A collaborative approach to enhance quality education in Foundation Phase inclusive classes in South Africa

Abstract

Teachers in South African schools have the mandate to work together with parents to implement the inclusive education policy. However, schools and families continue to work as separate entities, and this negatively affects the support provided to learners experiencing barriers to learning. Insufficient collaboration between teachers and parents has hampered the ability to support learners who experience barriers to learning. Barriers to learning must be identified, and learners must receive collective support as early as in the Foundation Phase so that barriers do not continue to affect learners’ learning. Notably, there is minimal support for such learners in disadvantaged schools due to limited collaboration among support stakeholders. This study investigated how a collaborative approach can be useful to enhance effectiveness in teaching Foundation Phase inclusive classes. The study was underpinned by Ubuntu theory. Purposive sampling was used to select participants, and qualitative research methodology based on an interpretive paradigm was used. Focus group interviews, involving the recording of the discussion, were used to generate data. The findings of the thematic analysis revealed the importance of collaboration among teachers, parents, and other stakeholders to achieve and enhance effective inclusive teaching in the Foundation Phase. We conclude that locally available assets that reside in parents within the school environment should be used to promote inclusive teaching and learning.

Keywords

• collaboration; Foundation Phase; inclusive class; quality education