, HED4810
ASSIGNMENT 4 2026
DUE 15 OCTOBER 2026
Question 1: Read the article and answer the question that follows.
Dewa (2025) identifies three pedagogical shifts that shape teachers' attitudes towards inclusive
teaching and learning in South African Foundation Phase classrooms.
Teachers with "no shift" or "little shift" hold a "separate schooling" perspective. They view learner
differences through a medical lens and often see diverse learners as problems. For example,
participant BT3 complained that learners with brain damage "slow down the progress of others"
(Dewa, 2025). These teachers resist inclusion because they believe special needs learners belong in
separate, specialised environments. Their attitudes are deficit-based, focusing on what learners
cannot do rather than adapting their own teaching.
Teachers with an "emerging shift" align with a "fragmented schooling" perspective. They
acknowledge that inclusion is important but implement it inconsistently. Participant CT1 admitted:
"I know I should not treat those with challenges differently, but we lack knowledge about inclusive
education" (Dewa, 2025). Their attitudes are ambivalent—they want to be inclusive but feel
ill-equipped, so their practices swing between inclusion and exclusion depending on the situation.
Teachers with an "established shift" embrace an "inclusive schooling" perspective. They reject the
idea that diverse learners hold others back. As CT2 argued: "It's more like the teacher's job... allow
them to just do five, if they're well-constructed sentences" (Dewa, 2025). These teachers use
differentiated instruction, mixed-ability grouping, and see teaching all learners as their professional
responsibility.
Recent research supports and extends Dewa's findings. Selisko et al. (2024) found that teachers'
attitudes cluster into distinct profiles, with exclusionary attitudes linked to transmission-oriented
beliefs about learning. This suggests that shifting attitudes requires challenging deep-seated
epistemological assumptions, not just surface-level awareness. A systematic review by Alnahdi et al.
(2024) confirms that positive teacher attitudes are strongly associated with training quality and
school-level support for inclusive culture. Finally, Çiftci (2025) highlights that self-efficacy mediates
the relationship between attitudes and inclusive practices—teachers who believe they can teach all
learners are more likely to actually differentiate instruction. These sources reinforce that Dewa's
three shifts are not merely attitudinal stages but reflect broader belief systems, efficacy beliefs,
and institutional conditions that must be addressed together to move teachers towards fully
inclusive practice.
ASSIGNMENT 4 2026
DUE 15 OCTOBER 2026
Question 1: Read the article and answer the question that follows.
Dewa (2025) identifies three pedagogical shifts that shape teachers' attitudes towards inclusive
teaching and learning in South African Foundation Phase classrooms.
Teachers with "no shift" or "little shift" hold a "separate schooling" perspective. They view learner
differences through a medical lens and often see diverse learners as problems. For example,
participant BT3 complained that learners with brain damage "slow down the progress of others"
(Dewa, 2025). These teachers resist inclusion because they believe special needs learners belong in
separate, specialised environments. Their attitudes are deficit-based, focusing on what learners
cannot do rather than adapting their own teaching.
Teachers with an "emerging shift" align with a "fragmented schooling" perspective. They
acknowledge that inclusion is important but implement it inconsistently. Participant CT1 admitted:
"I know I should not treat those with challenges differently, but we lack knowledge about inclusive
education" (Dewa, 2025). Their attitudes are ambivalent—they want to be inclusive but feel
ill-equipped, so their practices swing between inclusion and exclusion depending on the situation.
Teachers with an "established shift" embrace an "inclusive schooling" perspective. They reject the
idea that diverse learners hold others back. As CT2 argued: "It's more like the teacher's job... allow
them to just do five, if they're well-constructed sentences" (Dewa, 2025). These teachers use
differentiated instruction, mixed-ability grouping, and see teaching all learners as their professional
responsibility.
Recent research supports and extends Dewa's findings. Selisko et al. (2024) found that teachers'
attitudes cluster into distinct profiles, with exclusionary attitudes linked to transmission-oriented
beliefs about learning. This suggests that shifting attitudes requires challenging deep-seated
epistemological assumptions, not just surface-level awareness. A systematic review by Alnahdi et al.
(2024) confirms that positive teacher attitudes are strongly associated with training quality and
school-level support for inclusive culture. Finally, Çiftci (2025) highlights that self-efficacy mediates
the relationship between attitudes and inclusive practices—teachers who believe they can teach all
learners are more likely to actually differentiate instruction. These sources reinforce that Dewa's
three shifts are not merely attitudinal stages but reflect broader belief systems, efficacy beliefs,
and institutional conditions that must be addressed together to move teachers towards fully
inclusive practice.
