Individual dynamics for effective implementation of mainstream English curriculum at a school for the deaf

Sabelo Mlungisi Khumalo; Makhosazana Edith Shoba; Simon Bhekumuzi Khoza

doi:10.20525/ijrbs.v12i2.2337

Authors

Sabelo Mlungisi Khumalo Discipline of Curriculum Studies, School of Education, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1295-3226
Makhosazana Edith Shoba Ph.D., Discipline of Curriculum Studies, School of Education, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Simon Bhekumuzi Khoza Professor, Discipline of Curriculum Studies, School of Education, University of KwaZulu Natal, Durban, South Africa. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7153-2990

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i2.2337

Keywords:

Bottom-up, curriculum, deafness, dynamics, implementation, individual, top-down

Abstract

Promoting dynamics of curriculum implementation that help all teachers and learners meet their needs and understand who they are is critical. Such is equally needful in special schools which use the mainstream curriculum to teach learners with disabilities. This study sought to explore the dynamics that enhance implementing a mainstream English curriculum at a school for the deaf in Eswatini. This was aimed to assist teachers in reflecting on and critiquing their practices and experiences to improve their classroom actions; and to raise awareness of the natural identity of both teachers and learners at the school with the hope of meeting individual needs and, ultimately, the teaching and learning goals. Utilizing purposive sampling, this qualitative study selected six teachers of English Language at the school. The pragmatic paradigm, action research design, and natural identity theory framed the study. Semi-structured interviews, Zoom focus-group discussions, document review, and reflective activities were used as data-generation methods. Findings revealed that implementing the mainstream English curriculum at the school seemed to overlook the importance of individual dynamics, which are vital in meeting unique individual needs. Personal dynamics combine the strengths of top-down and bottom-up dynamics Thus, relieving the remarkable tension between the dominant top-down and bottom-up dynamics. Consequently, this study recommends a balance between the top-down, bottom-up, and individual dynamics to successfully implement the mainstream English curriculum at the school.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmed, F., Ali, S., & Shah, R. A. (2019). Exploring Variation in Summative Assessment: Language Teachers' Knowledge of Students' Formative Assessment and Its Effect on Their Summative Assessment. Bulletin of Education and Research, 41(2), 109-119.

Allen, D. (2015). The resourceful facilitator: Teacher leaders constructing identities as facilitators of teacher peer groups. Teachers and Teaching, 22(1), 70-83. http://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2015.1023029 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2015.1023029

An, J. (2019): Learning to Teach Students with Disabilities through Community Service-Learning: Physical Education Preservice Teachers’ Experiences, International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2019.1693034 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2019.1693034

Alvunger, D. (2018). Teacher’s Curriculum Agency in Teaching a Standards-Based Curriculum, The Curriculum Journal, 29(4), 479 – 498. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585176.2018.1486721 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09585176.2018.1486721

Alvunger, D., Soini, T., Philippou, S., & Priestley, M. (2021). Conclusions: Patterns and trends in curriculum making in Europe. Curriculum Making in Europe: Policy and Practice within and Across Diverse Contexts, Emerald Publishing Limited, 273-294.

https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83867-735-020211013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83867-735-020211013

Berkvens, J., van den Akker, J., & Brugman, M. (2014). Addressing the quality challenge: Reflections on the Post-2015 UNESCO Education Agenda. Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO.

Biesta, G. (2015). What is Education For? On Good Education, Teacher Judgement, and Educational Professionalism. European Journal of Education, 50(1), 75-87. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12109 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12109

Brown, K. (2010). Teachers as Language?Policy Actors: Contending with the Erasure of Lesser?Used Languages in Schools. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 41(3), 298-314. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-1492.2010.01089.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-1492.2010.01089.x

Budden, R. (2016). Exploration of factors that inform curriculum studies students to use e-resources in conducting Masters of Education dissertations at a South African university. (Doctor of Philosophy Full research), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban. (1)

Carothers, D., Aydin, H., & Houdyshell, M. (2019). Teacher shortages and cultural mismatch: District and university collaboration for recruiting. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 10(3), 39-63.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research Methods in Education, 8th Edn, Routledge Taylor & Francis. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539

Csizér, K., & Kontra, E. H. (2020). Foreign Language Learning Characteristics of Deaf and Severely Hard?of?Hearing Students. The Modern Language Journal, 104 (1), 233-249. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12630 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12630

Dissake, K. M. E., & Atindogbé, G. G. (2019). Deaf education and Language-Based Curriculum: The case of the Buea School for the Deaf.

Dlamini, M. (2018). Exploring Formative Assessment Practices in Context-based Science Curriculum in Swaziland: A Case of 2 Junior Secondary School Science. (Doctoral), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.

