SpringerLink
Log in

Inclusion in Early Childhood Care and Education: A Participatory Action – Learning and Action Research Perspective

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Inclusion in Southern African Education

Part of the book series: Sustainable Development Goals Series ((SDGS))

  • 97 Accesses

Abstract

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centres have increasingly become diverse and teachers require advanced skills to include children of various identities. Should teachers want to develop inclusive learning environments, then they need to respond to all children in pedagogically appropriate ways. The focus of this chapter is to explore how teachers adopt an inclusive pedagogy which encourages access, participation, achievement and respect for all children, not just those experiencing barriers to learning or those regarded as special needs. The chapter reports on an eight-month, virtual learning participatory engagement with six ECCE teachers and two teacher trainers. Using a participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) design data were gathered through a baseline questionnaire, photovoice and journals. The findings of the study indicated how the research participants transformed their pedagogical practice due to their collaborative efforts. The findings revealed that the teachers created an inclusive learning environment in ECCE by adopting play-based, culturally responsive and participatory pedagogies. These findings make important contributions to the development of professional qualifications in ECCE, they could be pivotal in designing a module on inclusion in ECCE. Based on these findings, it was recommended that a module on inclusive pedagogy is necessary in the quest to realise inclusion in ECCE. Due to the critical nature of ECCE, creating inclusive learning environments may result in greater democracy in the learning environment and a more just society. Due to the inequality which manifests in South Africa, the use of a PALAR design offers a unique research method that voices the learnings of members of a marginalised sector in education. With scarcity of research on inclusion in the South African ECCE sector, this chapter may serve as a point of departure for further research on inclusive pedagogy in ECCE.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
EUR 32.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
EUR 29.95
Price includes VAT (France)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
EUR 106.99
Price includes VAT (France)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
EUR 137.14
Price includes VAT (France)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free ship** worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atmore E (2019, September 26) Early childhood development key in eradicating poverty and inequality in SA. Cape Argus. Retrieved from: https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/opinion/early-childhood-development-key-in-eradicating-poverty-and-inequality-in-sa-33562411. Accessed 05 May 2019

  • Aubert A, Molina S, Schubert T, Vidu A (2017) Learning and inclusivity via interactive groups in early childhood education and care in the Hope school, Spain. Learn Cult Soc Interact 13:90–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LCSI.2017.03.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Azorín C, Ainscow M (2020) Guiding schools on their journey towards inclusion. Int J Incl Educ 24(1):58–76

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bassey MO (2016) Culturally responsive teaching: Implications for educational justice. Educ Sci 6(4):35. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci6040035

  • Beymer PN, Thomson MM (2015) The effects of choice in the classroom: is there too little or too much choice? Support Learn 30(2):105–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bipath K, Joubert I (2016, May 27) The birth of a new curriculum for early childhood development. Mail and Guardian. Retrieved from: https://mg.co.za/article/2016-05-27-00-the-birth-of-a-new-qualification-for-ecd. Accessed 10 Feb 2019

  • Bohórquez YS (2020) A self-dialogue with the thoughts of Paulo Freire: a critical pedagogy encounter. How J 27(1):121–135. https://doi.org/10.19183/how.27.1.520

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bosman EA (2022) Relationship-centred strategies for improving discipline in rural secondary schools: a PALAR approach. Unpublished Doctoral thesis, North-West University, South Africa

    Google Scholar 

  • Cascio E (2015) The promise and pitfalls of universal early education. IZA World of Labor https://doi.org/10.15185/izawol.116

  • Castle P, Buckler S (2021) Psychology for teachers, 2nd edn. Sage, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen L, Manion L, Morrison K (2018) Research methods in education, 7th edn. Routledge, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Cologon K (2019) Towards inclusive education: a necessary process of transformation. Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cologon K (2022) Is inclusive education really for everyone? Family stories of children and young people labelled with ‘severe and multiple’ or ‘profound’ ‘disabilities’. Res Pap Educ 37(3):395–417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Daniela L (ed) (2019) Didactics of smart pedagogy: smart pedagogy for technology enhanced learning. Springer, Cham

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniels D (2018) Educating in diverse worlds: the immigrant Somali parent as a strategic partner of South African education. In: Walton E, Osman R (eds) Teacher education for diversity: conversations from the global south. Routledge, London, pp 87–102

    Google Scholar 

  • De Witt MW (2020) The young child in context: a psycho-social perspective. Van Schaik, Pretoria

    Google Scholar 

  • Denzin NK, Lincoln YS (eds) (2018) The sage handbook of qualitative research, 5th edn. Thousand Oaks. Sage, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Basic Education (DBE) (2015) The south African national curriculum framework for children from birth to four. Government Printers, Pretoria

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Education (DoE) (2001) Education White Paper 6: Special needs education. Building an inclusive education and training system. Government Printers, Pretoria

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) (2017) Policy on minimum requirements for programmes leading to qualifications in higher education for early childhood development educators. Government Printers, Pretoria

