Les enquêtes internationales montrent qu’en France, les élèves issus de milieux défavorisés ont moins de chances de réussir à l’école que les autres. Or, des données probantes attestent que l’enseignement socioconstructiviste utilisé majoritairement dans les classes françaises n’est pas celui qui donne les meilleurs résultats. A contrario, l’enseignement explicite est porteur auprès des élèves en difficulté scolaire. Cette recherche a pour objectif de comparer l’efficacité de l’enseignement explicite et de l’enseignement socioconstructiviste en mathématiques, auprès d’enfants scolarisés en éducation prioritaire. Elle est réalisée en France (Martinique), dans des classes de CE1, CM1, CM2 situées en éducation prioritaire où les performances des élèves sont faibles en mathématiques. L’hypothèse testée est la suivante : lorsqu’un professeur enseigne une notion mathématique, les résultats des élèves sont meilleurs s’il utilise un enseignement explicite plutôt que s’il utilise un enseignement socioconstructiviste ou usuel. Cette prédiction est testée dans trois études qui ciblent respectivement la technique opératoire de la soustraction en CE1, la technique opératoire de la division en CM1 et la notion d’aire en CM2. Les résultats obtenus révèlent que tous les élèves progressent. Toutefois, ceux des classes ayant reçu un enseignement explicite obtiennent des performances supérieures à ceux des classes ayant reçu un enseignement socioconstructiviste ou usuel. Enfin, les résultats indiquent que l’enseignement explicite est globalement plus efficace pour les élèves moyens à risque ou en difficulté. / International surveys show that in France, students from disadvantaged social backgrounds are much less likely to succeed at school than others students. However, evidence from studies on the effectiveness of teaching methods shows that the socioconstructivist pedagogies mainly used in the French classrooms do not give the best results. On the contrary, explicit teaching is particularly effective for students with learning difficulties. The work carried out in this present thesis aims to compare the effectiveness of explicit teaching and socioconstructivist teaching with students enrolled in priority education networks, in mathematics. This research is carried out in France (Martinique), in elementary school classes of schools from the priority education networks, where overall students’ performance is low in mathematics. The hypothesis tested is the following: when a teacher teaches a specific mathematical notion, students' results are better if he or she uses explicit instruction rather than socioconstructivist or usual instruction. This prediction is being tested in three studies that respectively focus on learning the partitioning technique of subtraction in second grade class, on learning the technique of the division in fourth grade class and on learning the concept of area in fifth grade class. The results show that all students do progress. But, the students in classes that have received explicit instruction outperform students in classes that have received socioconstructivist or usual instruction. Finally, the results indicate that explicit instruction is generally more effective for underachieving students or in difficulty.

Notre thèse vise à étudier expérimentalement les effets de différents types de situations conversationnelles de co-résolution de problèmes sur les activités cognitives d'élèves de S.E.G.P.A. en grande difficulté scolaire (Section Enseignement Général Professionnel Adapté). Elle s'inscrit dans une approche socio-constructiviste du fonctionnement et du développement du système cognitif et prend appui sur la thèse vygotskienne postulant l'origine sociale des processus mentaux supérieurs et sur les travaux s'en réclamant, attestant que les interactions et les significations de la tâche et/ou du contexte favorisent le fonctionnement et le développement des activités mentales supérieures. Trois expérimentations ont été réalisées, mettant les participants dans des situations de résolution de problèmes selon plusieurs types de contextes interactifs : face à face, au téléphone, en vidéoconférence, via une messagerie instantanée (MSN), et en individuel. Les résultats mettent en évidence l'intérêt du travail en dyade et font apparaître des différences quant aux performances, au temps de résolution, au nombre et la nature des actes de communication lors de la co-résolution. L'analyse des échanges au moyen de l'analyse interlocutoire valide la thèse selon laquelle les deux fonctions (communicative et significative) des médiations sémiotiques s'accomplissent en même temps lors des transactions conversationnelles pour construire l'intersubjectivité, et sont appropriées par les partenaires pour (ré)organiser les systèmes cognitifs individuels. / Our thesis aims at study experimentally the effects of various types of conversational situations of co-resolution of problems on cognitive activities upon teenagers attending the “college” and in great school difficulty. It falls under a socio-constructivist approach of functioning and development of the cognitive system, and takes support on the vygotskian thesis postulating a social origin of higher mental processes and on researches supporting it, stating that the interactions and the significance of the task and/or the context can promote the functioning and development of higher mental activities. Three experiments were organized. Participants had to solve problems according to several types of interactive contexts: face to face, on the telephone, in videoconferencing, via instant messaging (MSN), and individually. The results highlight the interest of working in dyad and reveal differences as for the performance, the time of resolution of the task, the number and the nature of communication acts carried out during the co-resolution. The interlocutory analysis of the exchanges validates the thesis that the two functions (communicative and significant) of the semiotic mediations are achieved simultaneously within transactions to build the intersubjectivity, and are appropriate by partners to (re)organize their own cognitive system. The differences observed can also allow to give some guidelines of work on the development of devices of teaching and learning with “college” students with learning difficulties or not.

