training. Schools that follow the ISPH regulations on teachers’ training of protocols, better equip their teachers to observe psychosocial challenges their learners face. Conclusion: Despite the availability of guidelines, this study observes a gap in educators’ observations of mental health concerns or external stakeholders responsible for non-physical assistance. Contribution: Findings of this study provide feedback to all relevant stakeholders to assist in their future recommendations planning. One recommendation the authors of this study suggest may be that further studies explore if the lack of mental health observations is a result of poor teachers–student relations or a need for school teachers to be educated on learner mental health risk factors.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47418732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Teaching critical thinking and voice in history essays: A spiderweb tool","authors":"S. Godsell","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1255","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The history essay, and historical writing, are crucial forms of assessment in History throughout primary and high school education. This article draws from an autoethnography of teachings in a pre-service history teachers’ school classroom. This article discusses obstacles students experience in conceptualising and writing the history essay. A tool is introduced to overcome these obstacles.Aim: This article presents a possible intervention in the form of a classroom tool.Setting: This classroom tool is presented in a pre-service history teachers classroom (tertiary). It is presented as a method to teach history in classrooms of senior phase (SP), intermediate phase (IP), and further education and training (FET) phase.Methods: This article uses a qualitative methodology that draws on autoethnography and reflective teaching methodology, allowing me to understand and analyse the processes taking place in my own classroom. This was authorised with an ethics protocol number (H18/10/10).Results: The observations from the case study class showed that the tool provided possibilities for understanding the mediation of knowledge used in an essay, in a way that facilitates critical thinking and voice.Conclusion: This tool provides a possible class intervention that can range from primary to high school. It allows teachers to understand what levels their students’ thought need to operate on to teach essay and paragraph writing.Contribution: This spiderweb tool can be used directly in class to demonstrate how the different points of knowledge relate to each other in making an argument. This supports critical thinking and the development of voice.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41921040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and validation of a teacher awareness questionnaire about dyslexia","authors":"F. Okechukwu, P. Mefoh, Uju I. Nubia, Ezinne J. Nwauzoije, Chidiogo L. Umennuihe, C. A. Nwobi, K. Ogba, Moses E. Chukweze, J. C. Aliche, E. Ogbonnaya, Dorathy N. Okoli, Clara C. Onyekachi, Stephen Abang, Esther Epistle, Chioma Nnorodi, Chidera V. Obi","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1228","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects children of school-going age and exists in all cultures and backgrounds. Dyslexic children are deficient in phonological awareness, which makes the children to fail to attain the skills of reading, writing and spelling commensurate with their intellectual abilities. Inadequate knowledge about the nature of dyslexia by primary school teachers results in poor categorisation of at-risk children.Aim: This study sought to achieve two objectives. The first was to develop and validate the Teachers Awareness Questionnaire (TAQ), while the second goal was to use the validated TAQ to assess primary school teachers’ level of awareness about dyslexia.Setting: Primary school teachers in Nsukka and nearby rural communities filled the TAQ and the Scale of Knowledge and belief about Developmental Dyslexia. Nsukka is called the university town and it is a slow-paced environment that is devoid of the usual hustle and bustle of most major towns in Nigeria.Methods: The cross-sectional design was employed to gather data for the measurement process. Data were analysed using bivariate correlations and descriptive statistics.Results: The TAQ has good internal consistency (r = 0.77) and an adequate convergent validity (r = 0.74, p 0.01). Results also reveal that primary school teachers possessed low level of awareness about dyslexia.Conclusion: The study findings show that primary school teachers in Nigeria lack the requisite knowledge about dyslexia. The study suggests psycho-education for primary school teachers to empower them with information about the condition.Contribution: This study measured primary school teachers’ level of awareness about dyslexia. The results showed that primary school teachers’ awareness about dyslexia is poor, and this suggests that the use of labels (e.g., dullard) by some primary school teachers to describe their pupils may be incorrect. The study recommend to School Management Boards to take action to improve the teachers level of awareness about dyslexia, which would promote early identification of dyslexic pupils and possible intervention.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49338694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A critical multimodal discourse analysis of drawings to ascertain identity and self-concept","authors":"Annaly M. Strauss, P. S. Tolmen, K. Bipath","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v13i1.1240","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v13i1.1240","url":null,"abstract":"Nunan and Wong (2011) define a ‘good’ English language learner (ELL) as one with the ability to reflect on and articulate the processes underlying their own learning. Self-concept determines how young children react, think or feel in their interaction with others. Socially, children experience a sense of belonging when they engage with those who have similar habits, interests and culture, such as family and peer group contexts (Schaffer 2006). Nurturing and respectful relationships play a meaningful role in a child’s sense of belonging, and how they relate to and interact within their environment. These relationships also provide the foundation for children’s future learning and development. Tridinanti (2018) reveals that there is a significant positive relationship between the variables of self-confidence and learning achievement. That is, the higher the self-confidence, the higher the speaking achievement of English Foreign Language (EFL). Therefore, children learn and flourish in homes or institutions where close and dependable adults offer love, nurturance, security and responsive interactions.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2022-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45000702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}