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Social Development (DSD) (2015) National integrated early childhood development policy (NIECD). Government Printers, Pretoria

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickins M (2014) A-Z of inclusion in early childhood. Open University Press, Berkshire

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebrahim HB, Hannaway D, Phala T, Modise M (2018) The South African ECCE context and principles for teacher education programmes. In: Ebrahim HB (ed) Project for inclusive early childhood care and education (PIECCE), pp 16–24. Retrieved from: https://piecce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/piecce-programmeframework.pdf on 3rd November 2020. Accessed 05 April 2020

  • Ebrahim HB, Okwany A, Barry O (eds) (2019) Early childhood care and education at the margins: African perspectives on birth to three. Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Ebrahim HB, Martin C, Excell L (2021) Early childhood teachers’ and managers’ lived experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. J Educ 84:204–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Elfert M (2019) Lifelong learning in sustainable development goal 4: what does it mean for UNESCO’s rights-based approach to adult learning and education? Int Rev Educ 65(4):537–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Excell LA, Linington V (2015) Teaching grade R. Juta, Cape Town

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire P (1974) Conscientisation. Crosscurrents 24(1):23–31. Retrieved from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/24457877.pdf?casa_token=JawPGWzZQxwAAAAA:RQl77Bk73d8Vk6JmGcUnjXVUb4ZgoD3pMUm-sxEs757rH7ez3-Hkkziz2ut1H2S9HGWRcw41xzvc3o9Z5epm9R7 tSYG0k5upK5A-Gz174lTsi0ZoGSc. Accessed 15 Nov 2019

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire P (2000) Pedagogy of the oppressed (30th-anniversary ed.). Continuum, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelot L (2019) Training for peace, conscientization through university simulation. Journal of Peace Education 16(2):195–214. https://doi.org/10.1080/17400201.2019.1576514

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gertler P, Heckman JJ, Pinto R, Chang SM, Grantham-McGregor S, Vermeersch C, Walker S, Wright A (2021) Effect of the Jamaica early childhood stimulation intervention on labor market outcomes at age 31. National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved from: https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w29292/w29292.pdf. Accessed 12 Aug 2022

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta M, Shaheen M, Reddy KP (eds) (2018) Qualitative techniques for workplace data analysis. IGI Global

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison GD (2020) A snapshot of early childhood care and education in South Africa: institutional offerings, challenges and recommendations. South African Journal of Childhood Education 10(1):1–10. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v10i1.797

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haug P (2017) Understanding inclusive education: ideals and reality. Scand J Disabil Res 19(3):206–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hlalele D (2021) Crests and troughs in inclusion: narrative expressions of a black teacher in independent schools. REMIE: Multidiscip J Educ Res 11(2):102–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Istianti T, Hamid SI, Abdillah F, Ismail MH (2019) Traditional plays for early childhood education: an inventory for valuing social citizenship. J Crit Rev 7(5):581–582. https://doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.05.120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kivunja C, Kuyini AB (2017) Understanding and applying research paradigms in educational contexts. Int J Higher Educ 6(5):26–41. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v6n5p26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knijnik J (2021) To Freire or not to Freire: educational freedom and the populist right-wing ‘Escola sem Partido’ movement in Brazil. Br Educ Res J 47(2):355–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladson-Billings G (2014) Culturally relevant pedagogy 2.0: aka the remix. Harv Educ Rev 84(1):74–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawless B, Chen YW (2019) Develo** a method of critical thematic analysis for qualitative communication inquiry. Howard J Commun 30(1):92–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2018.1439423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liebenberg L (2018) Thinking critically about photo voice: achieving empowerment and social change. Int J Qual Methods 17(1):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406918757631

  • Lochmiller CR, Lester JN (2015) An introduction to educational research: connecting methods to practice. SAGE Publications, Los Angeles

    Google Scholar 

  • Luthuli A (2019) Fostering social and academic inclusion for students with disabilities in an institution of higher learning. Unpublished Doctoral thesis. Nelson Mandela University, South Africa

    Google Scholar 

  • Makoelle TM (2012) The state of inclusive pedagogy in South Africa. J Sociol Soc Anthropol 3(2):93–102. https://doi.org/10.1080/09766634.2012.11885569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Makoelle TM (2018) Multiculturalism through transformative teaching and learning approaches. In: Integrating multicultural education into the curriculum for decolonisation, vol 61. Nova Science Publishers, pp 1–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Makoelle TM (2020) Schools’ transition toward inclusive education in post-Soviet countries: selected cases in Kazakhstan. SAGE Open 10(2):1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020926586

  • Mažgon J, Jeznik K, Ermenc KS (2018) Evaluating future school counselors’ competences for inclusive education. SAGE open 8(4):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018811406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAteer M, Wood L (2018) Decolonising knowledge: enacting the civic role of the university in a community-based project. S Afr J Educ 38(4):1–10. https://doi.org/10.15700/saje.v38n4a1662

