Managing multi-grade teaching for optimal learning in Gauteng West primary schools

Abstract

The researcher investigated the management of multi-grade teaching for optimal learning in Gauteng West primary schools. Ten participants, including school principals, heads of departments and educators participated in individual and focus group interviews and in observation of multi-grade classroom contexts. Findings revealed that educators involved in multi-grade teaching feel overwhelmed by challenging work conditions pertaining to large learner numbers and a lack of adequate didactical resources. This is exacerbated by a lack of professional development by means of tailor-made training for multi-grade teaching and the presumption that educators teaching such classes must merely change the monograde teaching format of the curriculum themselves for applicable implementation in a multi-grade teaching context. This leaves educators socially, emotionally and professionally isolated. Recommendations include the involvement of seasoned educators with expert knowledge and experience of multi-grade teaching to present training sessions constituting advice and support to inexperienced educators involved in said teaching.

Die navorser het die bestuur van meergraadonderrig by laerskole in Wes-Gauteng vir optimale leer ondersoek. Afgesien van individuele en fokusgroeponderhoude met skoolhoofde, departementshoofde en opvoeders, is waarneming in meergraadklaskamers gedoen. Volgens die bevindings bemoeilik groot klasse en ʼn gebrek aan didaktiese hulpmiddels meergraadopvoeders se taak. Meergraadopvoeders voel hulle geensins opgewasse teen hierdie werksomstandighede nie. ʼn Gebrek aan opleiding in meergraadonderrig en die veronderstelling dat opvoeders die eengraadformaat van die kurrikulum in ʼn meergraadformaat kan omskakel, vererger sake. Opvoeders is van mening dat hulle maatskaplik, emosioneel en professioneel in die steek gelaat word. Daar word aanbeveel dat gesoute opvoeders met kennis van en ervaring in meergraadonderrig onervare opvoeders oplei en adviseer.

Monyakisisi o dirile dinyakisiso ka ga go ruta dikereiti tse fapanego go fihlelela bokgoni le tsebo tikologong ya go thekga dinyakwa tsa baithuti dikolong tsa phoraemari go la Gauteng Bodikela. Batseakarolo ba lesome, go akaretswa dihlogo tsa dikolo, dihlogo tsa dikgoro le barutisi ba tseere karolo ditherisanong ka botee le dihlopha tseo di nepisitswego gape le temogo dikemong tsa diphaposi tsa dikereiti tse di fapanego. Dikhwetso di utollotse gore barutisi bao ba rutago dikereiti tse fapanego ba imelwa ke maemo a modiro wo o nyakago gore ba ntshe bokgoni bja bona ka moka ka lebaka la dipalo tse ntsi tsa baithuti le tlhokego ya dithusi tsa thuto tse di lekanego. Se se thatafiswa ke tlhokego ya tlhabollo ya profesene ye ka go fa tlhahlo yeo e lebanego ya go ruta dikreiti tse fapanego le kgopolo ya go re barutisi bao ba rutago ba swanela go no fetola popego ya lenaneothuto la kereiti e tee ka bobona go re ba le dirise kemong ya go ruta dikereiti tse fapanego. Se se dira gore barutisi ba ikhwetse ba se na kgokagano le setshaba leagong, ba hloka bao ba ka llelago go bona le go se be le bao ba nago le kgahlego go profesene ya bona. Ditshisinyo di akaretsa go ba gona ga barutisi bao e lego kgale ba ruta ba nago le maitemogelo le botsebi go ruta dikereiti tse fapanego go hlagisa dipaka tsa tlhahlo tseo di fago maele le thuso go barutisi bao ba se nago maitemogelo.