A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF COUNSELLING PRINCIPLES THAT TEACHERS COULD USE AS TEACHING METHODS TO RESOLVE INTRA-PERSONAL CONFLICT OF LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES IN ZIMBABWE

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF COUNSELLING PRINCIPLES THAT TEACHERS COULD USE AS TEACHING METHODS TO RESOLVE INTRA-PERSONAL CONFLICT OF LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES IN ZIMBABWE

PHILLIPA MUTSWANGA

NORMAN CHIVASA

Using authors’ experiences and related literature, this opinion-based paper analysed and justified how counselling principles could be used to resolve the intra-personal conflicts and issues of learners with disabilities both as agents of change and teaching tools. Counselling is a helping mechanism which has existed in different institutions for a long time. This concept assists people to cope with life circumstances such as intra-personal conflicts and educational issues. As observed by the authors, teachers and schools have realised that students spend more time at schools than with their parents, thus, most of their life issues which occasionally manifests in the form of intra-personal conflicts are more felt by schools than their homes. Though the paper acknowledges all that, it is also aware that some learners bring issues and concerns from their homes which may impact on their learning in various ways. Thus, counselling may be institutionalised. This awareness has made schools take over the task of providing psychological support to all learners. In the past schools have generally concentrated on teaching leaving counselling issues to counsellors within or outside their schools but a shift in thinking and consideration is developing. This paper persuades teachers to play the dual teacher/counsellor role so as promote prompt learning, coping with life situations where feedback is a reality and matches with the learners’ immediate focus. At the same time referrals to specialists should be afforded when necessary or when need-be.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES SOCIAL SCIENCES AND EDUCATION

2014

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