Pub Date : 2020-07-03DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2020.1868075
H. Mokiwa
Abstract Linguistic diversity in many schools is high such that science teachers face complex issues regarding appropriate ways of mediating social and academic language in multilingual classrooms. The relationship between these aspects and the task of teaching science (i.e., pedagogy) remains a mystery to many teachers. This paper provides a narrative and shared discoveries of the understanding of this differentiated instruction problem in order to forge the path ahead. Qualitative methods of lesson observations and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from four participants in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Analysis of data revealed a domination of English as a medium of discourse. The paper argues that teachers’ pedagogy and language of instruction are essentially related to the quality of science being taught in multilingual classrooms. The findings highlight the fundamental importance of the language of instruction within a multilingual science classroom and lay a foundation for further research.
{"title":"The Pedagogy of Learning and Teaching Science in a Multilingual Classroom: Teachers’ Perspectives","authors":"H. Mokiwa","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2020.1868075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2020.1868075","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Linguistic diversity in many schools is high such that science teachers face complex issues regarding appropriate ways of mediating social and academic language in multilingual classrooms. The relationship between these aspects and the task of teaching science (i.e., pedagogy) remains a mystery to many teachers. This paper provides a narrative and shared discoveries of the understanding of this differentiated instruction problem in order to forge the path ahead. Qualitative methods of lesson observations and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from four participants in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Analysis of data revealed a domination of English as a medium of discourse. The paper argues that teachers’ pedagogy and language of instruction are essentially related to the quality of science being taught in multilingual classrooms. The findings highlight the fundamental importance of the language of instruction within a multilingual science classroom and lay a foundation for further research.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2020.1868075","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49119282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-07-03DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2020.1868067
N. Ndou
Abstract This article focuses on the assessment of the progress made on the provisioning of quality education at selected public schools in Limpopo province. Qualitative research methodology was used as the author was interested in collecting data on the experiences, perceptions, and views of the research participants. Three research instruments for data collection were employed, namely participant observation, document analysis, and interviews. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who were likely to be knowledgeable and experienced on the phenomenon under study. Ten educators were sampled from public primary and secondary schools. The findings revealed that after the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa, few changes on the provisioning of quality education in Limpopo Province happened. The negative attitudes of the educators towards transformational policies, lack of competency of the educators in teaching reading and numeracy, lack of equitable distribution of resources to public schools, and lack of induction and in-service training of educators were amongst the contributing factors hampering effective provisioning of quality education. The author recommends recruitment of highly qualified and experienced educators, induction of newly appointed educators, continuous in-service training and mentoring, and development of guidelines or prescripts on the implementation of education policies as the tools that can enhance the provisioning of quality education at public schools.
{"title":"Educators’ Views on the Provision of Quality Education at Selected Public Schools in Limpopo Province","authors":"N. Ndou","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2020.1868067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2020.1868067","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This article focuses on the assessment of the progress made on the provisioning of quality education at selected public schools in Limpopo province. Qualitative research methodology was used as the author was interested in collecting data on the experiences, perceptions, and views of the research participants. Three research instruments for data collection were employed, namely participant observation, document analysis, and interviews. Purposive sampling was used to select participants who were likely to be knowledgeable and experienced on the phenomenon under study. Ten educators were sampled from public primary and secondary schools. The findings revealed that after the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa, few changes on the provisioning of quality education in Limpopo Province happened. The negative attitudes of the educators towards transformational policies, lack of competency of the educators in teaching reading and numeracy, lack of equitable distribution of resources to public schools, and lack of induction and in-service training of educators were amongst the contributing factors hampering effective provisioning of quality education. The author recommends recruitment of highly qualified and experienced educators, induction of newly appointed educators, continuous in-service training and mentoring, and development of guidelines or prescripts on the implementation of education policies as the tools that can enhance the provisioning of quality education at public schools.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2020.1868067","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45013083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-07-03DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2020.1868074
Adri du Toit, Elizabeth Kempen
Abstract Entrepreneurship is valued for its economic and social benefits, but also to cultivate the characteristics required by learners to deal with the demands of the twenty-first century. Entrepreneurship education develops learners’ entrepreneurship knowledge, skills, characteristics, and mindsets. Several serious economic and social dilemmas (including high youth unemployment) occur in South Africa, and entrepreneurship education could contribute to addressing these dilemmas. Previous research revealed that entrepreneurship education appears infrequently and in isolated subjects in the South African school curriculum. These entrepreneurship education shortcomings in the South African school curriculum therefore needed to be investigated in an effort to revisit the curriculum to present learners with more opportunities to benefit from effectual entrepreneurship education. To support this quest, a literature review grounded in a constructivist approach to determine international best practice was used to explore how entrepreneurship education is being approached globally. The set of best practices was analysed and compared to current entrepreneurship education in South Africa, using curriculum document analysis, which revealed several areas for improvement of entrepreneurship education in this school curriculum. These insights were used to develop a set of guidelines that could be used to address the entrepreneurship education inadequacies in the current South African school curriculum, thereby contributing to the improvement of South African learners’ entrepreneurship education. An advantageous ripple effect could be expected for South Africa if learners utilise their entrepreneurship education to address the economic and social dilemmas that the country has to deal with.
