DEd / Department of Curriculum Studies / Multi-grade teaching is a situation where one teacher teaches several grades together
in one class. This phenomenon is common in both developed and developing countries.
However, the problem is, in South Africa there is no multi-grade policy in place,
curriculum and materials are written for mono-grade schools, pre-service and in-service
training for teachers are geared at a mono-grade classroom. Consequently, teachers
are not trained in appropriate multi-grade teaching and learning strategies; this may
affect learner performance at such schools. It has been indicated that there is a dearth
of research in the teaching and assessment practices in multi-grade setting in the
literature, especially in Africa.
This mixed methods study is based on the implications of peer tutoring as a teaching
and learning strategy in English First Additional Language (FAL) for Grade 5 multi-grade
learners’ performance. The purpose of this study was to determine implications of peer
tutoring as a multi-grade teaching and learning strategy on Grade 5 learner
performance in Vhembe District in Limpopo Province of South Africa.
The study used mixed-methods design and concurrent Triangulation approach where
both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to collect data concurrently.
Quantitative data were collected through quasi experimental design and surveys while
qualitative data were collected using scheduled interviews. The six week one-on-one
peer tutoring programme was designed to assist grade 5 learners to read and spell
proficiently as a supplemental instruction. The literature review revealed that peer
tutoring as a teaching and learning strategy has been effectively used mostly in monograde
schools. The study sample consisted of 77 grade 5 learners from four random
sampled multi-grade schools whose first language (L1) or home language (HL) is
Tshivenda but learnt through English as a Second language (L2) or First Additional
Language (FAL), 4 teachers and 4 principals. Two schools served as treatment group
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while two served as control group. Both groups took a pre-test and post-test; only the
treatment group received peer tutoring intervention.
The mixed method approach involved collected quantitative data through learners’ pretests,
post-tests and spelling activities during the peer tutoring intervention. This was to
compare the grade 5 learners’ results of those who had participated in the peer tutoring
intervention with those in the control group. Both teachers and principals and learners
completed a questionnaire on multi-grade teaching and peer tutoring.
The findings revealed that:
1. The peer tutoring group performed better than the control group.
2. Peer tutoring might possibly be an effective teaching and learning strategy for
multi-grade teaching.
3. Both teachers and principals expressed the need for in-service training
workshops in teaching and learning strategies specifically for multi-grade
teaching.
4. They also revealed that pre-service training should provide training courses on
multi-grade teaching to prepare prospective teachers.
The study recommended the following:
The Department of Education should develop a multi-grade policy. In-service
training workshops should train multi-grade teachers in appropriate multi-grade
teaching and learning strategies. Institutions of higher learning should provide
pre-service training in multi-grade strategies, infuse some multi-grade modules
into their teacher training programmes and provide short courses on multi-grade
teaching.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:univen/oai:univendspace.univen.ac.za:11602/426 |
| Date | 02 March 2016 |
| Creators | Muthambi, Salome Kolobe |
| Contributors | Mulaudzi, M. P., Litshani, N. F. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Venda |
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