Reflection about the schools, the learners and the staff

In this study both observation and focus group interviews were used to collect data. During the informal observations the researcher made field notes of the FSS teachers in their natural social settings, the school and the playgrounds. Any information that could be useful for the study was noted by the researcher. She realized that often the participants’ body language was aggressive and impatient when they reprimanded learners or gave instructions. Their body language showed a lack of kindness or friendliness towards the learners. Although the participants were told that the researcher was observing them, most of the teachers showed their usual unsympathetic attitude to some of the learners in their classrooms.

All four schools are mainstream schools that have been adapted to become full-service schools (see section 2.2 for a discussion of full-service schools). Annually, provinces select a number of schools to be established as FSSs. There is additional funding from the expansion of the inclusive education budget for FSSs. This is procured annually in the business plan for the expansion of inclusive education in the nine provinces of South Africa (Department of Education, 2009:2-6). The budget can be used for assistive devices, physical adaptations to the existing school building and the professional development of the school staff. The schools have to cater for all learners with and those without barriers to learning (see section 1.1). Three of the FSSs where the research was conducted are

situated in poor rural areas. Many learners at these schools come from very poor socio- economic backgrounds and suffer neglect. Many are orphans living with an aged grandmother or a relative, or are part of a child-headed family. Some of these learners are heading the family at home although they are only a year or two older than their siblings.

Based on the feedback of the participants the socio-economic environment of some of the learners who attend these schools could have a negative impact on their quality of life and consequently learning may suffer. Their home situation is not conducive to learning as it is sometimes only a place to sleep and have a meagre meal. No stimulation takes place at home as there is no one to assist them or encourage them to do homework. According to the teachers who participated in the research, the learning activities of most of the learners at the four schools are limited to the time spent at school. Thus the school, the school environment, the staff of the school and what happens at the school could have a big impact on the learners and their progress at school.

Some learners live with their parents, where they suffer different types of abuse. Furthermore, several learners grow up with a single working parent who does not have the time to assist in, stimulate or encourage educational activities. A number of the learners’ caregivers or parents are annoyed when it is school holidays as they see the children as a nuisance being at home and they then also have to feed them. These are all examples of extrinsic barriers that could disadvantage learners.

The infrastructure at three of the schools is suitable for both able and disabled learners, but school X poses a challenge to the physically disabled learners. Learners in wheelchairs or on crutches cannot move safely on the walkways as they are high and are joined. The classrooms are scattered and do not form a row. All four schools are equipped with a variety of assistive devices to assist learners with learning barriers and they cater for Grade R to Grade 7.

Some of the more mature teachers at these schools have the Lower Primary Teacher’s Certificate (LPTC), but all teachers have a professional teacher’s qualification. Teachers at these schools have improved their qualifications since they started teaching. Some did a postgraduate degree, an honours degree in education or a master’s degree and one has a doctoral degree. Some teachers did an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) too.

Unfortunately only one participant at one school has a diploma in learner support to assist learners with barriers to learning. Some teachers attended training done by the district- based support team but they did not learn much. Other teachers were never included as invitees to the workshops. Teachers at the FSSs are not equally exposed to inclusive practices as, according to the participants, the same teachers are always sent to attend workshops, meetings and even to assistive devices exhibitions. Some of the teachers that are left behind lose interest in empowering themselves. They do not want to seek information about inclusive education as it seems very foreign to them and it is additional work as well.

To a visitor to the schools it seemed as if all was running smoothly. Two of the four schools had immaculate school grounds and a garden. All classrooms in the four schools had teachers and teaching and learning took place. Thus it seemed as if in the four schools learners would be helped and supported to make progress at school. But from the observation at the four schools it became evident to the researcher that there were many issues that prevented the four schools to become real full-service schools where inclusive education could prosper and all the learning and developmental needs of all learners could be attended to.