| Summary: | The aims o f this study were: l).To assess the attitudes of teachers at 16 English-medium high
schools towards integrated schooling and to determine their perceived sources of stress. 2). To
ascertain whether any changes in teacher attitudes had taken place between 1990 and 1996 at
these schools. 3). To determine whether certain teacher or school variables were associated with
teachers’ attitudes. 4). To investigate teachers’ perceptions o f the difficulties and benefits of
school integration, and their suggestions with regard to facilitating the integration process.
The opinions of 317 (white) teachers were obtained via a questionnaire. The results indicated that
the teachers in this study strongly supported integrated schooling, although they acknowledged
that problems do exist. While English speaking respondents were slightly more positive than were
Afrikaans speaking respondents, the most significant variable influencing results was school type.
Teachers at private (independent) schools were generally more positive than ivere teachers at
government (public) schools, while teaching in the more integrated schools influenced both
positive attitudes and greater sensitivity to multicultural issues. Higher teacher qualifications
generally indicated increasingly positive attitudes, while attitudes were not found to be
significantly influenced by either age or sex. Teachers who had previously attended courses were
more aware of difficulties and endorsed the need for special training. The overall perceived stress
level of the teachers was not acute, indicating that they do cope.
The longitudinal comparison between 1990 and 1996, indicated a highly significant movement
towards more positive attitudes to integration in all groups except the more integrated private
schools which had already expressed highly positive views. The most nsnarkable positive shift
occurred in the attitudes of Afrikaans speaking teachers. Although teacftar have become less
anxious about perceived problems associated with integration, concern the inferior
educational background of disadvantaged pupils has persisted.
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