Browsing by Author "Zulu, Sibongile Primrose"

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    A parent-effectiveness program to improve parent-adolescent relationships
    (2002) Zulu, Sibongile Primrose; Edwards, S.; Jones-Nicol, D.
    The present research was motivated by the researcher's observation of an increase in the rate of juvenile delinquency (especially among those children who are from 12 years to 18 years) in the Kwa-Dlangezwa location of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Examples of anti-social behaviour that adolescents participate in are car hijacking, drug addiction, cigarette smoking, house breaking or burglary, shoplifting, robbery, murder, sexual immorality and school dropout or truancy. The aims of the study were to identify the causes of adolescent problems that could be addressed by parents and health professionals, empower individual parents by developing effective parenting skills in workshops, improve adolescents' positive perception of communication with parents, evaluate workshops with regard to parents' perceptions of their improved parenting skills, and to evaluate adolescents' perceptions of their parents' improved skills. It was hypothesized that parent-effectiveness program would help to identify the causes of adolescent problems, the program would significantly empower parents by improving parent-adolescent communication and the program would result in effecting parenting and decreased adolescents' negative behaviour. Improvements in parent skills and parent adolescent communication were assessed over two assessments i.e. pre-test and post-test. A survey was used to determine the causes of adolescents' problems and the communication or relationship between parents and adolescents. The following psychological measures were used: biographic inventory for parents, program evaluated interview guide, need analysis questionnaire and parenting skills-rating scale. The program consisted of meetings with the group of parents and adolescents at weekly intervals over a period of six weeks. The group was comprised of educated and professional parents. The parent effectiveness program improved parent-adolescent relationships. Parents also explored ways to express warmth and love towards their adolescents. Parents of adolescents evaluated the program helpful for their adolescent children. They all wished that the program could continue. Limitations of the study were that the sample size for both survey and parent effectiveness group was small and biased in terms of female representation. A longer follow up would have helped determine program sustainability.
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    Primary school educators' attitudes towards inclusive education
    (2009) Zulu, Sibongile Primrose; Adams, J.D.
    The current principles of education policies in South Africa reflect great challenges facing a society in transition. Evidently, the task undertaken by successive democratic governments since 1994 has been to address the inequalities of the past. Since as the capacity of country's building education in various ways - including Special Needs Education, Inclusive Education and Training System, in particular, the White Paper 6 (2001) attempted to promote, enhance and support the inclusion, participation and development of learners. This study examined the attitudes of primary school educators towards inclusive education, particularly the inclusion of mentally challenged learners. The study was specifically investigated the attitudes of primary school educators towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners in mainstream education. It also aimed to determine the category/categories of mentally challenged learners which primary school educators preferred to be integrated in the mainstream. Additionally, the study also sought to establish how the following variables associated with the attitudes of educators towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners in mainstream education: age, grade level taught, gender, type of school, teaching experience and class size. The study was both analytical and quantitative descriptive in nature, in which educators from primary schools in the Empangeni and Obonjeni Districts serve as accessible population. A structured questionnaire constructed according to a five-point Likert - type scale was used to collect data. Data were analysed both qualitatively and qualitatively. The statistical technique used to test the hypotheses was the Chi-square. The findings indicated that the majority of educators held negative attitudes towards the inclusion of the mentally challenged learners in mainstream education. Finally the findings revealed that the variables o£ gender, age, type of school, experience and class size have no influence on primary school educators attitude towards the inclusion of mentally challenged learners. However, the variable grade showed to have an influence on educators* attitude towards the inclusion of the mildly mentally challenged learners into mainstream education. Ninety percent of educators indicate that educators prefer to integrate gifted learners, mild and moderately mentally retarded learners; and Underachieving learners. Although not overahelmingly demonstrated, there is presumptive evidence that the work environment has an impact on the attitudes of the primary school educators. There is an urgent need for improvement of certain service conditions in the school setting to change the attitudes of educators. Lack of experience, lack of in-service training and lack of inspiration emerged as other factors retarding the implementation of inclusive education.
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    The relationship between family structures and school-based problems-towards the development of an intervention model
    (University of Zululand, 2015) Zulu, Sibongile Primrose; Sibaya, P.T.; Hlongwane, M.M.
    The family is a child‟s primary context for socialisation and may greatly affects a child‟s well-being negatively or positively. The family context might affect the child‟s entire life and also interferes with learning. Historically, families have been changing for ages due to social and economic factors, thus resulting in various family structures worldwide. It appears that a stable family structure is most conducive to a child‟s academic success whereas unstable family structure predicts academic problems. This situation seems to be a major obstacle to the quality of education. Thus, it was imperative for the researcher to undertake this study. The researcher reviewed different theories on how family structures may contribute to school-based problems. Over and above that, current study is underpinned by three theories, namely behaviouralism, system theory and Bandura‟s social learning theories. The objectives of the study were to ascertain the extent to which a relationship exists between selected family structures and school-based problems; to determine whether there was any association between school-based problems and the variables such as learners‟ age, learners‟ gender and learners‟ educational level, and to establish educators‟ recommendations so as to develop an intervention model. The mixed approach design was employed. A cluster sampling technique was used to randomly select 165 participants in six districts of KwaZulu-Natal province. The educators were requested to rate learners. A biographical questionnaire, the “Student Behaviour Survey” (SBS) and an open-ended questionnaire were used to collect data. The data were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. This implies that the SBS manual, thematic approach, Person Chi squire and Log-Linear analysis techniques were utilized to analyse data. A computer package known as Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) was also employed. The findings of the present study revealed that learners from KwaZulu-Natal schools experienced various problems due to the influence of their family background or family structures and learners‟ characteristics such as age, gender and educational level. The study also revealed that family structure was influential on the following problems: academic habits, interpersonal relations and emotional distress. Learners‟ age was found to be associated to conduct problems, interpersonal relations, social withdrawal, emotional distress, as well as physical aggression. Gender was found to have an impact on learners‟ health and social interactions. The study focused on nuclear, extended, single parent, child-headed, grand parenting, polygamous and divorced families. Finally, the model of intervention was developed. This model also aimed at introducing a school-based approach that will empower both parents and teachers to handle and prevent school-based or psychological problems among learners in different grades. These problems were found in a sample which was constituted of predominately African learners. The present study also reflected that there is a need of contributions from different specialists, including parents. Educational psychologist and other mental health professions should assist educators to implement the developed model and also play their role in changing and minimising the various problems faced by learners in KwaZulu-Natal schools, more especially in rural areas. The Department of Education should support all stakeholders with the resources needed to implement the proposed intervention model to improve the entire physical environment of the school, as well the infrastructure.