Abstract:

The release of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement led to the assumption that teachers would be able to apply inclusive education effectively in South Africa. However, some teachers faced challenges when implementing inclusive education. The study explored strategies for addressing challenges foundation phase teachers experienced when implementing inclusive education in South Africa. It was inspired by the Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological systems theory. The study employed a qualitative phenomenological approach in which ten teachers who were purposely sampled were interviewed. Findings revealed that foundation phase teachers were experiencing challenges, such as inadequate training and development, lack of parental support, contextual factors, lack of support from the Department of Basic Education, overcrowded classrooms, lack of teaching and learning resources, language barrier and diversity in the classrooms. Strategies such as after-school teaching, peer teaching, consideration of students’ learning styles, parent support, curriculum restructuring, and appointment of remedial teachers must be adopted to alleviate these challenges.

Keywords:

Bio-ecological systems theory, inclusive education, special needs education.