An important goal of South Africa’s National Development Plan is for the country to
achieve a target of at least 450000 learners by 2030 qualifying to study for the
Bachelor’s degree programmes in STEM disciplines in various institutions of higher
learning. However, research studies and results from the National Senior Certificate
show that South African learners are performing poorly in STEM subjects such as
Physical Sciences where the number of learners who pass the subject with 40% and
above has not reached 100000 since 2015. One of the identified challenges for poor
performance is related to the language of instruction. Writing is one of the most
important aspects of language that contributes to poor performance, and it is a
fundamental skill associated with critical and creative thinking skills that are important
for learning Physical Sciences. This study was an attempt to design a pedagogical
intervention using ‘writing-to-learn as a pedagogy to enhance learners’ understanding
of Physical Sciences concepts. A mixed-method approach was used to elicit
responses from 317 Grade 11 learners from three schools in Mpumalanga Province
of which 154 were taught through the normal traditional way and 163 through writingto-
learn pedagogies to develop their abilities to construct scientific written
explanations. The quantitative data was collected from tests (pre- and post-tests)
focusing on overall academic achievement, science inquiry skills, and how learners
define and explain concepts in the topic of intermolecular forces. Physical Sciences
teachers from the participating schools were interviewed and learners participated in
focus group interviews. The overall findings from the tests which were analysed
through ANCOVA showed a statistical significance (df= 316; F=65.54; p<0.05) in
favour of the learners who were engaged in writing-to-learn strategies. The WTL
strategies also enhanced learners’ science Inquiry Skills (df= 316; f=40.600 and
p<0.05) and understanding of basic IMF concepts (df= 316, F=79.798 and p<0.05).
Data from the interviews and focus group interviews showed that the teachers and
learners were positive about the incorporation of writing-to-learn activities in science
classes. To offer recommendations for practice, a framework for incorporating writingto-
learn strategies in science education was developed.
Maikemisetso a bohlokwa a Leanotlhabollo la Bosetshaba la Afrika Borwa ke gore
naga e fihlelele nepo ya baithuti bao e sego ka fase ga 450000 ka ngwaga wa 2030
bao ba swanelegago go ithutela mananeo a Bachelor’s degree ka dithutong tsa STEM
ka ditheong tsa go fapafapana tsa thuto ya godimo. Le ge go le bjalo, dinyakisiso tsa
dinyakisiso le dipoelo go tswa go Setifikeiti sa Bosetshaba sa Bagolo di laetsa gore
barutwana ba Afrika Borwa ga ba some gabotse dithutong tsa STEM. Physical
Sciences ka mo go kgethegilego ke ye nngwe ya dithuto tsa STEM tseo barutwana ba
di hwetsago e le tlhohlo. Palo ya baithuti bao ba phasago Physical Sciences ga se ya
fihla go 100000 go tloga ka 2015. E nngwe ya ditlhohlo tseo di lemogilwego tsa go se
some gabotse e amana le polelo ya go ruta. Go ngwala ke ye nngwe ya dikarolo tse
bohlokwa kudu tsa polelo tseo di tsenyago letsogo go tshepediso ya go se some
gabotse gomme ke bokgoni bja motheo ka ge gantsi bo tswalanywa le mabokgoni a
go nagana gabotse le a boitlhamelo ao a lego bohlokwa go ithuta Physical Sciences.
Thuto ye e be e le maitekelo a go hlama tsenogare ya thuto ka go somisa ‘go ngwala
go ithuta bjalo ka thuto go godisa kwesiso ya baithuti ya dikgopolo Physical Sciences.
Mokgwa wa mokgwa wa go hlakantshwa o somisitswe go hwetsa dikarabo go tswa
go barutwana ba 317 ba Mphato wa 11 go tswa dikolong tse tharo tsa Profenseng ya
Mpumalanga tseo ba 154 ba tsona di rutilwego ka mokgwa wa tlwaelo wa setso wa
go ruta gomme ba 163 ka dithuto tsa go ngwala go ithuta go hlabolla bokgoni bja bona
bja go aga dingwalwa tsa mahlale ditlhaloso. Datha ya boleng e ile ya kgoboketswa
go tswa ditekong (pele le ka morago ga tlhahlobo) yeo e lebeletsego kudu phihlelelo
ya thuto ka kakaretso, mabokgoni a nyakisiso ya mahlale le ka fao baithuti ba
hlalosago le go hlalosa dikgopolo ka ga hlogotaba ya maatla a magareng ga
dimolekule. Barutisi ba Physical Sciences go tswa dikolong tseo di tserego karolo ba
ile ba boledisanwa le baithuti gomme baithuti ba tsea karolo dipoledisanong tsa
sehlopha sa nepo. Dikutollo ka kakaretso go tswa ditekolong tseo di sekasekilwego
ka ANCOVA di bontshitse bohlokwa bja dipalopalo (df= 316; F=65.54; p<0.05) bjo bo
thekgago baithuti bao ba bego ba swaregile ka maano a go ngwala go ithuta. Maano
a WTL a ile a godisa gape Mabokgoni a go Nyakisisa sa mahlale (df= 316; F=40.600
le p= 0.05 le kwesiso ya dikgopolo tsa motheo tsa IMF (df=316; F=79.798 le p=0.05)
Datha go tswa dipoledisanong le dipoledisanong tsa sehlopha sa nepo e bontshitse
gore barutisi le baithuti ba be ba na le maikutlo a mabotse ka ga go tsenywa ga mediro
ya go ngwala go ithuta ka phaposing ya mahlale. Go fa ditshisinyo tsa go itlwaetsa,
go ile gwa hlangwa tlhako ya go tsenya maano a go ngwala go ya go ithuta thutong
ya mahlale.
