Submitted to the department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (MSTE) in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Education (Natural Sciences) in the Faculty of Education, 2018. / Teaching strategies support learners in developing knowledge or skills. The teacher therefore needs to have the skills to develop the knowledge and skills of the learners (Killen, 2010). Hence CAPS states that NCS is based on principles including, inter alia, encouraging an Active and Critical approach to learning rather than rote learning and uncritical learning of given truths. Teaching strategies play a role in developing the love of the subject. South African Science teachers are struggling due to inadequate Science content knowledge, pedagogic skills and lack of confidence (Bantwini, 2010 and 2012; Centre for Development Enterprise, 2007 and 2014; DBE, 2013; Muwanga, 2003; Kriek and Grayson, 2009). The study aimed to explore the teaching strategies that teachers used in Grade 6 in the teaching of Natural Sciences and Technology in the Ngwelezane Circuit schools. The objectives of the study were to identify the teaching strategies used by the Grade 6 Natural Sciences and Technology teachers in their teaching; to explore the views of teachers on the teaching strategies they use in teaching Natural Sciences and Technology in Grade 6 and, to determine the extent to which teaching strategies align to the principles and purposes of the CAPS as indicated in the problem statement. The study employed the Qualitative Research Methodology. The information was derived through the use of survey questionnaires, in-class observation, interviews and document analysis. The study sample comprised of five Intermediate Phase teachers per school. The findings revealed that telling method, text book and question and answer are dominating in the classes as lessons were conducted, which does not align with CAPS requirements and is promoting passive learning. Teachers are aware of the teaching strategies developing Critical and Active learning as per the responses from the questionnaires and the interviews, but they are not used in class, used to a lesser extent, or not used at all. Lessons were more content based. Very few or no critical learning and problem solving, was developed in learners through active involvement in learning. No proper training was received towards teaching the subject. Other teachers having no background in the subject were mandated to teach the subject by management. The best teaching strategies are those which make the students active participants in the learning process through Active Learning where learners construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experience reflecting upon that experience than through rote learning (Harasim, 2012).

Throughout the world governments and other education stakeholders advocate quality education and education for all. Among others, mathematics education is seen by governments as essential in the advancement of the development of countries. Lesotho is no exception in this regard hence mathematics is one of the core subjects in Lesothoâs education system. Though Mathematics education is seen as pivotal to the development of countries, analysis of mathematics Junior Certificate (JC) examination results in Lesotho indicates that performance in mathematics is not good. This study therefore aspired to investigate teaching strategies predominantly employed by primary mathematics teachers and assess their effect on learnersâ meaningful learning of fractions. In order to meet this aim the study attempted to determine what literature said about effective learning and teaching of fractions, the level of training given to mathematics teachers and determine whether effective learning and teaching materialised in the three classrooms that were studied. The existing literature proposed different teaching strategies that resulted in significant learning of fractions. To investigate dominant teaching strategies that teachers used in the teaching of fractions, class observations of three teachers were conducted. Teachers were observed in their classrooms over a period of time and follow-up interviews were conducted. Samples of the teachersâ documents and the learnersâ work were analysed to evaluate the extent to which effective learning and teaching of fractions were taking place in these respective classes. Literature indicates that effective learning, of fractions, entails meaningful construction of the concept through handling of concrete materials and formation of relationship between concepts. Effective teaching on the other hand entails the ability to create situations in which learning is facilitated. Teachers are said to possess both mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) and Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in order to be able to teach effectively. In order to fully understand the level of training that the teachers received teacher trainers were interviewed. It was found that teachers did not engage learners in high order reasoning and problem solving, instead they gave close-ended questions which learners answered by practising rules and procedures that teachers taught. Learners therefore did not use their own strategies when writing solutions to questions. It was recommended that teachers should use readily available materials like paper and papers and when planning lessons they should think of possible errors, misconceptions and difficulties that learners were likely to have.

International and national measures point to the poor mathematics achievement of South African learners. The enhancement of the quality of mathematics education is a key priority of the Department of Basic Education in South Africa. Several studies have found a correlation between learner metacognition and mathematics achievement. Metacognition entails knowledge and regulation of oneâs cognitive processes. Previous studies point to the positive effect of metacognitive interventions on learner metacognition and mathematics achievement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a metacognitive intervention (MI) on learner metacognition and the mathematics achievement of Grade 11 learners in the Free State from a predominantly pragmatic perspective. The MI was developed by combining aspects of a mathematical perspective on De Corteâs (1996) educational learning theory with aspects of previous metacognitive intervention studies in mathematics. A mixed methods research design was employed where qualitative data were embedded within a quasi-experiment. Data were collected from an experimental group (N=25) and a control group (N=24). Quantitative data on learner metacognition were obtained from the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI), while quantitative data on mathematics achievement were obtained from the learnersâ Terms 1 and 4 report marks. Qualitative data were acquired by means of teacher interviews, problem-solving sessions, and learner and teacher perspectives on the MI process. The mixed methods research question investigated the extent to which the findings from the qualitative phase of the study support the findings from the quantitative phase regarding the effect of MI on learner metacognition and mathematics achievement. The quantitative findings indicated that MI had a statistically significant impact on learner metacognition in respect of the MAI total score, the Knowledge of cognition (KC) factor, the Regulation of cognition (RC) factor, and the subscales Declarative knowledge, Planning, and Monitoring. The impact of MI on mathematics achievement was less pronounced, as inferences had to be drawn from the correlation between learner metacognition and mathematics achievement. The quantitative findings showed a statistically significant correlation between KC and mathematics achievement, as well as between Declarative knowledge and mathematics achievement. Since MI had a statistically significant impact on KC and Declarative knowledge, it is concluded that MI also had a positive impact on mathematics achievement. The qualitative findings strongly support the quantitative findings regarding the positive impact of MI on learner metacognition. The quantitative findings in respect of the correlation between learner metacognition and mathematics achievement were only partially supported by the qualitative data. Main recommendations emerging from this study relate to the improvement of learnersâ mathematics achievement by enhancing their Declarative knowledge, the enhancement of learnersâ problem-solving skills, and the need to implement metacognitive interventions in mathematics particularly in schools where the teachers are inexperienced or underqualified.