The changing role of literacy in primary education, with its emphasis on the acknowledgement of the learner’s values, beliefs, culture, background and language is the focus of this study. The research was concerned with understanding the literacy practices of Foundation Phase Grade 3 teachers who are able to intentionally promote and mediate literacy acquisition among their learners. A qualitative design was used to describe the approaches of effective literacy teachers. The research study discovered that while the teachers made use of a number of teaching methods that underpinned a de-contextualised and constructivist approach, a socio-cultural approach to literacy was lacking. The results call for a broadening of the definition of literacy; one that acknowledges the socio-cultural background of the learners in developing a literacy disposition that prepares learners for a changing world. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

In the climate of poor student achievement and a lack of skilled teachers in natural science and mathematics, the main research question of this study was: How can the professional development of primary school teachers be managed by means of action research? The aim of the study was to develop, implement and evaluate a site-based collaboration programme to promote the professional development of the teachers in these subjects within a home-based or semi home-based teaching context. The theory of situated learning within a community of practice (CoP) was used as conceptual framework. Purposeful and convenient sampling was implemented to select participants. Five grade 4 teachers, five grade 5 teachers, four grade 6 teachers and eight members of the school management team participated in the three year study. During the planning phase a needs analysis was done. During the action phase, lead teachers were responsible for the planning in one or two subjects. The teachers met once every six school days (about 30 meetings per year), for up to two hours to discuss content and methodological issues, plan assessment strategies, analyse and reflect on results and decide on intervention strategies. The grade 4, 5 and 6 groups completed six, four and two action research cycles respectively, and the school management team six action research cycles of about six months each. To evaluate the professional development that resulted, data collection was by means of observation, field notes, typed minutes, four focus groups, 12 individual interviews, teachers’ files, a questionnaire and students’ books and achievements. The results indicate that the professional development of primary school teachers could be managed and constantly improved by means of action research. When school managers organise teachers into communities of practice and implement action research cycles, the teachers learn in a context-sensitive way. This learning is characterised by two social stages involving participation in the subject and grade CoP, and an independent stage of personal involvement when teachers internalise knowledge and practices of other teachers. The professional development of the teachers was in the areas of content knowledge, pedagogic content knowledge, assessment literacy and professional attitudes. Student achievement improved. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

In the climate of poor student achievement and a lack of skilled teachers in natural science and mathematics, the main research question of this study was: How can the professional development of primary school teachers be managed by means of action research? The aim of the study was to develop, implement and evaluate a site-based collaboration programme to promote the professional development of the teachers in these subjects within a home-based or semi home-based teaching context. The theory of situated learning within a community of practice (CoP) was used as conceptual framework. Purposeful and convenient sampling was implemented to select participants. Five grade 4 teachers, five grade 5 teachers, four grade 6 teachers and eight members of the school management team participated in the three year study. During the planning phase a needs analysis was done. During the action phase, lead teachers were responsible for the planning in one or two subjects. The teachers met once every six school days (about 30 meetings per year), for up to two hours to discuss content and methodological issues, plan assessment strategies, analyse and reflect on results and decide on intervention strategies. The grade 4, 5 and 6 groups completed six, four and two action research cycles respectively, and the school management team six action research cycles of about six months each. To evaluate the professional development that resulted, data collection was by means of observation, field notes, typed minutes, four focus groups, 12 individual interviews, teachers’ files, a questionnaire and students’ books and achievements. The results indicate that the professional development of primary school teachers could be managed and constantly improved by means of action research. When school managers organise teachers into communities of practice and implement action research cycles, the teachers learn in a context-sensitive way. This learning is characterised by two social stages involving participation in the subject and grade CoP, and an independent stage of personal involvement when teachers internalise knowledge and practices of other teachers. The professional development of the teachers was in the areas of content knowledge, pedagogic content knowledge, assessment literacy and professional attitudes. Student achievement improved. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The changing role of literacy in primary education, with its emphasis on the acknowledgement of the learner’s values, beliefs, culture, background and language is the focus of this study. The research was concerned with understanding the literacy practices of Foundation Phase Grade 3 teachers who are able to intentionally promote and mediate literacy acquisition among their learners. A qualitative design was used to describe the approaches of effective literacy teachers. The research study discovered that while the teachers made use of a number of teaching methods that underpinned a de-contextualised and constructivist approach, a socio-cultural approach to literacy was lacking. The results call for a broadening of the definition of literacy; one that acknowledges the socio-cultural background of the learners in developing a literacy disposition that prepares learners for a changing world. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)