Cultural-historical analysis of the pedagogy of learners with disabilities in Ghanaian Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Pedagogy of learners with disabilities in early childhood education refers to how tools used in the culture and teaching methods of regular schooling are adapted to develop learners with disabilities. For these learners, school culture applies to how schooling is organised and how disability is constructed and mediated by teachers to shape classroom teaching methods. Given this explanation, this thesis examines the pedagogy of learners with disabilities in early childhood education settings within selected communities using Vygotsky’s cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) as a framework and method. The cultural-historical activity theory framework provided a means to conceptualise the pedagogy of learners with disabilities as a socially constructed and culturally mediated human activity system. As a dynamically interacting system, contradictions in pedagogical practices can be mediated to shape teaching and learning and the development of learners with disabilities. With the underpinning framework as a guide, data was collected from eighteen (18) teachers in seven (7) public preschools from six communities in the Ga-East Municipality of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana through focus group discussions and individual teacher interviews. The analysis revealed that teachers employed culturally mediated and developmentally appropriate pedagogical practices that suited the needs of learners with disabilities. However, teachers’ cultural beliefs and norms about disability hindered the effectiveness of these practices, creating resistance in the learners, suggesting that past cultural beliefs and practices persist in the pedagogy of learners with disabilities in mainstream early childhood education. The findings are discussed to situate subtle changes in teachers’ beliefs towards disabilities and learners with disabilities as crucial conceptual tools for transforming the pedagogy of learners with disabilities in ways that are culturally relevant and beneficial to the learners. The thesis concludes that adequate teaching and learning materials, special needs coordinators, and teaching assistants should support teacher training in special education. This support must address harmful pedagogical practices and provide dynamic, democratic learning environments allowing learners with disabilities to participate and benefit from early childhood education.