{"title":"Effectual Structuring of Entrepreneurship Education: Guidelines for Overcoming Inadequacies in the South African School Curriculum","authors":"Adri du Toit, Elizabeth Kempen","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2020.1868074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2020.1868074","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Entrepreneurship is valued for its economic and social benefits, but also to cultivate the characteristics required by learners to deal with the demands of the twenty-first century. Entrepreneurship education develops learners’ entrepreneurship knowledge, skills, characteristics, and mindsets. Several serious economic and social dilemmas (including high youth unemployment) occur in South Africa, and entrepreneurship education could contribute to addressing these dilemmas. Previous research revealed that entrepreneurship education appears infrequently and in isolated subjects in the South African school curriculum. These entrepreneurship education shortcomings in the South African school curriculum therefore needed to be investigated in an effort to revisit the curriculum to present learners with more opportunities to benefit from effectual entrepreneurship education. To support this quest, a literature review grounded in a constructivist approach to determine international best practice was used to explore how entrepreneurship education is being approached globally. The set of best practices was analysed and compared to current entrepreneurship education in South Africa, using curriculum document analysis, which revealed several areas for improvement of entrepreneurship education in this school curriculum. These insights were used to develop a set of guidelines that could be used to address the entrepreneurship education inadequacies in the current South African school curriculum, thereby contributing to the improvement of South African learners’ entrepreneurship education. An advantageous ripple effect could be expected for South Africa if learners utilise their entrepreneurship education to address the economic and social dilemmas that the country has to deal with.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2020.1868074","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44519452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-07-03DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2020.1868077
Mwangireni Ivy Chikodzi, L. M. Kaino
Abstract Many Zimbabwean mathematics classrooms have student populations from diverse cultural backgrounds who speak diverse Shona dialects. Most of the mathematics teaching is not related to the learners’ world or everyday experiences because it is taught in English, a second language for most of these learners. Teachers therefore play a fundamental role in making sure that learners in this bilingual setup understand the mathematical concepts being taught. The debate on whether English or indigenous languages are suitable for use in education is increasing. This paper explores possible instructional practices to assist bilingual learners. A qualitative approach was used to explore the instructional practices used by primary school teachers during the teaching and learning of mathematics in Zimbabwe. The findings indicated that teachers code-switched between English and Shona and also used examples from the learners’ environment. It was concluded that there was a possibility of using a bilingual model including Shona and English when teaching mathematics to bilingual learners. The idea is to create a caring, colourful, exciting, stimulating, and reflective environment as a way of engaging learners even if they are from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. The latter would also reduce marginalisation of bilingual learners.
