Teachers' Experiences in the Implementation of the Life Skills CAPS for Learners With Severe Intellectual Disability

Abstract

This article focuses on a participatory process where the experiences of teachers regarding the implementation of the life skills curriculum and assessment policy statement (CAPS) for learners with severe intellectual disabilities (SID) in schools for learners with special educational needs were investigated. This curriculum for learners with SID has been developed to be more effective in meeting the needs of these learners. The curriculum ensures that learners can meet the requirements of the national CAPS used in ordinary public schools at a reduced depth and width, or at a more functional level, in accordance with their cognitive abilities. Although a descriptive mixed research method was applied in the study, this article reports on the qualitative part of the research. In the qualitative phase, collages and arts-based discussions with core project groups were used to generate data. Four schools, 13 core project groups, and 51 participants (teachers) were involved in the research. The transcribed data from the core project group discussions were analysed using thematic analysis, and the themes that emerged were discussed by the participants. Based on the results of these qualitative arts-based discussions, the findings were used to create opportunities for the teachers to talk and work together to jointly develop a training manual for beginner teachers and to form a learning environment that would permit rich inquiry-based dialogue among the teachers.

Experiences of teachers in vocational programmes in special needs schools, City of Cape Town

“…According to the participants, using workbooks is crucial as without it, extensive research, planning and time is required. This finding aligns with the research conducted by Rens and Louw ( 2021 ) on teachers’ experiences in implementing the Life Skills CAPS curriculum for learners with SID in both well-resourced and under-resourced schools in the North West province of South Africa. They concluded that the lack of specialised books, particularly for the SID curriculum, hinders implementation and poses a significant problem for teachers.…”

“…Following the establishment of democracy in 1994, the new government recognised the need to transform South Africa’s education system and address the discriminatory practices that had excluded individuals with severe disabilities (Rens & Louw 2021 ).…”

“…Specifically, there are no studies documenting the challenges of implementing this new curriculum of vocational and skills training from the perspectives of teachers in South Africa. The only recent study conducted in South Africa is by Rens and Louw ( 2021 ), which focused on teachers’ experiences of implementing life skills in CAPS for learners with SID in special schools. This study found that teachers were facing challenges such as limited resources, the lack of workbooks, heavy workload, and too many assessments.…”

A Qualitative Study on Dubai’s Inclusive Education Policy from School Leaders’ Perspectives

“…At its core, inclusive education provides equal opportunities for every student to learn and succeed in the school environment [3,4]. However, inclusive education is not only about placing learners with disabilities in ordinary public schools [5]. Inclusive education involves considering key aspects of education, including assessment practices, equitable access pathways, comprehensive support mechanisms, adequate resource allocation, effective leadership approaches, and clear policies.…”