Dlamini, B. B. (2022). Voices of Eswatini General Certificate of Education Geography Teachers on Teaching Climate Change. (Doctoral), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.

Dube, B. (2020). Rural Online Learning in the Context of COVID-19 in South Africa: Evoking an Inclusive Education Approach. Multidisciplinary Journal of Educational Research, 10(2), 135-157. https://doi.org/10.4471/remie.2020.5607 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17583/remie.2020.5607

Guo, W. Y., & Yan, Z. (2019). Formative and summative assessment in Hong Kong primary schools: students’ attitudes matter. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 26(6), 675-699. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2019.1571993 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2019.1571993

Hoadley, U. (2018). Pedagogy in poverty: Lessons from twenty years of curriculum reform in South Africa. Routledge – Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315680927 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315680927

Howard, T. C. (2019). Why race and culture matter in schools: Closing the achievement gap in America's classrooms. Teachers College Press.

Jefferson, R.N. (2014). Action Research: theory and application. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 20(2), 91-116. http://doi.org/10.1080/13614533. 2014.921536. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2014.921536

Kaushik, V. & Walsh, C.A. (2019). Pragmatism as a Research Paradigm and its Implications for Social Work Research. Social Sciences, 8(9) 255, 1-17. http://doi.org/10.3390/socsci8090255 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci8090255

Keirungi, J. (2021). Teachers’ perceptions on the use of information and Communication technology in the teaching of deaf learners: a case of two primary schools in Kampala capital city, Uganda (Doctoral dissertation, Kyambogo University).

Kelly, J. F., McKinney, E. L., & Swift, O. (2022). Strengthening teacher education to support deaf learners. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(13), 1289-1307. http://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1806366 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1806366

Khasawneh, M. A. S. (2021). Problems Teaching English to Deaf Students. Indonesian Journal of Creative Counseling, 1(1), 32-42. https://doi.org/10.47679/ijcc.v1i2.107

Khoza, S. B. (2016a). Is teaching without understanding curriculum visions and goals a high risk? South African Journal of Higher Education 30(5): 104-119. http://dx.doi.org/10.20853/30-5-595 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20853/30-5-595

Khoza, S. B. (2019). Lecturers' Reflections on Curricular Spider Web Concepts Transformation Strategies. In E. N. Ivala & C. L. Scott (Eds.), Transformation of Higher Education Institutions in Post-Apartheid South Africa (1 ed., pp. 15-26). New York: Routledge - Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-019-10084-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351014236-2

Khoza, S.B. (2020a). Students’ Habits appear captured by WhatsApp. Internation Journal of Higher Education, 9(6), 307 – 317. http://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n6p307 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n6p307

Khoza, S. B. (2020b). Academics’ “Why” of Knowledge-Building for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and COVID-19 Era. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(6), 247-258. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n6p247 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v9n6p247

Khoza, S. B. (2021a). Can Teachers’ Identities Come to the Rescue in the Fourth Industrial Revolution? Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 1-22. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10758-021-09560-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-021-09560-z

Khoza, S. B. (2021b) Exploration the migration to a Digitalised Curriculum at UKZN. Education and Science, 11, 682. http://doi.org/103390/edusci11110682 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11110682

Khoza, S.B. & Biyela, A. T. (2019). Decolonising technological pedagogical content knowledge of first year mathematics students. Education and Information Technologies, 25:2665–2679. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-019-10084-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-019-10084-4

Khoza, S.B.; & Fomunyam, K.G. (2021). Can Alignment of Digital Resources with Needs Produce a New Curriculum Theory for Teaching? In K.G. Fomunyam & S.B. Khoza (Eds.), Curriculum Theory, Curriculum Theorising, and the Theoriser: The African Theorising Perspective (1 ed., pp. 219-236). Leiden - Boston: Brill - SENSE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004447943_012

Khoza, S., & Mpungose, C. (2018). Use of the Moodle curriculum by lecturers at a South African University. In ICEL 2018 13th International Conference on e-Learning (p. 171). Academic Conferences and publishing limited.

Khoza, S. B., & Mpungose, C. B. (2020). Digitalised curriculum to the rescue of a higher education institution. African Identities, 20(4), 310-330. https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2020.1815517. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2020.1815517

Kimani, J. (2016). Integrating Learner Disabilities in Inclusive Schools in Njoro Sub-County. Kabarak Journal of Research & Innovation, 4(1), 30-38.

