Rieg et al. (2007) state that novice teachers who speak to their fellow teachers are allowed to de-stress because they share experiences with those who went through similar challenges.
One teacher in the latter study sated that his colleagues made him laugh, which alleviated his stress. Finding a balance between work and play also helped novice teachers to cope with stress (Rieg et al., 2007). Marable and Raimondi (2007) posit that teachers need a supportive environment where their supervisors provide guidance and encouragement and discuss expectations of teachers on issues such as correct school protocols or how to teach. Novice teachers expect support and good relations between the staff and the principal and among their fellow teachers. They expect their school to support them in their efforts of becoming good teachers as well as allowing them to grow as teachers through training and promotion opportunities. They value teaching as a rewarding and worthwhile career that deserves public recognition for all that they accomplish for their learners (Gavish & Friedman, 2011).
Frankel, Gold and Ajodhia-Andrews (2010) suggest that in order to bridge the gap between inclusive theories on paper and making inclusivity in schools a reality, all stakeholders such as teachers, policy makers, therapists and parents must play an active role in developing and strengthening inclusive practices in their communities. In the following paragraph, I will now explore visual impairment in the Foundation Phase and how teachers adapt their teaching to meet the needs of visually impaired learners.
includes learners with low vision who have partial loss that can be corrected with visual devices (Haddad, 2009). As far back as 2001, the South African census (2001) revealed that visual disabilities were common and that 23% of all disabled learners were either blind or had severe visual limitation (DSW, DWCPD & UNICEF, 2012). More recently, visual disabilities have been classified as the most common disability and statics show that one in ten learners with disabilities has multiple disabilities (DSD, DWCPD & UNICEF, 2012). The General Household Survey of 2014 showed that 4.9% of South Africans five years and older were classified as disabled in 2014. The survey also found that more women had disabilities than men. Statistics also show that in 2014, a total of 2 850 000 people in South Africa suffered from different degrees of visual impairments (Statistics South Africa, 2015).
Statistics further show that learners with disabilities are more likely to drop out of school than their non-disabled peers as they progress to high school (DSD, DWCPD & UNICEF, 2012).
A study conducted in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces show that more learners who are of school going age and have disabilities do not attend school compared to their non- disabled counterparts (Loeb, Eide Jelsma, Toni & Maart, 2008). It is quite an alarming fact that many disabled learners still do not have access to appropriate forms of education.
Moreover, learners with disabilities are often subject to negative attitudes by their peers and others such as being teased and seen as ‘charity cases’ (DSD, DWCPD & UNICEF, 2012).
In a study conducted by Kasiram and Subrayen (2013), a visually impaired learner stated that learners with visual impairments faced many challenges in mainstream schools. In some cases of educator ignorance, learners were abused and teased because they were different.
One learner recalled being “smacked” because she could not see the chalkboard. Another learner stated that the teacher called him “blind man” and he could not pass due to his inability to access the information visually. The learners also recalled that they were
overlooked when it came to leadership positions such as class or student representatives, as teachers believed that they were not competent enough. The study further revealed that people with visual impairments felt that their impairment might lead to poverty because of the restrictions society creates and opportunities lost in order to develop themselves (Kasiram
& Subrayen, 2013). The latter authors posit that these learners face various challenges as they grow through their schooling life.
Visually impaired learners may have cognitive developmental delays. They are slow to process information compared to sighted people as they have to depend on memory and other senses to decode information. Their performance in intellectual tests may be weak because these tests are not appropriate measures of their abilities (Hadidi, 2013). These learners may experience problems with spatial tasks and reasoning. They also may have developmental delays, especially if they do not get the necessary interventions in the early years to make up for the lack of visual experiences (Hadidi, 2013). Teachers must therefore provide visually impaired learners with rich sensory experiences and encourage self-expression by looking at the impact of the disability on their development and then providing appropriate interventions (Hadidi, 2013). Visually impaired learners lack the ability to learn visually and through observation, which is one of the ways that learners learn. It is therefore imperative that other ways of learning are provided for them (Fraser & Maguvhe, 2008). Visually impaired learners may have difficulties making friends at school because they have challenges using their other senses to determine how their friends feel. They may also be prevented from making friends because they have adults around them who assist them throughout the day at school, so peers are reluctant to get involved freely (Roe, 2008). Therefore, social skills training and learner independence should be a priority in any education plan for these learners. Hess (2010) also posits that visually impaired learners are at greater risk of being
socially excluded due to their disability. In a study conducted in Botswana, learners with Albinism suffered from low self-esteem, loneliness and lack of acceptance from their peers.
Overall they had a poor educational experience (Dart, Nkanotsang, Chizwe & Kowa, 2010).
Disabled learners are said to make up one third of all learners who are excluded from education (UNESCO, 2009).
However, recent research has shown that society is now changing its view of disabled persons from viewing them as economically dependent to being an important part of human capital (Hashash, 2013). Therefore, teachers need to equip our young visually impaired learners in line with this view. We need to see them as learners who have the right to obtain a quality education in order to contribute meaningfully to society, and not just as people who are dependent on society because of a disability. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2007, article 24) states that disabled people and learners have the right to a good quality, inclusive education at all levels. It also asks that state parties facilitate the learning of Braille and mobility skills. They must also ensure that the education of visually impaired learners is delivered in the best possible way in environments that assist in academic and social development. States should also employ teachers who know Braille or train teachers in the use of Braille. Moreover, teachers must be trained in disability awareness and how to use educational techniques and materials to support disabled learners. The article also states that disabled people should participate effectively in society and all their abilities must be developed to their fullest potential.
UNESCO (2009) argues that early childhood education, which is a critical period for the acquisition of cognitive skills, should be the focus of inclusion policies. Therefore, careful attention needs to be paid to the visual education of learners in the Foundation Phase in South
Africa. (DoBE, 2011) refers to the Foundation Phase as the first phase in the education system which includes Grade R (the reception year) up to Grade 3. It is a four-year phase and the subjects comprise of Home Language, Mathematics, Life skills and a first Additional Language from Grade 1. The National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements are used as the curriculum in the foundation phase (DoBE, 2011).
The Foundation Phase learner is said to be in the fourth stage of Eric Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development. During this stage of early school development, learners move from the pre-operational stage to the concrete-operational thinking stage. Learners are able to process more information and their memory increases. Their cognitive development is occurring much more rapidly (Woolfolk, 2007). Therefore, we need to research how teaching impacts these learners and explore how we can lay a good foundation for them. The DoE (2008) states that disabled learners who are not properly accommodated in mainstream schools must receive admission to special schools. The DoE (2008) states these learners must be properly screened and assessed and supported appropriately in these schools. Therefore we will explore how teachers adapt learning and teaching for learners in the Foundation Phase to provide them with a quality education.
2.6 Teachers’ Experiences of Adapting the Curriculum for Visually Impaired Learners