Various research studies show that the language ability and Mathematics performance of primary school learners are closely related. In South Africa, as is elsewhere, the language issue at schools has always been shifted from the academic battlefield into the political battlefield. The Minister of Education has always been a politician and therefore the current curriculum in SA is politically inspired and do not always address the needs of learners, according to Sedibe (2003). Many primary school learners with an African background are taught in a second language and not in their mother tongue due to the policy of the National Education Department. It is mostly these learners who find it difficult to relate to the language of instruction and the meaning-making of that language in a Mathematical context. The Annual National Assessment (ANA), an initiative of the National Education Department, shows that most of the primary school learners in South Africa are still not on track concerning Numeracy and Literacy skills. Language barriers for learners who are not taught in their mother tongue lead to misunderstanding regarding Mathematical word problems. The interpretation of word problems has throughout the years been a concern of Mathematics teachers, even if the learners were taught in their mother tongue. The purpose of this study was to investigate, by means of a case study, the barriers primary school learners experience with the translation of mathematical word sums into number sentences. Qualitative research was conducted. The study was grounded in the interpretivist paradigm, hence the reasons for the learnersâ problems in converting word problems into number sentences and perations were investigated in real-life situations. Data was collected through observations. Audio-visual material was used. Activities of Grade four learners, from a primary school in the Motheo teaching district of the Free State Province, was recorded audio visually, while being busy with group work. The group work was done in the form of a worksheet, which contained two word problems. The learners had to discuss the word problems in order to compile number sentences. The learners could use any language during their discussions. A Sotho translator translated the discussions into English for analysis purposes. The research findings support the research problem, as it was clear that although learners were presented with word problems in a language other than their mother tongue, they preferred to discuss the content of the word problems in their mother tongue. The main recommendations emerging from this study is that teachers should become more aware of the linguistic issues in learning and teaching Mathematics and must develop tools for talking about language in ways that enable them to engage productively with learners in constructing mathematical knowledge. Teachers in culturally diverse school settings need to develop âtoolsâ to enable learners to understand the mathematical vocabulary better via the language of instruction. The following recommendations regarding these tools can be made. Teachers who teach Mathematics in the foundation phase should compile a Mathematics dictionary as part of their literature studies. These teachers must consult language interpreters in order to find mother tongue words for words that explain mathematical concepts. These words should be repeated regularly throughout their contact time with the learners, even if it is not the Mathematics period. The Mathematical concepts and content must be carried over to non-mother tongue learners in such a way that they can identify the context of their everyday lives in it. Only then will the learners make meaning of word problems and will they be able to compile numbers sentences from the word problem in order to carry out the correct Mathematical operations.

The importance of practical activities has been outlined in many articles and research studies. This study presents the way in which two novice and two expert teachers conduct practical activities in their intermediate phase in Natural Sciences and Technology (NST) classrooms and the challenges they face. This study was conducted in primary schools because researchers such as Mihret (2014, p.2) believe that "primary level science education is a cornerstone to lay a foundation to get young citizens interested in science". This study utilised a qualitative case study approach. The data was collected through classroom observations, open ended interviews and document analysis. The population of this study consisted of primary school teachers teaching Natural Sciences and Technology. The participants included two novice teachers and two expert teachers. The conceptual framework that guided this study emerged from the literature review. The conceptual framework of this study was based on concept of practical activity and the four pillared cognitive design framework. The findings of this study indicated that the way that novice and expert teachers conduct practical activities differ and they face different challenges when conducting practical activities. Novice teachers conduct teacher centred activities, they do not allow their learners to conduct independent practical activities, they use practical activities as a way to remind learners of the work done in the classroom and they mostly use previously developed worksheets during practical lessons. Expert teachers on the other hand conduct learner centred practical activities, they allow their learners to work independently and they do not always use worksheets in their practical activities. The findings also indicated that novice teachers face more challenges in their practical lessons than expert teachers. Novice teachers find it difficult to manage their learners' behaviour during practical lessons, they did not have confidence in their learners and they did not have effective disciplinary strategies. However, both novice and expert teachers had a challenge managing their time during their practical lessons. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / MEd / Unrestricted