The purpose of the study was to evaluate the teaching of evolution in selected grade 10 classrooms in Namibia. Some teachers from Oshikoto region in Onyaanya circuit have indicated the difficulties they have encountered when teaching the topic in Life Science of Namibian curriculum. Moreover, the teaching of evolution has a great practical value for student directly or indirectly, evolutionary biology has made many contributions to society. An understanding of evolution is essential in finding and using natural resources and it will be indispensable to establish sustainable relationship with the natural environment. Specifically, this study examined a set of variables including teachers’ understanding of evolution. The data were collected from Life Science teachers through administration of evolution content knowledge. Qualitative case study approach was employed. The population comprised of three Life Science grade 10 teachers from three schools. Three teachers were selected by using a purposive sampling technique. The sampling technique was chosen because is relevant to the conceptual framework and the research questions addressed by the research. The qualitative research was executed by applying the phenomenological method. Mason (2012) claims that: “qualitative research is used when the research wishes to understand meanings, beliefs and values”. The study was drawn from the theory of social constructivism theory by Vygotsky, 1978. According to Vygotsky, (1978) “much important learning by the child occurs through social interaction with a skilful tutor”. The researcher collected qualitative data by means of classroom observations and semi-structured I with three Life Science teachers from three different schools. The following research questions were attempt to be answered: What is the nature of teacher’s content knowledge on evolution teaching in grade 10? What is the nature of teachers’ instructional strategies during evolution teaching? How does the teachers’ content knowledge and instructional strategies shape the teacher’s interactions and discourse? The collected data was analysed using Classroom Practice Diagnostic Framework (CPDF). Participants used their teaching experiences to teach evolution. This study indicated a lack of content knowledge among teachers and teaching and learning resources at schools. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education allocate enough textbook funds to regions to cater for every learner’s textbook. Life Science education officer should collaborate with biology education officer to organise a workshop for Life Science teacher in their region. The workshop will equip teachers with more information on evolution and will help in the improvement of learners’ performances. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

This thesis deals with politeness and its realization in a classroom discourse. The theoretical part describes the most influential politeness theories and also the findings on the topic of teaching pragmatics and linguistic politeness. The research in the thesis focuses on analysis of teachers' verbal realizations of politeness as found in the recordings of four English lessons. The research was designed to verify the two hypotheses: (1) teachers are basically polite in a classroom of English as a second language and (2) politeness strategies of Czech teachers of English differ from those of native speaking teachers. The analytical part adopts the viewpoint of Brown and Levinson's positive and negative politeness. The last part of the thesis aims at summarizing the implications that this thesis, its theoretical summary and its research, have for teaching English as a second language.

Abstracts in English, Sotho and Afrikaans / The purpose of this study was to explore the classroom practices of Senior Phase Natural Sciences teachers in some of the schools of the Vhembe District. Qualitative case study approach was employed and three teachers participated. The following research questions were explored: What is the level of the teacher’s subject-matter knowledge in the teaching of Natural Sciences (NS)? What is the nature of the teacher’s instructional strategies in the teaching of NS? How does the teacher’s subject-matter knowledge and instructional strategies shape the teachers’ classroom interaction and discourse in the teaching of NS? Interviews, observations and a questionnaire have been used for data collection. Teachers used their teaching experiences to teach NS. Results indicated lack of teachers, facilities and resources. It is recommended that the Department of Education as an arm of government should see that schools have the facilities, resources and teachers they need for proper teaching and learning as well as providing sufficient workshops to improve teachers’ classroom practices. / Sepheo sa thuto ena e ne e le ho hlahloba mekhoa ea litlelase tsa matichere a Phahameng ea Setsebi sa Tlhaho ea Setsebi tse ling tsa sekolo sa Vhembe. Ho ne ho sebelisoa mokhoa o nepahetseng oa ho ithuta litsebo le matichere a mararo. Lipotso tse latelang tsa lipatlisiso li ile tsa hlahlojoa: Mokhoa oa mosuoe oa mosuoe ke oa mofuta ofe thutong ea Saense ea tlhaho? Mokhoa oa mekhoa ea koetliso ea tichere ke efe tabeng ea thuto ea saense ea tlhaho? Mosuoe oa mosuoe o tseba joang le mekhoa ea ho ruta e amanang le ho sebelisana ha tichere le ho bua ka thutho ea saense ea tlhaho? Lipuisano, litlhaloso le lipotso. E sebeliselitsoe ho bokella data. Barupeluao ba ile ba sebelisa liphihlelo tsa bona tsa thutho ho ruta saense ea tlhaho. Liphello li bonst’a ho haelloa ke matichere a saense ea tlhaho, mehaho le thepa. Ho khothalletsoa hore Muso le Lefapha la Thuto lo bone hore likolo li na le mehaho, lisebelisoa le matichere bakeng sa thuto le thutho e nepahetseng hammoho le ho fana ka lithupelo tse lekaneng bakeng sa ho ntlafatsa mekhoa ea matichere ea tlelase. / Die doel van die studie was om die klaskamerpraktyke van senior Fase Natuurwetenskappe-onderwysers in sommige skole van skole in die Vhembe-distrik te ondersoek. Kwantitatiewe gevallestudie-benadering was in diens en drie onderwysers het deelgeneem. Die volgende navorsingsvrae is ondersoek: Wat is die aard van die onderwyser se onderwyser kennis in die onderrig van Natuurwetenskappe? Wat is die aard van onderwyser se onderrigstrategiee in die onderrig van Natuurwetenskappe? Hoe vorm die onderwyser se kennis en onderrigstrategiee die onderwyser se klasinteraksie en-diskoers in die onderrig van Natuurwetenskappe? Onderhoude, waarnemings en vraelys wat gebruik word vir data-insameling. Deelnemers het hul onderrigervarings gebruik om Natuurwetenskappe te onderrig. Resultate dui op gebrek aan Natuurwetenskappeonderwysers, fasiliteite en-bronne. Dit word aanbeveel dat die regering en die Departement van Onderwys moet sien dat skole fasiliteite, hulpbronne en onderwysers het vir behoorlike onderrig en leer, asook voldoende werkwinkels om onderwysers se klaskamerpraktyke te verbeter. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)