{"title":"Shona Mathematical Instructional Practices in Bilingual Primary Schools in Zimbabwe","authors":"Mwangireni Ivy Chikodzi, L. M. Kaino","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2020.1868077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2020.1868077","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Many Zimbabwean mathematics classrooms have student populations from diverse cultural backgrounds who speak diverse Shona dialects. Most of the mathematics teaching is not related to the learners’ world or everyday experiences because it is taught in English, a second language for most of these learners. Teachers therefore play a fundamental role in making sure that learners in this bilingual setup understand the mathematical concepts being taught. The debate on whether English or indigenous languages are suitable for use in education is increasing. This paper explores possible instructional practices to assist bilingual learners. A qualitative approach was used to explore the instructional practices used by primary school teachers during the teaching and learning of mathematics in Zimbabwe. The findings indicated that teachers code-switched between English and Shona and also used examples from the learners’ environment. It was concluded that there was a possibility of using a bilingual model including Shona and English when teaching mathematics to bilingual learners. The idea is to create a caring, colourful, exciting, stimulating, and reflective environment as a way of engaging learners even if they are from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. The latter would also reduce marginalisation of bilingual learners.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2020.1868077","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43731755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-06-10DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2020.1756862
Craig Pournara, Yvonne. Sanders
Abstract The transition from arithmetic to algebra is a well-known difficulty in school mathematics. In order to succeed, learners require inter alia a better understanding of algebraic symbols, equality, equations and working with negatives/subtraction. This article reports on a response pattern analysis (RPA) of learners’ responses to six test items involving arithmetic equivalences and algebraic equations. The participants were 106 Grade 10 learners from two township schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. The key finding was that success in solving linear equations does not imply success in solving arithmetic equivalences, and vice versa. Methodologically, the study showed that an RPA is an accessible, simple and time-efficient means of conducting initial analyses of larger data sets that is well suited to studies conducted by novice researchers.
{"title":"What Can a Response Pattern Analysis Reveal about Learners’ Performance on Arithmetic Equivalences and Algebraic Equations?","authors":"Craig Pournara, Yvonne. Sanders","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2020.1756862","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2020.1756862","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The transition from arithmetic to algebra is a well-known difficulty in school mathematics. In order to succeed, learners require inter alia a better understanding of algebraic symbols, equality, equations and working with negatives/subtraction. This article reports on a response pattern analysis (RPA) of learners’ responses to six test items involving arithmetic equivalences and algebraic equations. The participants were 106 Grade 10 learners from two township schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. The key finding was that success in solving linear equations does not imply success in solving arithmetic equivalences, and vice versa. Methodologically, the study showed that an RPA is an accessible, simple and time-efficient means of conducting initial analyses of larger data sets that is well suited to studies conducted by novice researchers.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2020.1756862","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46126173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-05-28DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2020.1747359
G. P. Boweni, Philip C. van der Westhuizen, L. Meyer
Abstract If work-family role conflict is not managed properly it could have debilitating consequences for educators regarding the quality of their work and family lives. The aims of the current study were twofold, namely, to determine the nature and the extent of role conflict being experienced by primary school educators teaching in three regions of North West, South Africa. To achieve the aims of the study, a literature review and an empirical study were undertaken. The literature review focused primarily on the nature of role conflict (intra- and inter-role conflict), while the empirical study investigated the extent of role conflict (intra- and inter-role conflict) being experienced by 795 primary school educators teaching in three regions of North West. Based on the outcomes of the literature review focusing on the nature of role conflict, a questionnaire was developed and validated to assess the extent of role conflict being experienced by the participants. The findings indicated that, in general, the participants experienced a slight to moderate extent of intra- and inter-role conflict. Some recommendations were made to manage and address the educators’ experiences of intra- and inter-role conflict in the school context.
