Noyam eBooks

The world at the moment is going through serious educational reforms in order to meet the complex needs of people. Ghana is no exception to these reforms; all these reforms are done with the view of making education more functional and relevant to the needs of the immediate community and the world as a whole. It is imperative to point out that the youth need information to help them think through and make informed choices in the present technological and competitive world. Guidance and Counselling therefore plays a major role in helping the youth to be productive in all fields of endeavor.

It is true that a very minor percentage of mankind is capable of handling its problems independently without the cooperation and guidance of others. It has been discovered that majority of people do not have the confidence or insight to unravel their problems to others. Previously in the Traditional Ghanaian society, family heads provided specified guidance and advice whenever any member of the family or the community needed it. Needless to mention, too often informal advice given without a transparent understanding of the matter involved was harmful and misleading to the individual. With the passage of some time, revolutionary and evolutionary changes have taken place.

In these modern times, the guidance movement has gained grounds globally generating a superb amount of enthusiasm and zeal among parents, teachers and social workers who have devoted time to explore its feasibility. All these said people are convinced that the right provision of guidance services should be made for youngsters at different age levels for the harmonious development of their personalities within the larger interest of the society and therefore the individual.

The purpose of writing this book is in two-fold. Firstly, it seeks to provide simple, straightforward and yet comprehensive basic principles of guidance for the benefit of non-specialist readers. The content is richly stuffed with a gamut of ideas which encourages newcomers to the field of guidance and counselling to acquire and develop their skills to become professional counsellors.

Secondly, the book has been prepared with sufficient reference to the Ghanaian educational context to meet the needs of the Diploma in Basic Education (DBS) and Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) students. Also, more advanced students pursuing specialized programmes in guidance and counselling at M.Ed./M/A/MPhil/Ph.D. levels will find this book as a useful introductory material to undertake more detailed work.

The topics treated covers the guidance and counselling syllabus for level 300 pre-service teachers in Ghanaian Colleges of Education. This volume provides students with a basic understanding of teaching Guidance and Counselling in basic schools.

The book is divided into ten chapters. Chapter one deals with the meaning and principles of guidance, and the need for Guidance and Counselling in Basic Schools. Chapter two examines the meaning, nature, purposes, and principles of counselling, as well as the difference between Guidance and counselling among others.

Chapter three considers Appraisal Service under the following: types of techniques used for collecting data for effective appraisal service. The main techniques discussed are test and non-test items. In chapter four, information service is discussed in details. Items considered include: the rational, purposes, types and the role of the counsellor in information service. Chapter five talks about the nature, importance, purposes and the role of counsellors in consultation service.

Chapter six discusses both the placement and orientation services. The discussion starts with the placement service. It includes: the purpose, types, and the need for placement service in schools. It ends with the role of counsellors in placement service. The items considered in the Orientation Service include: the meaning, importance, methods and the role of counsellors in Orientation Service in schools.

The seventh chapter talks about the Follow-Up Service. The nature, purpose, type of methods used for collecting data for Follow-Up Services are also discussed. The role of counsellors and the challenges they face in Follow-Up Service are also considered in the chapter. Chapter eight delves into the Referral and Evaluation Services. First, the chapter discusses the Referral Service, what it entails, its importance and the role of the counsellor in the Referral Service. The chapter ends with Evaluation service. Subheadings considered in the chapter include: the nature, purpose, importance, techniques use in evaluation, as well as its challenges and the role of counsellors in Evaluation Service.

Chapter nine looks at the guidance functionaries in Basic Schools. The team typically may include the headmaster or principal, classroom teachers, parents and other helping professionals such as psychologists, social workers, health workers, among others. Each of these people plays a significant role in the success of the guidance enterprise of which the pupil is central.

Finally, the last chapter which is chapter ten discusses some approaches and theories of Counselling, based on Behavioural, Directive and Clients/Person-centered or Rogerian theories and among others. It is hoped that this book would prove to be a handy and useful material for lecturers/tutors and pre-service teachers in the Universities educating teachers and Colleges of Education in Ghana, as well as other educators and students elsewhere.