Conceptualising teacher

training programmes that

focus on supporting learners

with NeuroDevelopmental

Learning Needs

Dr Helen Dunbar-Krige

and Dr Jean Fourie

jeanf@uj.ac.za

North West University

3rd Inclusion Symposium

July 2018

This project has been developed through the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programmewhich is being implemented through a partnership between the Department of Higher Education and Training and the European Union.

South Africa - 2007

UN Convention Rights Persons

Disabilities

Article 24 – Education

“Persons with disabilities are not

excluded from the general education

system on the basis of disability”

Sets the vision the SA education system

Create

Socially just inclusive society

Department of Education. (2001). Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education. Building an

Inclusive Education and Training System. Pretoria: Government Printer.

Education White Paper 6: 2001.

Special Needs Education:

Building an Inclusive Education

and Training System,

Department of National Education

• A comprehensive understanding of special needs education is necessary to

prepare teachers to work in an inclusive society that welcomes diverse

learners. Inclusion is at the core of transforming societies. (Walker, 2016)

• There is a difference in understanding inclusion and the practice of inclusive

education. (Florian and Black-Hawkins, 2016)

• In the Higher Education and Training sector of South Africa there is currently a

move to understand how we can better prepare teachers to support learners,

especially those with special needs.

• The Department of Higher Education and Training in South Africa introduced a

teacher reform program in collaboration with the European Union. The focus of

this teacher reform is on four sectors: teaching and learning capacity

improvement, lecturer development, the college infrastructures and

management coordination.

• Within the teaching capacity improvement program the emphasis is on the

strengthening of university teaching and learning and the teacher education for

inclusive teaching and teacher education for special needs education projects.

The UJ NDD project aims are

• to develop teacher education programs to address neurodevelopmental

diversity in schools;

• to develop resource material for teachers and parents regarding NDD

• to conduct research on the delivery of the teacher education programs

• to conduct research on the implementation of the SIAS process in schools.

• to stimulate post graduate research in this special needs field.

SA teachers are often ill prepared for the challenge of teaching

Special needs learners in mainstream

classrooms.

Teachers often do not have sufficient

knowledge to screen, identify, assess

and support learners who present with

neurodevelopmental disorders in the

classroom.

Focus at UJ on `´Teacher education for learners with Neuro Developmental Disorders´,

TEACHME.org.za

Empowering teachers through Teacher Training

Focus Areas at UJ in NDD

Career Pathing for Teachers – focus on NDD

Pre-service - Foundation, Intermediate, - Short Learning Program in 3rd year

- FET, Senior Phases – 1st to 4th years modules

WIL happens in Special Needs/Resource Centres/Full Service Schools

FUNZA-LUSHAKA bursaries awared to the first group of students this year in this specialisation.

In-Service

Advanced Diploma in Remedial Education – 4 modules – Focus on SLD

Post Graduate Diploma in Inclusive Education - 4 modules – All SEN

METHODOLOGY

• Data were collected using i) the tests, assignments and examination papers of

the students; ii) reflections the students wrote about the brain architecture

game; iii) reflections of the lecturer and the students; iv) a structured feedback

session in the classroom. Students were asked to discuss in groups of six what

they enjoyed of the module, what they would like to change and other

recommendations they wanted to implement.

• Data were analyzed by means of thematic content analysis, breaking data

down into manageable sections and analyzing them. The trustworthiness of the

study was guaranteed by ensuring triangulation of the different data sets and

feedback to the students about the themes discussed during their group

sessions.

• Ethics – overall project research approved by Faculty Ethics Committee and

DHET

Conceptualising

teacher training for

inclusive education

Integrating 4th Industrial Age Technology

USING BLENDED LEARNING

Engage with multiple media

online and in workshops

Medical, Deficit Based,

DSM5

disorders, disability,

diagnosis

NEGATIVE

connotations

vs

Systemic, Holistic,

Socio-ecological,

Neuro-diversity,

inclusive

Understand tensions

in paradigmatic

models

Refining theoretical models

underpinning our research and

programmes

Stimulus

Organism

Response

Physiological Behavioural Emotional Cognitive

S

O

C

I

O

-

E

C

O

N

O

M

I

C

F

A

M

I

L

Y

African imperatives on special needs

Include cultural and cross-cultural psychology skills and

knowledge so teachers develop culturally sensitiveness

about neurodevelopmental disorders

Explore indigenous theories of education, health and illness

USE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE TO UNDERSTAND NDD

DIFFERING VIEWS OF KEY CONCEPTS IN SEN

- Adapted Classroom practices

- Individualised learning plans

- Blurred roles of professionals,

multi-disciplinary teams

Work in an African context

WRITE CRITICAL POSITION PAPERS

Cognitive - Head

Learning

Understand

relevant theoretical

models

PRACTICAL IN CLASS

IMPLEMENTATION

PRACTICAL , HAND work

Individualised

Education Plans for a case child

PRACTICAL

Develop and implement

a PARENT support plan

for the case child

Heart Learning – develop

Empathy, sensitivity

Multi-Cultural awareness

Develop

Empathy, sensitivity

Read poems, personal

people narratives

write Deep reflections on

learning

• Infuse cognitive neuroscience into teacher training programmes as it can help

to directly improve understanding of student learning and development and

their responsibility to shape this growth. (Dubinsky et al , 2013)

• Change from using the brain to changing the brain. Understand the

Interaction between nature and nurture. Help student teachers to understand

the plasticity of their brains.

• Build capabilities of teachers in training to build capabilities of students with

special needs. (Harvard Centre for the developing child)

Developmental brain

• Feedback from younger students on brain architecture/ games/ videos/

variety of experiences - wonderful to experience but difficult for in-depth

learning. Older students in the ADE and Masters courses could engage

more deeply with the experiences

• Implication of changes to be made in the Flipped Classroom methodology

(Mazur, 2018)

Become designers of experiences that

ultimately change student’s brains

Develop an integrated perspective that includes a balance

between a biomedical perspective, the socio-political

context and Inclusive Education

Future planning

CONCLUSIONS

Designing our special needs teacher education programmes required

negotiating conflicting paradigmatic views

deliberating unit content, material choices

designing practical, motivating assignments

careful cognitive framing

developing skills in collaboration with stakeholders in schools

heart work – values, beliefs

Rethinking the flipped classroom and blended learning

Dr Jean Fourie

jeanf@uj.ac.za

Dr H Dunbar-Krige

helenk@uj.ac.za

Teachme.org.za