M.Ed. / Education is South Africa is characterized by ineffective teaching practices that prevent the pupils from learning in a meaningful and reasonably satisfying way.. Ostensive methods of teaching that prevent pupil participation are emphasized while heuristic methods are disregarded, and in the process, concept teaching is neglected. To solve this problem, the following aims have been generated: 1.3.1 Training senior primary school teachers in the teaching of concepts to increase pupil learning This could be a more effective and relevant strategy which could be applied to curb the ostensive methods of teaching used by most teachers as indicated already in par. 1.2 above, as well as poor classroom organization. As Bruner (1967) avers, concept teaching offers the following benefits: "The pupils are equiped with thinking skills which are helpful in the process of discriminating, classifying and categorizing. The ability to categorize data helps the learner in problem-solving and reduces the necessity to re-learn what was previously learned. This refers to all the situations, events and symbols which have the same set of general characteristics." 1.3.2 Provision of in-service training opportunities to limit incompetent teaching This would help to remedy the ills and frustrations brought about the fact that poorly qualified teachers have been given the opportunity to provide tuition to the pupils who defintely need only the best teachers to guide them towards what they ought to be. Because it is not possible to get rid of all the poorly qualified teachers, what could be done is what Bester (1988:5) suggests: "... hef die bestaande onderwysers se vlakke van vaardigheid en bevoegdheid op." An intensive in-service training programme is therefore, suggested as a collaborative effort to improve educational effectiveness. The most urgent of needs identified is the training of teachers in the concept approach to teaching, as indicated in par. 1.3.1. In the process of upgrading the teachers' classroom skills, the pupils' potential to learn effectively have a chance of increasing. Teaching is a multi-faceted process that also involves the pupil. For the pupil to be able to learn effectively, he must be actively involved in the teaching-learning process. As Astin, Green and Korn (1987:15) maintain: "The student has a role to play in the process, too: There must be a commitment and involvement on his or her part for effective learning to happen." The aim of this investigation is not only to provide the teachers with demonstrations and lectures that emphasize theories of how to teach but to focus on the teacher as a unique individual with needs that have to be addressed, someone with strengths as well as weaknesses (Main, 1985;15). In the process of developing classroom teaching techniques and promoting personal development, the ideal would be to encourage peer coaching so as to overcome teacher isolation. Peer coaching, according to Munro and Elliott (1987:25-28), is a method of improving teacher effectiveness, in which teachers work with one or more colleagues to achieve specific instructional goals and key skills, through a process of regular observation and feedback and by using specific materials to support them. Teachers would, therefore, be brought together as fellow participants in a context in which each of them needs to learn about teaching. They meet as teachers and at the same time as 'teachers-as-learners'. 1.3.3 The use of micro-teaching for training purposes In using "... specific materials to support them..." as indicated by Munro and Elliott (1987) the specific material applicable in this investigation is the micro-teaching technique used as a training modality in training the teachers in concept teaching. In so doing, an attempt is being made to come to terms with the root problem linked to teacher inadequacy.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:9548 |
| Date | 16 August 2012 |
| Creators | Makgeledise, Rebone Joan |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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