The inclusiveness of grouping practices in regular primary schools in the Johannesburg Metropolitan region of South Africa

Abstract

Learner grouping is one of the classroom instructional pedagogies that can facilitate inclusion of all learners in the regular classrooms. This research sought to establish the inclusiveness of grouping practices in regular primary schools in the Johannesburg Metropolitan region in light of the policy on inclusion. The study was carried out through the lens of inclusive pedagogy by Florian and Black-Hawkins (2011). Qualitative methodology was used through descriptive phenomenology. Data collection was carried out by means of observation and interviews with 15 teachers at fifteen primary schools. Data were analyzed using model by Lodico, Spaulding, and Voegtle (2010). Three themes emerged from the study, which were: (a) current grouping practices; (b) inclusiveness of the grouping practices; and (c) strategies to enhance inclusivity in the grouping practices. Findings revealed three common grouping practices namely, mixed ability grouping, ability grouping and pairing. However, some teachers do not group their learners but teach them on a one-on-one basis. These grouping practices showed varied levels of inclusiveness, emanating from what teachers do when grouping learners, as well as how learners relate to each other when they are in the groups – whether they accept each other or they exclude some from the learning activities within their groups. However, none of the grouping practices was found to be in line with all the principles of inclusion. The following recommendations are put forth: (a) class sizes should be between 25-30 learners to enable teachers to have small group sizes that are inclusive; (b) groups should be used interchangeably according to the concept being taught and should be subject specific; (c) ability grouping should be disregarded as it fuels labelling; (d) learners with special educational needs should be given more time to complete tasks within the groups; (e) as well as opportunities for differentiated instruction. A model of an inclusive grouping practice was suggested, which envisages group sizes of between two and six learners that accommodate learners of different ages, gender, backgrounds, ability levels, as well as being able to use teaching/learning resources that address the needs of diverse learners, and differentiated instruction.

Ukufundisa ngokudidiyela abafundi kubonakala kungenye yezindlela zokufundisa ezingasiza ekuthuthukiseni ukubandakanya bonke abafundi ekufundeni ngaphandle kokuphuma iqhubu nabathize emagunjini okufundela ajwayelekile. Lolucwaningo beluhlose ukubonisa imikhutshana ehambisana nokubandakanyeka kwamaqenjana abafundi ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi e Johannesburg Metropolitan region ngokwenqubo-mgomo yokubandakanya bonke abafundi. Lolucwaningo lwenziwe futhi lwahlelwa ngokomqondosimo ka Florian kanye no Black-Hawkins (2011) othuthukisa imfundo ebandakanyayo. Kusetshenziswe ucwaningo lokuqonda kanye ne phenomenology echazayo ukuqoqa imininingwane yalolucwaningo kothishela abayi shumi-nanhlanu (15) ezikoleni eziyishumi-nanhlanu (15). Ulwazi luqoqwe ngokusebenzisa okubonwayo kanye nezingxoxo namathishela. Lonke ulwazi luhlaziywe ngokwe modeli ka Lodico, Spaulding, and Voegtle (2010). Lolucwaningo lubonise izindikimba ezintathu; a) izindledlana okudidiyelwa ngazo abafundi; b) ukubandakanywa kwabafundi emaqenjaneni; c) amasu ahlukene okudidiyela abafundi. Imiphumela yalolucwaningo igqamisa imikhutshana emithathu yokudidyela abafundi; ukudidiyela okuxubile, nokudidyela ngokwamakhono-mqondo noma ngababili. Noma kunjalo, kucacile ukuthi iqeqebana lamathishela aliwasebenzisi amasu okudidyela abafundi kodwa lifundisa ngokuphuma nomfundi ngayedwa iqhubu. Lemikhutshana yokudidyela ibonakalise amazinga ehlukene okubandakanywa kwabafundi engafani lokhu okulawulwa yizinqumo othisha abazithatahyo uma bedidyela abafundi kanye nendlela abafundi abaxhumana ngayo bebodwana - lapho abanye bebonisa ukwamukelana kanti abanye bebandlululana emaqenjaneni. Akukho nelilodwa iqenjana elibonakale lihambisana nemigomo yokubandakanya abafundi. Ngokwemiphumela yalolucwacingo, iziphakamiso eziladelayo zibalulekile: a) isibalo sabafundi kufanele sibe phakathi kwama 25-30 igumbi ngalinye ukwenza umsebenzi wokubandakanya bonke abafundi wenzeke; b) ukudidiyela abafundi emaqenjaneni kufanele kushintshashintshwe kuhambisane nalokho okufundwayo ngalesosikhathi kanye nezidingo zesifundo; c) ukudidiyela abafundi ngokomqondo-khono kufanele kuyekwe ngoba kunomthelela ekubandlululweni kwabanye abafundi; d) abafundi abanezidingo zokufunda ezithe phecelezi kumele banikezwe ithuba elithe xaxa lokuqedela umsebenzi nokuba bedidyelwe emaqenjaneni; e) kanjalo nemiyalelo yokufunda ehleleke ngokwezidingo zokufunda zomfundi ngamunye. Lolucwaningo luphakamisa iModeli yokuhlela abafundi ngokudidiyela egcizelela ukuthi abafundi bangaba phakathi kwababili kuya kwa bayisithupha eqenjaneni ukuze wonke umfundi athole ithuba lokubonelelwa ekufundeni kubukwa iminyaka yakhe, ubulili, yikamuva lempilo yakhe, yizinga lokomqondo-khono kanjalo namathuba okufinyelela nasekusetshenzisweni kwezinsiza kufunda nokusebenza kanye nemiyalelo yokufunda ehlelwe ngokwezidingo zomfundi.