{"title":"Role Conflict Experienced by Primary School Educators in North West, South Africa","authors":"G. P. Boweni, Philip C. van der Westhuizen, L. Meyer","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2020.1747359","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2020.1747359","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract If work-family role conflict is not managed properly it could have debilitating consequences for educators regarding the quality of their work and family lives. The aims of the current study were twofold, namely, to determine the nature and the extent of role conflict being experienced by primary school educators teaching in three regions of North West, South Africa. To achieve the aims of the study, a literature review and an empirical study were undertaken. The literature review focused primarily on the nature of role conflict (intra- and inter-role conflict), while the empirical study investigated the extent of role conflict (intra- and inter-role conflict) being experienced by 795 primary school educators teaching in three regions of North West. Based on the outcomes of the literature review focusing on the nature of role conflict, a questionnaire was developed and validated to assess the extent of role conflict being experienced by the participants. The findings indicated that, in general, the participants experienced a slight to moderate extent of intra- and inter-role conflict. Some recommendations were made to manage and address the educators’ experiences of intra- and inter-role conflict in the school context.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2020.1747359","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42162568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-05-03DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2019.1588748
Rekai Zenda
Abstract Over the last two decades, the rapid growth of learner enrolments in schools in most countries, including South Africa, has brought many challenges, such as a high learner-educator ratio (LER). The purpose of the study reported on was to explore an LER policy that can enhance learner academic achievement in physical sciences. Effective learning demands opportunities for learners to become actively involved in their physical sciences education. Thus, the physical sciences educator should not only act as a lecturer and transmitter of knowledge, but also as a facilitator, an enabler and an empowerer. The research used qualitative research and cultural-historical activity theory as the theoretical framework, viewing learning and teaching as a social process in which the interaction between the learners is the focus and smaller class size is transformative for both learners and educators. Data was collected from physical sciences teachers, principals and curriculum advisers through face-to-face interviews. The study concluded that large class sizes affect the implementation of practical activities and discipline may be adversely affected. Based on the findings of the study the following recommendation was made: the Department of Basic Education should reduce the LER to 30:1 or fewer learners in a class to allow for group activities and learner-centred science.
{"title":"Impact of the Learner-Educator Ratio Policy on Learner Academic Achievement in Rural Secondary Schools: A South African Case Study","authors":"Rekai Zenda","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2019.1588748","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2019.1588748","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Over the last two decades, the rapid growth of learner enrolments in schools in most countries, including South Africa, has brought many challenges, such as a high learner-educator ratio (LER). The purpose of the study reported on was to explore an LER policy that can enhance learner academic achievement in physical sciences. Effective learning demands opportunities for learners to become actively involved in their physical sciences education. Thus, the physical sciences educator should not only act as a lecturer and transmitter of knowledge, but also as a facilitator, an enabler and an empowerer. The research used qualitative research and cultural-historical activity theory as the theoretical framework, viewing learning and teaching as a social process in which the interaction between the learners is the focus and smaller class size is transformative for both learners and educators. Data was collected from physical sciences teachers, principals and curriculum advisers through face-to-face interviews. The study concluded that large class sizes affect the implementation of practical activities and discipline may be adversely affected. Based on the findings of the study the following recommendation was made: the Department of Basic Education should reduce the LER to 30:1 or fewer learners in a class to allow for group activities and learner-centred science.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2019.1588748","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48954718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-05-03DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2019.1596748
G. V. van Zyl, J. Bezuidenhout, A. Adefuye
Abstract A major goal of higher education is to create an environment conducive to quality student learning. Medical practitioners should possess a sound knowledge of anatomy to enable them to diagnose patients accurately and treat them successfully. Studies have reported a decline in the knowledge of anatomy acquired by students, recent medical graduates and newly qualified medical trainees. Various interdependent factors—individual, organisational, environmental, and relating to academic programmes—have been reported to influence first-year students’ academic performance. The study reported on aimed to obtain the perspectives of first-year medical students at a South African university on the effect of individual, organisational, environmental and academic programme factors on their academic performance in anatomical sciences. The research was designed as a descriptive, exploratory study that used a self-administered questionnaire with both quantitative and qualitative components. The questionnaires were administered manually to 133 first-year medical students to obtain their perspectives on the effect of selected personal, institution/faculty, course/module and curriculum factors on their academic performance. Factors that had a positive effect on their academic performance were personal motivation, academic ability, intelligence, academic environment, the outcomes-based curriculum, and the organisation and layout of the module; while factors that had a negative effect were workload, load of independent study, difficulty of content, difficulty of language used in study material, and assessment. The study found that certain factors had both a positive and a negative effect on academic performance. The results can be used to address problematic areas of the module to improve academic performance.
