CHANGING THE WORLD FOR CHILDREN, THROUGH APPLYING THEIR RIGHT TO BE LISTENED TO

Get Complete Project Material File(s) Now! »

INTRODUCTION

In the media it is regularly stated that children are the future. However, contradicting this statement, Ericsson (2001) remarks that societies are organized without prioritising or even being conscious of the distinctive needs of children. It is only through listening to children that society will gain understanding into their world and view the world as they do. Understanding their world will assist in gaining insight into how they experience the world they are living in. Bellamy (2003:2) said: “Our first response must be simply to listen to what they’re (children) saying, because in fact what they’re saying is that we do not listen enough. Our second response must be to engage children, give them a positive role in issues affecting them, and seize their special insights as well as their eagerness to help in creating positive change.

RATIONALE

An answer that was obtained from a grade 1 girl in 2014 made me realise that children are very prone to adopting their parents’ opinions. As I was taking down a picture in my class, I asked the girl if she knew who this particular political figure was. The girl informed me that the political figure is a bad man and she was probed further to find out more.

CLARIFICATION OF CORE CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGIES

The following section provides a summary of the concepts used within this study in order to enhance the general understanding and the application of these concepts within the context of this study.

Children

The South African National Curriculum Framework for Children from Birth to Four (NCF) and the Children’s Act of South Africa (2005) state that a child is a person under the age of 18 years. When mentioning children in this study, it implies children aged between eight years and nine years.

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 RATIONALE
1.3 CLARIFICATION OF CORE CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGIES
1.3.1 Children’s hopes and fears
1.3.2 Children
1.3.3 Learner
1.3.4 Futures in Education
1.3.5 Children’s right to be heard
1.3.6 Values in education
1.4 PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.5 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
1.6 RESEARCH DESIGN
1.6.1 Qualitative paradigm
1.6.2 Case study research methodology
1.6.3 Unit of analysis
1.6.4 Selection of participants
1.6.5 Data collection strategies
1.6.5.1 Observations
1.6.5.2 Interviews
1.6.5.2.1 Individual interviews
1.6.5.2.2 Focus-group interviews
1.6.5.3 Visual methods
1.6.5.4 Field notes
1.6.6 Data analysis
1.6.7 Role of the researcher
1.7 ADHERENCE TO ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
1.8 OUTLINE OF THE CHAPTERS
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW CHANGING THE WORLD FOR CHILDREN, THROUGH APPLYING THEIR RIGHT TO BE LISTENED TO
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD
2.2.1 Children need to be listened to
2.2.2 Exploring children’s experiences living in the United Kingdom
2.2.3 Exploring children’s views living in Europe
2.2.4 Exploring children’s views living in Australia
2.2.5 Exploring children’s views living in Pakistan
2.2.6 Exploring children’s views living in South Africa
2.3 CREATING OPPORTUNITIES WHERE CHILDREN CAN EXPRESS THEIR HOPES AND FEARS TOWARDS THE FUTURE
2.3.1 The importance of teachers knowing the young child
2.3.2 The importance of teachers creating opportunities for children to be heard
2.3.3 Using personal narratives as means to gain insight into the world of children
2.3.4 Using role play to gain insight into the world children live in
2.4 FUTURES EDUCATION
2.4.1 Values in education
2.5 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.5.1 Bronfenbrenner Theory of Ecological Systems (1979)
2.5.1.1 The microsystem
2.5.1.2 The mesosystem
2.5.1.3 The exosystem
2.5.1.4 The macrosystem
2.5.2 Lundy’s voice model
2.5.3 Emergent theoretical framework
2.5 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH DESIGN ON ROUTE TO UNLOCKING CHILDREN’S RIGHT TO BE HEARD
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.1.1 Main research question
3.1.2 Secondary questions
3.2 PARADIGMATIC PERSPECTIVES
3.2.1 Qualitative paradigm
3.2.2 Interpretative paradigm
3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.3.1 Case study research
3.3.1.1 Sampling: Selection of research site
3.3.1.2 Selection of participants
3.3.1.3 Data collection methods
3.3.1.3.1 Observations
3.3.1.3.2 Individual interviews
3.3.1.3.3 Focus-group interviews
3.3.1.3.4 Visual methods
3.3.1.3.5 Field notes
3.3.1.3.6 Document analysis
3.3.2 The data gathering process
3.4 DATA ANALYSIS STRATEGIES
3.4.1 Thematic analysis
3.5 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
3.5.1 Informed consent and voluntary participation
3.5.2 Confidentiality and anonymity and privacy
3.6 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 4 DATA ANALYSIS ACKNOWLEDGING CHILDREN’S VOICES
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 SUMMARY OF DATA ANALYSIS STRATEGIES AND PROCESS
4.3 RESULTS OF THE THEMATIC ANALYSIS
4.4 THEMES AND SUB-THEMES
4.4.1 Theme 1: South Africa is an unsafe country
4.4.2 Theme 2: Economic opportunities as the silver lining
4.4.3 Theme 3: Need for compassion
4.5 SUMMARY
CHAPTER 5 OVERVIEW, DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS BUILDING ON CHILDREN’S VOICES TO ENSURE A BETTER FUTURE
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 A SYNOPTIC OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
5.3 FINDINGS IN TERMS OF THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
5.4 LITERATURE REVIEW SUPPORTING THE RESEARCH RESULTS
5.4.1 Supportive evidence within existing literature
5.4.2 Contradictions between the literature and the results of the study
5.4.3 Silences in the research data
5.4.4 New insights from the results
5.5 RESPONSE TO RESEARCH QUESTIONS
5.5.1 Sub-questions:
5.5.2 Main research question
5.6 NEW KNOWLEDGE
5.6.1 Comparison between data obtained from Gauteng and Northern Cape Province
5.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
5.8 RECOMMENDATIONS
5.8.1 Recommendations for further studies
5.8.2 Recommendations for training and practice
5.9 CONCLUDING REMARKS
BIBLIOGRAPHY