Lee, H. J. (2019). Development and Application of an Integrated Curriculum Centered on Mathematics for Elderly Generations. Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 6(1), 30-38. https://doi.org/10.24313/jpbl.2019.00136 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24313/jpbl.2019.00136

Lin, K.-Y., Chang, L.-T., Tsai, F.-H., & Kao, C.-P. (2015). Examining the gaps between teaching and learning in the technology curriculum within Taiwan’s 9-year articulated curriculum reform from the perspective of curriculum implementation. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 25(3), 363-385. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-014-9286-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-014-9286-8

Mailool, J., Retnawati, H., Arifin, S., Kesuma, A. T., & Putranta, H. (2020). Lecturers' experiences in teaching soft skills in the teacher profession education program (TPEP) in Indonesia. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 78(2), 215-234. https://doi.org/10.33225/pec/20.28 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33225/pec/20.78.215

Makumane, M. (2018). Educators’ enactment strategies of the French integrated curriculum: An action research of Lesotho educators. University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Makumane, (2021). Theory of Enactment Strategies as a Way Forward in Integrating a French Curriculum in Lesotho. In K.G. Fomunyam & S.B. Khoza (Eds.), Curriculum Theory, Curriculum Theorising, and the Theoriser: The African Theorising Perspective (1 ed., pp. 295-319). Leiden - Boston: Brill - SENSE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004447943_016

Makumane, M. A. & Khoza, S. B. (2020). Educators’ Reasonings and Their Effects on Successful Attainment of Curriculum Goals. South African Journal of Higher Education, 34(2), pp 95?111. http://dx.doi.org/20853/34-2-3428 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20853/34-2-3428

Makumane, M., Khoza, S. B., & Zuma, S. (2022). Vaccine education to the rescue of students in the COVID-19 revolution. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), 11(10), 328-340. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v11i10.2216 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v11i10.2216

Mamba, A. T., & Mafumbate, R. (2019). Challenges Faced by Learners with Partial Hearing Impairment in Lubombo Mainstream High Schools: A Wellness Perspective. Journal of Education and Practice, 10(27), 2019. https://doi.org/10.7176/JEP DOI: https://doi.org/10.7176/JEP

Mapepa, P., & Magano, M. D. (2018). Support to address barriers to learning for learners who are deaf. African Journal of Disability, 7(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v7i0.381 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v7i0.381

Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and Personality. 2nd.(ed.) Harper and Row. New York.

Mavidou, A., & Kakana, D. (2019). Differentiated instruction in practice: Curriculum adjustments in kindergarten. Creative Education, 10(3), 535-554. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2019.103039

McPhail, G. & McNeill, J. (2021). Music Education and the Neo-Liberal Turn in Aotearoa New Zealand, Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education, 3(44), 44-81. https:/doi.org/10.22176/act20.3.44

Mpungose, C.B. (2018). Exploring Lecturers’ Reflections on the use of Moodle to teach Physical Science Modules at a South African university, PhD Thesis, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Mpungose CB. (2019). Can lecturers reflect on the influence of Moodle curricular on students’ success? The Educational Review, USA, 3(10), 127-134. http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/er.2019.10.001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26855/er.2019.10.001

Mpungose, C. B. (2021). Lecturers’ reflections on use of zoom video conferencing technology for e-learning at a South African university in the context of coronavirus. African Identities. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2021.1902268 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2021.1902268

Mpungose, C. B., & Khoza, S. B. (2020a). Postgraduate students’ experiences on the use of Moodle and Canvas learning management system. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09475-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09475-1

Muller, J., & Hoadley, U. (2019). Curriculum reform and learner performance: an obstinate paradox in the quest for equality. South African schooling: The enigma of inequality, 109-125. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18811-5_6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18811-5_6

Ndlovu, E. (2016). Dynamics of implementing arts and culture programmes as a curriculum subject in Zimbabwe secondary schools. (Doctoral), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.

Ndlovu, E. M., & Khoza, S. B. (2020). Alternative Ways of Implementing the Curriculum. In Curriculum Theory, Curriculum Theorising, and the Theoriser (pp. 320-334). Brill. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004447943_017

Ngonyani, H. (2018). The impact of visual aids on students’ academic performance: a case of Mkuranga district secondary schools. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. The Open University of Tanzania.