{"title":"Factors Affecting Academic Performance in Anatomical Sciences at a South African University: Students’ Perspectives","authors":"G. V. van Zyl, J. Bezuidenhout, A. Adefuye","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2019.1596748","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2019.1596748","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract A major goal of higher education is to create an environment conducive to quality student learning. Medical practitioners should possess a sound knowledge of anatomy to enable them to diagnose patients accurately and treat them successfully. Studies have reported a decline in the knowledge of anatomy acquired by students, recent medical graduates and newly qualified medical trainees. Various interdependent factors—individual, organisational, environmental, and relating to academic programmes—have been reported to influence first-year students’ academic performance. The study reported on aimed to obtain the perspectives of first-year medical students at a South African university on the effect of individual, organisational, environmental and academic programme factors on their academic performance in anatomical sciences. The research was designed as a descriptive, exploratory study that used a self-administered questionnaire with both quantitative and qualitative components. The questionnaires were administered manually to 133 first-year medical students to obtain their perspectives on the effect of selected personal, institution/faculty, course/module and curriculum factors on their academic performance. Factors that had a positive effect on their academic performance were personal motivation, academic ability, intelligence, academic environment, the outcomes-based curriculum, and the organisation and layout of the module; while factors that had a negative effect were workload, load of independent study, difficulty of content, difficulty of language used in study material, and assessment. The study found that certain factors had both a positive and a negative effect on academic performance. The results can be used to address problematic areas of the module to improve academic performance.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2019.1596748","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47524823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2020-05-03DOI: 10.1080/18146627.2019.1588747
M. Motseke
Abstract The management of ill-discipline among learners has become a serious challenge for teachers. This article reports on a study conducted to determine how teachers in the primary schools of the Matjhabeng Municipality, Free State, South Africa, manage ill-discipline among learners. A mixed method approach, which comprised a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, was used to collect data. Sixteen teachers completed the questionnaire and eight of them were also interviewed. The results revealed that the majority of the participants applied approved or acceptable measures of managing ill-discipline, such as talking politely to learners; chasing learners out of the classroom; and involving the principal and parents. However, some of the participants applied unapproved or illegal measures of disciplining learners, such as inflicting corporal punishment; swearing at learners; and pinching learners. The participants who applied the unapproved or illegal measures of disciplining learners reported that these measures were more effective than the approved measures. All the participants reported that although the approved measures were unhelpful in maintaining an environment conducive for effective teaching and learning, they were compelled to apply them. The training of teachers in the approved disciplinary practices, as well as the involvement of parents in learner discipline, are recommended.
{"title":"Managing Ill-Discipline among Learners in Disadvantaged Schools","authors":"M. Motseke","doi":"10.1080/18146627.2019.1588747","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18146627.2019.1588747","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The management of ill-discipline among learners has become a serious challenge for teachers. This article reports on a study conducted to determine how teachers in the primary schools of the Matjhabeng Municipality, Free State, South Africa, manage ill-discipline among learners. A mixed method approach, which comprised a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, was used to collect data. Sixteen teachers completed the questionnaire and eight of them were also interviewed. The results revealed that the majority of the participants applied approved or acceptable measures of managing ill-discipline, such as talking politely to learners; chasing learners out of the classroom; and involving the principal and parents. However, some of the participants applied unapproved or illegal measures of disciplining learners, such as inflicting corporal punishment; swearing at learners; and pinching learners. The participants who applied the unapproved or illegal measures of disciplining learners reported that these measures were more effective than the approved measures. All the participants reported that although the approved measures were unhelpful in maintaining an environment conducive for effective teaching and learning, they were compelled to apply them. The training of teachers in the approved disciplinary practices, as well as the involvement of parents in learner discipline, are recommended.","PeriodicalId":44749,"journal":{"name":"Africa Education Review","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.4,"publicationDate":"2020-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/18146627.2019.1588747","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42277973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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