Jace Pillay

University of Johannesburg | uj · Department of Educational Psychology

Teachers' pedagogical strategy in teaching reading comprehension cannot be neglected because when learners fail to comprehend text and give meaning to it, they experience difficulties understanding other subjects taught. This study, therefore, examined reading comprehension strategies adopted by teachers to enhance reading comprehension among prima...

The study investigated the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and melodic intonation therapy (MIT) on the verbal communication skills of persons with apraxia. A pre-test, post-test, and control group quasi-experimental research design was used with a sample of persons with post-stroke apraxia receiving speech and language therapeutic ser...

BACKGROUND: There are still a lot of countries that do not provide employment opportunities to people with intellectual disability (ID). Ten years after the UN passed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it is important to review existing studies on the employment of individuals with intellectual disabilities. OBJECTIVE: In th...

There may be differences in the development and level of self-help skills of pupils with intellectual disability (ID) that are influenced by some factors. Feeding, dressing, toileting, and self-hygiene skills are essential for independent daily living. In this study, scaffolding and gender effects were examined on the self-help skills of participan...

People with autism are subjected to peer rejection and social isolation from peer groups in their first three years of life due to the adverse effect autism has on everyday social and communication skills. In addition to affecting academic performance, occupational success, and mood/anxiety setbacks, social and communication deficits can negatively...

The study investigated family therapy as a predictor of well-being among Schizophrenic patients. Family therapy is a therapeutic approach used to help people with schizophrenia deepen their family connections to get through stressful times. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. Two hundred and ninety-seven (297) schizophrenic patients part...

Aggressive behaviour has a significant negative effect on learning and academic performance. This study investigated the significant main effect of token reinforcement, cognitive behavioural therapy, and degree of disability on managing aggressive behaviour among pupils with intellectual disability. The study participants were 60 pupils (N = 60, N...

Introduction: It is more difficult for children with limited communication to understand the intentions of others and to communicate their own needs, feelings, and ideas because of their impaired expressive language skills. Objectives: This study investigated parenting styles and the peer-influence as correlates of expressive language skills in chi...

This study examined pre-service teachers’ knowledge and perceptions of, and attitudes toward, inclusive education. A total of 131 pre-service teachers from two programs—one at a College of Education and a university program through the Faculty of Education—were surveyed using a cross-sectional survey research design. Data were collected using a sel...

Background: People with intellectual disabilities are likely to face long-standing employment barriers in finding and keeping jobs, for a variety of reasons. This study, therefore, investigated barriers to employment of people with intellectual disabilities. The participants in this study were made up of sixty-five stakeholders who were recruited...

Aggressive behaviour has a significant negative effect on learning and academic performance. This study aimed to establish the main effect of token reinforcement, cognitive behavioural therapy, and degree of disability on reducing aggression among pupils with intellectual disability. The study participants were 60 pupils (N = 60, N = 27 boys; N = 3...

Individuals with intellectual disability who suffer from comorbid mental health problems are likely to experience difficulties in socialising. Deficits in social skills are also associated with challenging behaviours and self-injury. This paper presents global evidence from a systematic review of literature on such issues as ‘interventions’; ‘socia...

Effective interpersonal relationships and communication with community members necessitate the development of appropriate social skills. The theory underpinning the study was the Inoculation Theory. This study investigated the predictive influence of resistance to peer influence, self-esteem, and gender on social skills development among adolescent...

This study examined service learning as an effective strategy for implementation of the Economics curriculum for result-oriented university education. The study was guided by two research questions, adopted a qualitative research approach and utilised phenomenology design. A purposive sampling technique was used to select all students from the depa...

Effective learning and classroom interaction depend on learners’ reading skills. In essence, reading is the cornerstone of academic success. Thus, functional literacy enhances learners' abilities irrespective of their intellectual abilities. Learners with intellectual disability will have an improved ability to understand and apply the information...

This study sought to explore barriers to and benefits of adopting online platforms for teaching undergraduate students in the Department of Special Education. The berries that prevent effective online learning were identified as detractors, while the benefits of implementing online learning were categorised as optimism and pragmatism. One hundred a...

This study investigated the reluctance among pre-service to adopt online learning platforms to teach students with intellectual disability. This study consisted of pre-service teachers. The qualitative phenomenological research method was used to examine pre-service teachers' reluctance to adopt online learning platforms to teach students with inte...

