A SOCIAL-COGNITIVE MODEL OF TEACHING PEDAGOGIES TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY IN ZIMBABWE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17770/eid2025.2.88Keywords:
education, foundation phase classroom, inclusivity, learners, social-cognitive inclusion model, teaching pedagogies, teachersAbstract
Inclusive education in Zimbabwean foundation phase classrooms faces the critical challenges of addressing the diverse cognitive, social, and cultural needs of young learners. Despite policy commitments, teaching pedagogies often remain standardiesd and insufficiently responsive to learner variability. This study introduces the Social-Cognitive Inclusion model (SCI), grounded in constructivism learning theory, which conceptualises learning as an active, socially mediated, and cognitively driven process. The SCI model encompasses social factors, including teacher attitudes, scaffolding and learner interaction, alongside cognitive factors such as cognitive diversity, metacognitive skills, and the promotion of an inclusive classroom environment. A qualitative research design was employed to explore how foundation phase teachers implement teaching pedagogies that promote inclusivity. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observation, and document analysis involving twelve purposively selected foundation phase teachers from Hwange district. Thematic analysis was used to explore how teaching pedagogies are applied in contexts characterised by a lack of parental support, limited infrastructure, and inadequate training. Findings reveal that while teachers demonstrate inclusive intent, the teaching pedagogies that promote inclusivity often remain inflexible and fail to adequately accommodate learners' cognitive and social differences. The SCI model addresses this gap by suggesting adaptable strategies aligned with learners' developmental readiness and contextual realities.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Samkeliso Mathe, Nkhensani Susan Thuketana, Makwalete Johanna Malatji
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