Lihlopheng tsa barutoana ke e 'ngoe ea litlelase tsa thuto ea sekolo tse ka tsamaisang ho kenyelletsa barutoana bohle litlelaseng tse tloaelehileng. Patlisiso ena e batlile ho tseba ho kenyeletsoa ha mekhoa ea ho hlophisa lihlopha tsa likolo tsa likolo tsa mathomo tikolohong ea Johannesburg Metropolitan ka lebaka la leano la ho kenyeletsoa. Boithuto bona bo entsoe ka lenane la lithuto tse kenyelletsoeng ke Florian and Black-Hawkins (2011). Mokhoa o nepahetseng o sebelisitsoe ka mokhoa o hlalosang. Ho bokella data ho entsoe ka mokhoa oa ho shebella le ho buisana le matichere a 15 likolong tsa mathomo tsa leshome le metso e mehlano. Lintlha li ile tsa hlahlojoa ho sebelisoa mohlala ke Lodico , Spaulding, le Voegtle (2010). Ho ile ha hlaha lintlha tse tharo thutong eo e neng e le: (a) litloaelo tsa sehlopha sa joale; (b) ho kenyeletsoa ha mekhoa ea ho hlophisa lihlopha; le (c) maano a ho ntlafatsa ho kenyeletsa mesebetsing ea sehlopha. Liphumano li senotse mekhoa e meraro e tloaelehileng ea sehlopha, e leng, bokhoni bo tsoakaneng ba sehlopha, bokhoni ba ho hlophisa lihlopha le ho rala. Leha ho le joalo, matichere a mang ha a etse sehlopha sa barutoana a bona empa a ba ruta a le mong. Mekhoa ena ea ho hlophisa lihlopha e bontšitse maemo a fapaneng a ho kenyeletsoa, a simoloha ho seo matichere a se etsang ha a hlophisa barutoana, le kamoo baithuti ba amanang ka teng ha ba le sehlopheng - hore na baa amohela kapa ba khelosa ba bang mesebetsing ea ho ithuta har'a lihlopha tsa bona . Leha ho le joalo, ha ho le e 'ngoe ea mekhoa ea lihlopha e fumanoeng e lumellana le melao-motheo eohle ea ho kenyeletsoa. Ho hlahisitsoe likhothaletso tse latelang: (a) boholo ba sehlopha bo lokela ho ba lipakeng tsa baithuti ba 25-30 ho etsa hore matichere a be le lihlopha tse nyane tse akaretsang; (b) lihlopha li lokela ho sebelisoa ka mokhoa o ts'oanang ho latela mohopolo o rutoang 'me li lokela ho bua ka ho khetheha; (c) bokhoni ba ho hlophisa lihlopha bo lokela ho hlokomolohuoa kaha bo hlahisa mabitso; (d) baithuti ba nang le litlhoko tse khethehileng tsa thuto ba lokela ho fuoa nako e eketsehileng ea ho etsa mesebetsi ka har'a lihlopha; (e) hammoho le menyetla ea thuto e arohaneng.