This paper presents global evidence derived from a systematic review of literature on the issues of music therapy and individuals with intellectual disability. An extensive bibliographies databases search was conducted resulting in the identification of 2,351 academic papers, from which nine papers met the inclusion criteria for in-depth analysis r...

Reading is a fundamental skill required for effective participation in academic tasks. This research investigated the significant main effects of phonics and neurological impress instructional methods on the reading skills of pupils with learning disabilities. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design with a 3 x 2 factorial matrix...

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effectiveness of demonstration and storytelling methods on the performance of pupils with intellectual disability in social studies. Moderating effects of gender and learning styles were also examined. The study employed a quasi-experimental research design. The sample for the study consisted of thirty (30) pup...

Background: This research examined the significant main effect of peer tutoring, storytelling, and gender, on the social skills of pupils with mild intellectual disability. Using the Social Development Theory of Lev Vygotsky as the rationale for this study, the acquisition of social skills is viewed as based on a social constructivist view of learn...

Background: Research has provided evidence about the negative impact of school bullying on the academic performance of primary school children, but studies on the prevalence of school bullying and numeracy performance of children are very scant. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of school bullying and numeracy performance among p...

This study investigated the effect of oral motor and articulation therapies on speech intelligibility of persons with Down syndrome in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. A pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental research design with a factorial matrix of three (3) experimental groups was adopted for the study. Thirty (30) persons with Down syndr...

Aggressive behaviour is a major characteristics among adolescents with mild intellectual disability due to their inability to effectively use verbal communication to express their needs. This study, therefore, investigated the role of parental conflicts, peer influence, and socio-environmental deprivation in predicting aggressive behaviour among th...

This study examined aggressive behavior (verbal aggression, physical assault, socially unacceptable and destructive behavior) among learners with moderate intellectual disability in southwestern Nigeria, through teachers' perceptions. The study used a descriptive survey design. Convenient sampling technique was used to select respondents (87 teache...

Nigeria, just like all other countries of the world has been impacted by the global pandemic, COVID-19, leading to the implementation of lockdown measures. The advent of virtual learning spaces are considered the best alternative learning platform because of the need to save academic programme. This paper examines the position of virtual learning s...

This study investigated the effects of music therapy and pictorial illustration on the attention span of children with mild intellectual difficulties. A pre-test, post-test and control group quasi-experimental research design was used with a sample of children diagnosed with mild intellectual disability from three special schools in Ibadan, Nigeria...

Objective: Reading is an indispensable skill. The study investigated the effects of music therapy on the reading skills of pupils with intellectual disability. Methods: An experimental research design was used. The sample was purposively selected from two special schools for pupils with intellectual disability in Ibadan, Nigeria. Seventeen pupils w...

A systematic literature review was conducted to explore worldwide prevalence studies on student suicide, the risks and protective factors related to student suicide, and university-based interventions to combat it. The search of four major databases identified 60 studies published in peer-reviewed academic journals between 2015 and 2020. Majority o...

In recent years there has been a significant escalation in the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in South Africa, mainly due to the scourge of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The author argues that early childhood education interventions for OVC should be a priority of government since...

The aim of this article is to discuss the social justice implications for educational psychologists working with orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) who comprise 3.7 million of the population in South Africa. The author begins with a global conceptualisation of social justice and then discusses the nature of social justice in South Africa. This i...

This study was carried out to evaluate the situation of violation of girls’ rights among Grade 9 learners in Johannesburg’s high schools, with a focus on how educational psychologists working with these children can help to protect the nurturance and self-determination rights of girls in schools as defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Chi...

This article explores South African teachers’ perceptions of children’s rights in South Africa and points out several implications for teaching. Data were collected from 40 high school teachers from the Johannesburg South Education District. An open-ended, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Thematic data analysis using manual...

The main purpose of this paper was to establish the effectiveness of school management and governance structures in managing racial integration in public secondary schools. A qualitative study was conducted utilising Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Lewin’s Change Management Theory. A sample of grade 10 learners and educators, which included members...

This study aimed to determine children's experiences of their rights. The sample consisted of 185 Grade 9 pupils (females = 95; males = 90) randomly sampled from 13 secondary schools from Johannesburg, South Africa, from a previous study. The participants were requested to write their responses to an open-ended question: 'What do you think of child...

In the last decade there has been a significant escalation in the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in various parts of the world, more particularly, in Sub- Saharan Africa. The author strongly asserts that early childhood education is the main vehicle to address the concerns of OVC in order for them to develop skills and human capita...

This study investigated the association between school bullying and literacy achievements in a sample of primary school children from Johannesburg, South Africa. The children (n = 443; females = 56%, males = 44%) attending six primary schools in the Soweto area suburbs, self-reported their experience of bullying by peers. In addition, they complete...

This study explored the everyday lived life by South African early adolescents orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Informants were ten early adolescents (age range 12 to 14 years; females = 6; males = 4) from a low socioeconomic status neighbourhood of Johannesburg. The adolescents completed autobiographical essays and in-depth individual interviews on their qua...

This article reports on a study that investigated the problem of hope for the future and literacy achievement in a sample of impoverished South African primary school children. data was collected through a quantitative survey that was administered to 160 learners from four classes of grades 5 to 7 at a school in Soweto township, Johannesburg, South...

This article explores the lived experiences of early adolescents orphaned by HIV/AIDS and seeks to identify the different factors that contribute to resilience at the individual, family or home and larger community levels. Ten early adolescents aged from 12 to 14 years living in Soweto, South Africa, participated in the study. Data were collected u...

This article examines the relationship between housing, a critical aspect of socio-economic conditions, and literacy achievement of children from a school in a high density suburb in South Africa. Data was collected through a quantitative survey that was administered to learners (N = 160) from four Grade Five classes. The survey included five liter...

This study examines the relationship between perceived parent–child communication and four children well-being measures (depression, self-esteem, substance use and school adjustment). The participants consisted of 809 adolescents, mostly male (52.9%), and had a mean age of 16.8 years (SD = 1.58). The children completed a battery of instruments that...

In the last decade there has been a significant escalation in the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in various parts of the world, more particularly, in Sub-Saharan Africa. The author strongly asserts that early childhood education is the main vehicle to address the concerns of OVC in order for them to develop skills and human capital...

This study explored the influences on living arrangements of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) housed at a community-based home in Johannesburg, South Africa. A total of 50 OVC (males = 36%, females = 64%; age range 11 to 18 years) completed an open-ended questionnaire, while some of them also participated in individual interviews and focus gro...

There is insufficient literature and research that has problematised the use of the phenomenon of child-headed households (CHHs), that is, to find out if it is an acceptable term to use, if it is really a problem, and whether it needs solutions. Hence, the purpose of this study was to problematise the use of the term CHH, taking the theories of Fre...

This study investigated child sexual abuse (CSA) and literacy achievement among South African primary school children. Data on self-reported experience of CSA and actual literacy achievement were collected from a convenience sample of 160 learners from a Soweto school in Johannesburg. The literacy tests measured five domains of reading and spelling...

Educational status is an important indicator of children’s wellbeing and future life opportunities. It can predict growth potential and economic viability of a state. While this is an ideal situation for all children, the case may be different for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) due to the challenges they go through on a daily basis. This art...

This study examined the gendered experiences of patriarchal family life by adolescent girls from a low socio-economic status (SES) neighbourhood in South Africa. The informants were nine girls from an urban setting, three of whom were from child-headed homes. The six others lived with extended family and served to provide typical experiences for gi...

Much has been written about orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) with regard to their education and living. However, relatively few studies have documented the psychosocial support provided for OVC in public primary schools to enhance their psychosocial well-being. This study therefore contributes to the understanding of the challenges experienced...

Adopting a social justice theoretical framework, the author proposes that the involvement of children in educational research is paramount. However, such involvement often exposes children to exploitation and a violation of their rights. As such, it is essential that all research involving children should be ethically sound. Hence, the purpose of t...

This study explored perceptions of educational psychologists on their role in promoting ethical research involving children. Participants were 10 South African educational psychologists (females = 60%; males = 40%) from mostly public services (90%). Data on their perceived roles in research ethics monitoring and implementation were collected throug...

The paper interrogates the misplaced belief that at the time of the framing of the South African Constitution a transition to popular democratic representation would miraculously end racism within the country. Would the first post-apartheid generation be free of the prejudices of the previous generations, or would the legacy of the old disposition...

The United Nations Convention on Children's Rights and the subsequent African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child together with the Bill of Children's Rights and numerous other policies and regulations in many African countries have set the precedent for children's rights to be respected and implemented across the African Continent. Howe...

Worldwide schools are confronted with a myriad of contextual challenges such as teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, poverty, substance abuse, child headed households, suicide, to mention a few. South Africa, a country that is yet to win the war against poverty and underdevelopment is not an exception. Life Orientation (LO) as a subject presents school...

Sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s second fastest growing region after Asia with a GDP of 5.8% for 2012. However, it is still the world’s poorest region and it has the largest proportion of vulnerable children in the world (Sewpaul & Matthias, 2013).

As a result of the AIDS pandemic, adolescent-headed families are becoming a common trend in South Africa. However, little is known about the experiences of the adolescent, especially within the school context. Hence the purpose of this article was to explore the experiences of adolescents within the school context. During our initial review of lite...

Behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) are a significant impediment to effective teaching and learning in England and Wales. Initiatives such as in-school Learning Support Units (LSUs) and off-site Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) aim to address BESD through short-term individualised learning programmes, followed by mandatory reintegratio...

Surfing Safely is an educational initiative designed to equip learners at a Jewish Orthodox Private School with sufficient knowledge to appreciate benefits and risks of electronic media at school. The initiative dealt basically with Internet safety. An aim was to empower children to take control of their use of the Internet, to cope with unwholesom...

This article addresses the question of how school counsellors experienced the use of sand tray techniques in assisting children with emotional and behavioural problems at a primary school in Gauteng, South Africa. A phenomenological research design was used to investigate and document the experiences of 12 school counsellors that were using sand tr...

The aim of this study was to identify and describe skills, characteristics and support networks needed by keystone Life Orientation (LO) teachers in six Gauteng schools. In this study “keystone” refers to LO teachers who make a positive impact in their schools. A qualitative research design was used to collect data through interviews, class observa...

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of vulnerable learners from child-headed households through an ecological systems model that includes their homes, community, and school. Special emphasis was given to the role of school psychologists as change agents within the context of schools. This qualitative study included...

The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of self-injury among adolescents and young adults within the South African context. The participants were twelve university students who had self-injured in their adolescence (females = 92%). The data were collected through interviews, personal writings and collages and analysed using phenomenolog...

The aim of this study was to identify and describe skills, characteristics and support networks needed by keystone Life Orientation (LO) teachers in six Gauteng schools. In this study "keystone" refers to LO teachers who make a positive impact in their schools. A qualitative research design was used to collect data through interviews, class observa...

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the challenges counselors face while practising in South African schools. An ecological systems theoretical approach was used. In-depth interviews were conducted with school counselors from six different schools, in various education districts in Gauteng. These interviews were transcribed and analyse...

This article asks questions about the discourse in community psychology, specifically as it manifests in educational psychology research, in South Africa. With the articles in this special issue of Education as Change in mind, we examine the role of the ecology metaphor in this field and trace aspects of its articulation in a section of literature....

The object of the inquiry that is captured in this article was the safety of pupils in schools and the increasing number of incidents of school-based violence. We argue that children and youths in schools need assistance to defend their right to learn, and that it can be forthcoming from school communities themselves in a bottom-up manner, because...

Currently there is an international shift towards inclusive education, a means of education according to which the learner is schooled in the least restrictive environment possible, to overcome his or her challenges to learning and development. Bearing this in mind we considered the experiences of a learner with learning difficulties who transited...

This qualitative study was conducted in four Gauteng public primary schools to assess the utilisation of psychological support services. Individual and focus group interviews were conducted with various stakeholders. The results indicated an underutilisation of Psychological Support Services attributed to lack of staff within the support services,...

The persistence of informal segregation in post-apartheid South Africa is now well documented. As the articles in this journal issue attest, this segregation is rife in many public spaces, including university campuses. This article explores the reasons to which students attribute the lack of interracial mixing at their institutions. Students from...

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the educational challenges of rural early adolescents who head families as a result of their parents being migrant workers. A qualitative research design was used with a sample of early adolescents and their teachers from four schools in the Limpopo Province. Data was collected through individua...

The purpose of this article is to describe the experiences of learners from informal settlements at predominantly Indian secondary schools in Lenasia, as well as their experiences at the informal settlements themselves. Grade 8 learners from the Thembelihle and Hospital Hill informal settlements in Lenasia, Gauteng province, were identified as the...

Community psychology is often viewed as the answer to many of the social and psychological problems that exist in South Africa. However, there appears to be a gap in terms of how it should be integrated in the training of psychologists. A qualitative research design was used in this study to explore how this gap can be bridged by describing the tra...