Methods used for reading instruction at primary schools in the Bojanala districts of North West Province

Abstract

A plethora of studies in South Africa have examined the reading success of Grade 3 in the Foundation Phase in African Schools, but have investigated teachers’ perspectives on the methods used for reading instruction in Grade 1 of rural schools. This study is qualitative in nature and examined First Grade teachers’ methods used in teaching beginning reading in Setswana using different approaches: the Traditional method, Sentence method, Breakthrough to Setswana Programme and Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) approach. The researcher collected data from 8 Foundation Phase Schools in Bojanala District of Brits that are under the Department of Education (DOE). The sample was drawn from four Foundations Phase Schools from February to April and June to August 2011; four teachers were observed and interviewed on the teaching of beginning reading. In order to establish how the research was approached, observations, interviews and documents analysis were used as instruments. For purposes of this dissertation, the researcher also analyzed these four schools in detail in order to provide the context that informed reasons for teachers’ perspectives. The findings indicated that teachers felt differently about the use of different and same methods in teaching beginning reading. However, teachers did not always utilize their observations to improve teaching. Teachers’ beliefs about when to introduce children to the reading of extended texts differed depending on their assumptions on learning to read. Their perspectives were affected by their own knowledge of reading, the programs, methods, and the expectations of circuit and district administrators. Limited resources and space within the programs also affected their teaching of reading. All teachers in the study expressed the need for adequate training and in-service workshops that take into account the context in which they worked. This study, recommends more collaboration between teachers and local circuit and district administrators when, planning and delivering teaching approaches and workshops. Teachers and local administrators need to keep abreast with new developments in the fields of language and literacy development in order to effectively challenge and critique new approaches. Finally, they should also be supported in doing investigation on teaching and learning in their classrooms.