Ngubane-Mokiwa, S. A., & Khoza, S. B. (2021). Using community of inquiry (CoI) to facilitate the design of a holistic e-learning experience for students with visual impairments. Education Sciences, 11(4), 152. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11040152 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11040152

Niemelä, M. A. (2021). Crossing curricular boundaries for powerful knowledge. The Curriculum Journal, 32(2), 359-375. https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.77 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.77

Ntinda, K., & Tfusi, B. (2019). Experiences of Teachers of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students' in a Special Needs School: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 7(7), 79-89. http://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v717.4274 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v7i7.4274

Nurmukhamedova, L. (2022). Use of Pedagogical Technologies in Teaching the Module “Development of Labor Education of Students with Disabilities”. Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results, 2476-2482. https://doi.org/10.47750/pnr.2022.13.S08.310

Pak, K., Polikoff, M. S., Desimone, L. M., & Saldívar García, E. (2020). The adaptive challenges of curriculum implementation: Insights for educational leaders driving standards-based reform. AERA Open, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858420932828. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858420932828

Palestina, R. L., Pangan, A. D., & Ancho, I. V. (2020). Curriculum Implementation Facilitating and Hindering Factors: The Philippines Context. International Journal of Education, 13(2), 91-104. https://doi.org/10.17509/ije.v13i2.25340 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/ije.v13i2.25340

Piggot-Irvine, E., Rowe, W., & Feirkins, L. (2015). Conceptualising indicator-domains for evaluating action research. Educational Action Research, 23 (4), 545-566. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2015.1042984 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2015.1042984

Rahmatunnisa, R., Rima, R., & Utomo, D. W. (2019). An Investigation of Teaching Strategy Employed by English Teacher of Deaf Students: A Case Study at an Indonesian Special Needs School. Paper presented at the Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pendidikan FKIP, 2(1), 485-490

Raselimo, M. & Mahao M. (2015). The Lesotho Curriculum and Assessment Policy: Opportunities and Threats. South African Journal of Education, 35(1), 1-12. http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za DOI: https://doi.org/10.15700/201503070025

Remillard, J. T., & Heck, D. J. (2014). Conceptualizing the curriculum enactment process in mathematics education. Zdm, 46(5), 705-718. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-014-0600-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-014-0600-4

Ristiani, A. (2018). Challenges in Teaching English for the Deaf Students. ELLITE: Journal of English Language, Literature, and Teaching, 3(1), 16-20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32528/ellite.v3i1.1773

Sahib, H. F., & Stapa, M. (2021). Managing English language curriculum reform in Malaysian primary schools: Issues and challenges. E-Proceedings of International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Social Science (i-LEDHS2021).

Salminen, J., & Annevirta, T. (2016). Curriculum and teachers’ pedagogical thinking when planning for teaching. Euro-JCS, 3(1).

Sass-Lehrer, M., Crace, J., & Neild, R. (2023). Preparing Practitioners to Work With Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families: Professional Competencies that Result in Positive Outcomes. Perspectives on Early Childhood Psychology and Education, 5(2), 2. https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/perspectives/vol5/iss2/2

Schwartz, S. H. (2016). Basic individual values: Sources and consequences. Handbook of value: Perspectives from economics, neuroscience, philosophy, psychology and sociology, 63, 84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198716600.003.0004

Shoba, M. E. (2021). Theorising Teachers’ Experiences of Teaching Reading in the African Context. In K.G. Fomunyam & S.B. Khoza (Eds.), Curriculum Theory, Curriculum Theorising, and the Theoriser: The African Theorising Perspective (1 ed., pp. 237-255). Leiden - Boston: Brill - SENSE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004447943_013

Shongwe, Z. B., Mcilroy, G., & Störbeck, C. (2020). Voices of Teachers of the Deaf Students at a High School in Swaziland: A Narrative Inquiry. UNESWA Journal of Education (UJOE).

Sokhulu, L. H. (2020). Students’ experiences of using digital technologies to address their personal research needs during COVID-19 lockdown. African Identities, 1-117. https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2020.1801384 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14725843.2020.1801384

Sumekto, D. R. (2018). Initiating Sustainable Performance on Language Curriculum Implementation. Magistra No. 80 Th. XXIV ISSN 0215-95 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31227/osf.io/ymcbw

Xiang, L. (2018). Construction of educational intervention model based on deaf students' English learning disabilities. https://doi.org/10.25236/icecbn.2018.017

Walshe, N., & Driver, P. (2019). Developing reflective trainee teacher practice with 360-degree video. Teaching and Teacher Education, 78, 97-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.11.009 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.11.009

Zhu, Y., & Shu, D. (2017). Implementing foreign language curriculum innovation in a Chinese secondary school: An ethnographic study on teacher cognition and classroom practices. System, 66, 100-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2017.03.006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2017.03.006

Zohar, A., & Hipkins, R. (2018). How “tight/loose” curriculum dynamics impact the treatment of knowledge in two national contexts. Curriculum Matters, 14, 31-47. https://doi.org/10.18296/cm.0028 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18296/cm.0028