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mérida-Serrano R, González-Alfaya ME, Olivares-García MA, Rodríguez-Carrillo J, Muñoz-Moya M (2020) Sustainable development goals in early childhood education. Empowering young girls to bridge the gender gap in science. Sustainability 12(22):1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moodly A (2019) Early childhood care and education (0–4): a transdisciplinary approach. Oxford University Press, Cape Town

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison M (2017, May 19) Action learning & action learning sets – Reg Revans. [Online] Retrieved: https://rapidbi.com/action-learning-sets/. Accessed 22 Jan 2021

  • Muñiz J (2018) Culturally Responsive Teaching. Retrieved: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED594599.pdf. Accessed 12 Aug 2022

  • Nutbrown C, Clough P, Atherton F (2013) Inclusion in the early years. Sage, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Oemig PA, Baptiste HP (2018) Investigating the development of science-literate identities through a multicultural perspective. Multicult Perspect 20(2):81–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/15210960.2018.1447070

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ojageer U (2019) Develo** an inclusive pedagogy approach for full-service schools: an action research approach. Unpublished Doctoral thesis. North-West University, South Africa

    Google Scholar 

  • Okeke CIO, Wolhuter CC, Adu EO, van Wyk MM, Abongdia JA (eds) (2016) Learn to teach: a handbook for teacher education. Oxford University Press, Cape Town

    Google Scholar 

  • Phasha N, Condy J (2016) Inclusive education: an African perspective. Oxford University Press, Cape Town

    Google Scholar 

  • Pramling N, Wallerstedt C, Lagerlöf P, Björklund C (2019) Playing, playworlds, and early childhood education. In: Pramling N, Wallerstedt C, Lagerlöf P, Björklund C, Kultti A, Palmér H, Samuelsson IP (eds) Play-responsive teaching in early childhood education. Springer, Cham, pp 31–54

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rangel N (2017) Pedagogy of play: a holistic project of personal and social liberation. Radic Pedagogy 14(2):1524–6345

    Google Scholar 

  • Republic of South Africa (2011) Office of the Presidency. National Development Plan: vision for 2030. Government Printers, Pretoria

    Google Scholar 

  • Ring E, O’Sullivan L, Wall E (2020) Resisting the “schoolification epidemic” in early childhood education. In: Jones I, Lin M (eds) Critical issues in early childhood teacher education: volume 2 – an international perspective. Information Age Publishing, Charlotte, pp 1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudolph N, Millei Z, Alasuutari M (2019) Data practices and inequality in south African early childhood development policy: technocratic management versus social transformation. S Afr J Child Educ 9(1):1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Rusznyak L, Masinire A (2018) The role of develo** pre-service teachers’ pedagogical reasoning to support contextually responsive teaching. In: Walton E, Osman R (eds) Teacher education for diversity: conversations from the global south. Routledge, London, pp 53–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Sathorar H, Blignaut S (2021) A critical approach to curriculum implementation: reflecting on lecturer preparedness to be transformative intellectuals. Interchange 52(3):415–431

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoonen A, Wood L, Kruger C (2021) Learning to facilitate community-based research: guidelines from a novice researcher. Educ Res Soc Change 10(1):16–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Setlhare-Kajee R (2018) Equip** teachers to support learners with psychosocial challenges: the potential of a linked PALAR-life design process. Unpublished Doctoral thesis. Northwest University, South Africa

    Google Scholar 

  • Shah RK (2021) Conceptualizing and defining pedagogy. IOSR J Res Method Educ 11(1):6–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith MK (2020, September 25) What is pedagogy? A definition and discussion. The encyclopedia of pedagogy and informal education. Retrieved from: https://infed.org/mobi/what-is-pedagogy/https://infed.org/mobi/concientization. Accessed 13 Mar 2020

  • Theunissen Z (2020, December 23) Why should i be a flexible teacher? Play learn win. https://playlearnwin.co.za/blogs/play-learn-win-blog/why-should-i-be-a-flexible-teacher. Accessed 13 Mar 2020

  • Underwood K, Valeo A, Wood R (2012) Understanding inclusive early childhood education: a capability approach. Contemp Issues Early Child 13(4):290–299. https://doi.org/10.2304/ciec.2012.13.4.290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Krieken Robson J (2019) Participatory pedagogy for values education in early childhood education. Eur Early Child Educ Res J 27(3):420–431

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood L (2020) Participatory action learning and action research: theory, practice and process. Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuber-Skerritt O (2018) An educational framework for participatory action learning and action research (PALAR). Educ Act Res 26(4):513–532. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2018.1464939

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

    Ashnie Mahadew

Authors
  1. Ashnie Mahadew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ashnie Mahadew .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

    Dipane Hlalele

  2. Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan

    Tsediso Michael Makoelle

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mahadew, A. (2023). Inclusion in Early Childhood Care and Education: A Participatory Action – Learning and Action Research Perspective. In: Hlalele, D., Makoelle, T.M. (eds) Inclusion in Southern African Education. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43752-6_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-43752-6_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-43751-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-43752-6

  • eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation