Corrective actions for indecisive behaviour of Foundation Phase learners during art activities

Abstract

The Foundation Phase in education provides the primary building blocks for young learners’ fundamental intellectual, social, physical and emotional basis of development. Holistic development is critical during the early years of the emergent learner’s life. Research has shown that it is imperative for young learners to make choices of their own accord, as room for independent decision making affords them the right to a “voice” and the opportunity to raise their own opinions which can contribute incrementally to their educational development. Exercising personal choices demands self-confidence and resolution. Indecisiveness implies a lack of taking a stance at all, as passive learners who constantly vacillate cannot succeed in accomplishing the task at hand. Various internal and external factors contribute to young learners’ indecisive behaviour and this, in turn, leads to a lack of self-confidence and fear. One of the main external factors identified is the child-rearing style of caregivers and parents. When learners experience fear and a lack of self-confidence, their educational experiences are also negatively impacted and therefore holistic development cannot take place. Research has indicated that visual art activities benefit young learners tremendously as they endow the learners with a more relaxed approach during activities due to the enjoyable character thereof. The focus in this study is consequently on rectifying young learners’ indecisiveness during visual art activities. All young learners dispose of the inherent potential to be creative and to express themselves through engaging with artwork, but when they lack self-confidence, they will be overcome with fear, hesitance and indecision. Social interaction as teaching strategy, as proposed by Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) supports learners who have not yet reached their full potential, therefore group work can be introduced where a decisive learner can support indecisive peers to gain self-confidence, giving rise to a more enterprising and venturesome approach. (Van der Veer, 2007: 114–115; Newman & Holzman, 1993: 67).