Ontwerp van'n kurrikulum vir die onderwys van swaksiende kinders in Suid-Afrika

Abstract

Die doel met hierdie studie is om 'n kurrikulum vir die onderwys van swaksiende kinders vanui t 'n makroperspektief te ontwerp. Van die belangrikste gevolgtrekkings waartoe in hierdie studie gekom word, dui daarop dat die kurrikula, leerplanne en -opleidingsprogramme wat in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika vir kinders met spesiale onderwysbehoeftes (wat die onderwys van swaksiende kinders insluit) voorsien word * dikwels nie toereikend is om leerlinge vir suksesvolle indiensplasing voor te berei nie; * oorwegend akademies georienteerd is; * en nie altyd tred hou met die veranderende behoeftes, eise en tendense in die arbeidsmark nie. Swaksiende kinders is as groep hoogs heterogeen en het besondere en uiteenlopende onderwys- en opleidingsbehoeftes. Ten einde 'n relevante kurrikulum vir swaksiende kinders te on twerp wat genoemde leemtes ondervang, moes hulle uni eke behoef tes sowel as die eise van die moderne arbeidsmark in aanmerking geneem word. Die voorgestelde kurrikulum is op die onderwys van swaksiende kinders in af sonderlike skole vir gesiggestremde kinders en in skole in die hoof stroom van die onderwys van toepassing en maak * enersyds voorsiening vir die effektiewe implementering van die kurrikulum wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysowerheid op nasionale (en moontlik ook op provinsiale) vlak vir die onderwys van normaalsiende kinders voorgeskryf word, en * andersyds vir die ontsluiting en bemeestering van die noodsaaklike kompensatoriese persoonlikheids- en karaktereienskappe en algemene vaardighede, waaroor swaksiende kinders behoort te beskik ten einde hulleself na skoolverlating in die volwasse sosiale en beroepslewe te kan handhaaf. Die kurrikulummodel wat die basis vorm vir die ontwerp van hierdie kurrikulum, is sodanig aangepas dat dit uitdrukking gee aan die essensies van 'n Christelik-wysgerige perspektief op opvoeding en onderrig.

The aim of this study is to design a curriculum for the education of partially sighted children from a macro perspective. some of the most important conclusions arrived at in this study indicate that the present curricula, syllabi and training programmes which are being offered to children with special education needs (including the education of partially sighted children) in the Republic of South Africa * are often not adequate to prepare learners for successful placement; * are predominantly academically orientated; * and do not always keep track with changing needs, demands and tendencies in the labour market. Partially sighted children as a group are highly heterogeneous and have particular and diverse education and training needs. In order to design a relevant curriculum for partially sighted children which intends to eradicate the mentioned deficiencies in the present provision of education to them, their unique needs as well as the demands of the modern labour market have to be considered. The proposed curriculum is directed at the education of partially sighted children who are accommodated in separate schools for the visually impaired as well as in schools in the mainstream of education and provides * on the one hand for the effective implementation of the curriculum which is prescribed normally sighted children by for the education of the South African education authorities on national (and perhaps also on provincial) level and * on the other hand for the unlocking and mastering of the essential compensatory personality and character qualities and general skills which partially sighted children should possess in order to maintain themselves in the adult social and vocational life after leaving school. The curriculum model which formed the basis for the design of this curriculum was adadapted in such a way that it expresses the essence of a Christian philosophic perspective on education and teaching.