Xikongomelo xa nkoka xa Kungu ra Nhluvukiso wa Rixaka ra Afrika-Dzonga i ku va
tiko ri fikelela xikongomelo xa vadyondzi lava nga riki ehansi ka 450000 hi 2030 lava
faneleke ku dyondzela tiphurogireme ta tidigiri ta Bachelor’s eka tidyondzo ta STEM
eka swivandla swo hambana swa tidyondzo ta le henhla. Hambiswiritano, tidyondzo
ta ndzavisiso na mbuyelo ku suka eka Xitifikheti xa le Henhla xa Rixaka swi kombisa
leswaku vadyondzi va Afrika-Dzonga a va tirhi kahle eka tidyondzo ta STEM.
Ngopfungopfu Physical Sciences i yin’wana ya tidyondzo ta STEM leti vadyondzi va ti
kumaka ti ri na ntlhontlho. Nhlayo ya vadyondzi lava pasaka Physical Sciences a yi si
fika eka 100000 ku sukela hi 2015. Yin’wana ya mintlhontlho leyi kumiweke eka
matirhelo yo biha yi fambelana na ririmi ra dyondzo. Ku tsala i xin’wana xa swiyenge
swa nkoka swinene swa ririmi leswi hoxaka xandla eka matirhelo yo biha naswona i
vuswikoti bya xisekelo tanihileswi byi talaka ku fambelanisiwa na vuswikoti byo
ehleketa hi vukheta na byo tumbuluxa lebyi nga bya nkoka eka ku dyonda Physical
Sciences. Dyondzo leyi a ku ri ku ringeta ku dizayina ku nghenelela ka dyondzo hi ku
tirhisa ‘ku tsala-ku-dyondza tanihi dyondzo ku ndlandlamuxa ku twisisa ka vadyondzi
eka miehleketo ya Sayense ya Ntivo-vutomi. Endlelo ra maendlelo yo hlangana ri
tirhisiwile ku kuma tinhlamulo ku suka eka 317 wa vadyondzi va Giredi ya 11 ku suka
eka swikolo swinharhu eXifundzheninkulu xa Mpumalanga laha 154 wa vona va
dyondzisiweke hi ku tirhisa ndlela ya ntolovelo ya ndhavuko yo dyondzisa na 163 hi
ku tirhisa tiphedagoji ta ku tsala ku dyondza ku hluvukisa vuswikoti bya vona byo aka
leswi tsariweke hi sayense tinhlamuselo. Data ya nhlayo yi hlengeletiwile ku suka eka
swikambelo (pre na post-test) leyi kongomisaka eka ku humelela hi ku angarhela ka
dyondzo, vuswikoti byo vutisa sayense na ndlela leyi vadyondzi va hlamuselaka na ku
hlamusela miehleketo eka nhlokomhaka ya matimba ya le xikarhi ka timolekhuli.
Vadyondzisi va Sayense ya Miri ku suka eka swikolo leswi ngheneleke va burisanile
naswona vadyondzi va nghenelerile eka mimbulavurisano ya ntlawa lowu
kongomisiweke. Swikumiwa hinkwaswo ku suka eka swikambelo leswi kamberiweke
hi ku tirhisa ANCOVA swi kombisile nkoka wa tinhlayo (df=316, F=65.54; p<0.05) ku
seketela swichudeni leswi a swi nghenelerile eka tindlela to tsala ku dyondza.
Maqhinga ya WTL ya tlhele ya ndlandlamuxa Vuswikoti bya Vulavisisi bya sayense
(df= 316; f=40.600 na p= 0.05 na ku twisisa miehleketo ya masungulo ya IMF (df=316;
F=79.798 na p=0.05) Data ku suka eka mimbulavurisano na mimbulavurisano ya
ntlawa lowu kongomisiweke yi kombisile leswaku vadyondzisi na vadyondzi a va ri na
ntshembo hi ku nghenisiwa ka migingiriko ya ku tsala ku dyondza etlilasini ya sayense. Ku nyika switsundzuxo swa ku titoloveta, ku endliwile rimba ro nghenisa tindlela to
tsala ku dyondza eka dyondzo ya sayense.
