For effective teaching to take place in secondary schools, teachers need to be adjusted positively towards reality and need to possess a thorough knowledge of the learning material which they offer. Teachers can be helped to adjust positively towards reality and also possess a thorough knowledge of the learning material if their didactic professional needs are being satisfied through in-service education and training. ln-service education and training aims at improving teachers' competence and performance in the classroom situation. This study aims at identifying the didactic-professional in-service education and training needs of secondary school teachers in the Northern Province. The following didactic-professional needs are identified: • The need to improve secondary school teachers' academic competence. • The need to update teachers' knowledge and skills to be able to cope with professional technological changes in the classroom. • The need to appraise secondary school teachers' in the classroom situation. The study also aims at determining the shortcomings of the strategies currently being used in the in-service education and training of secondary school teachers and also at finding strategies in order to improve the present situation. The sample of this study comprises 244 randomly selected teachers, 1 05 randomly selected managers and all subject advisors (n=11) in the former Venda in the Northern Province. Data was collected from the above sample, through the use of a questionnaire. A Likert type scale was used in the questionnaire. In conclusion, some of the findings of this study are as follows: • Appraisal of teaching activities in the classroom is fair or poor. It is recommended that teachers be appraised to help them to identify their weak points and also to give them advice on their teaching. Principals, deputy principals and departmental heads need to be involved in this process. • Reflective practice of teachers is fair or poor. It is recommended that principals, deputy principals and departmental heads create conditions favourable to teachers to collaborate and cooperate in their schools. • Panel inspection sometimes occurs or rarely occurs. It could be of help to teachers if inspectors of schools conduct panel inspection to help teachers to identify the areas they need to improve their teaching. • Assistance to secondary school teachers by subject advisors sometimes occurs or rarely occurs. Again here it could be of help if subject advisors render their assistance to secondary school teachers to enable them to identify their weak points. • ln-service training centres only cater for teachers teaching. grade 12. It is recommended that in-service training centres cater for all teachers in secondary schools. • Class visits by circuit managers sometimes occur or rarely occur. It is recommended that circuit managers visit classrooms to acquaint themselves with what is happening there. • College programmes for improving professional competence are average or below average. It is recommended that college programmes for improving professional competence be improved in the Northern Province. • Short courses and seminars at the in-service training centres are fair or poor. It is recommended that they be improved to help secondary school teachers with their didactic-professional needs. / Thesis (MEd)--PU for CHE, 1999

For effective teaching to take place in secondary schools, teachers need to be adjusted positively towards reality and need to possess a thorough knowledge of the learning material which they offer. Teachers can be helped to adjust positively towards reality and also possess a thorough knowledge of the learning material if their didactic professional needs are being satisfied through in-service education and training. ln-service education and training aims at improving teachers' competence and performance in the classroom situation. This study aims at identifying the didactic-professional in-service education and training needs of secondary school teachers in the Northern Province. The following didactic-professional needs are identified: • The need to improve secondary school teachers' academic competence. • The need to update teachers' knowledge and skills to be able to cope with professional technological changes in the classroom. • The need to appraise secondary school teachers' in the classroom situation. The study also aims at determining the shortcomings of the strategies currently being used in the in-service education and training of secondary school teachers and also at finding strategies in order to improve the present situation. The sample of this study comprises 244 randomly selected teachers, 1 05 randomly selected managers and all subject advisors (n=11) in the former Venda in the Northern Province. Data was collected from the above sample, through the use of a questionnaire. A Likert type scale was used in the questionnaire. In conclusion, some of the findings of this study are as follows: • Appraisal of teaching activities in the classroom is fair or poor. It is recommended that teachers be appraised to help them to identify their weak points and also to give them advice on their teaching. Principals, deputy principals and departmental heads need to be involved in this process. • Reflective practice of teachers is fair or poor. It is recommended that principals, deputy principals and departmental heads create conditions favourable to teachers to collaborate and cooperate in their schools. • Panel inspection sometimes occurs or rarely occurs. It could be of help to teachers if inspectors of schools conduct panel inspection to help teachers to identify the areas they need to improve their teaching. • Assistance to secondary school teachers by subject advisors sometimes occurs or rarely occurs. Again here it could be of help if subject advisors render their assistance to secondary school teachers to enable them to identify their weak points. • ln-service training centres only cater for teachers teaching. grade 12. It is recommended that in-service training centres cater for all teachers in secondary schools. • Class visits by circuit managers sometimes occur or rarely occur. It is recommended that circuit managers visit classrooms to acquaint themselves with what is happening there. • College programmes for improving professional competence are average or below average. It is recommended that college programmes for improving professional competence be improved in the Northern Province. • Short courses and seminars at the in-service training centres are fair or poor. It is recommended that they be improved to help secondary school teachers with their didactic-professional needs. / Thesis (MEd)--PU for CHE, 1999