South African School Learners Research Articles

Experiences of experts in intelligence measurement of South African school learners

This qualitative research study emerged from the essential need for reliable and valid intelligence test instruments for South African school learners, who are characterised as a diverse population with their variety in culture, ethnicity, and language, as well as having unequal socio-economic and educational backgrounds. The aim of this research study was to use a qualitative interpretive description research design to explore and describe the experiences of both experts in intelligence test development and/or adaptation as well as psychologists and psychometrists who have administered intelligence tests to South African school learners in various contexts. Twelve psychologists and/or psychometrists were interviewed, of which six were also experts in test development and/or adaptation, which yielded four themes after thematic analysis, namely, utilised intelligence measurements in the current South African school learner context are less relevant; the South African education system is a major issue specifically within lower socio-economic status (SES) contexts; it does not seem feasible to design or adapt suitable intelligence measures that are valid and reliable in the current South African school learner context; and key informants’ recommendations from their experiences.Contribution: This research study contributes to the understanding of the measurement of intelligence of South African school learners in diverse contexts. Findings of this research study can guide the strategic process to design an intelligence instrument suitable for a South African population of school learners, informing fair assessment practices for multiethnic equalisation.

Challenges of Learning in Second Language among South African School Learners with Developmental Language Disorder

Language in education plays a critical role in effective teaching and learning worldwide. This study aimed to explore the challenges of learning in a second language among secondary school learners with developmental language disorder (DLD). The study also unveils strategies used by professionals to support learners and learners’ attitudes towards support. The study participants were learners (n = 12), teachers (n = 5), a speech Language therapist, and an educational psychologist. A qualitative research approach was utilised employing a case study as the research design. Data generation sources included non-participatory observations, interviews, and focus group discussions. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that learning in a second language as the medium of instruction posed challenges for learners with DLD. They struggled with comprehension, reading, and word recognition of learning content. Teachers indicated that they used strategies such as remedial lessons and giving learners more reading material to enhance their vocabulary and narrative skills. They also referred learners to other professionals for further assistance. Parental involvement is also encouraged in support of learners. However, one of the factors limiting learners’ support is learners’ attitudes. Learners’ attitudes towards support may be attributed to limited awareness of DLD. Hence, there is a need to raise awareness of DLD among the learners. An in-depth course on special education in secondary teacher training programmes is necessary to further equip teachers with strategies to enhance inclusive classrooms. The promotion of local languages as a medium of instruction must be highly prioritised, even at a secondary level of education.

Assessing Technology and Digital Platforms for Data-Driven Mathematics teaching and learning in South African Schools

As the world has become more digitalized, technology and digital platforms have revolutionized the way mathematics is taught and learned. It is, however, possible to further transform the way mathematics teaching and learning is conducted by using technology and digital platforms. Schools need to use digital platforms for teaching and learning mathematics to improve performance mathematics since the subject is considered difficult. Data-driven mathematics teaching and learning using technology and digital platforms have been discussed in this article. According to the authors, improved mathematics performance can be achieved by implementing strategies addressing digital platforms, data-driven pedagogy, teacher professional development and student engagement. As a means of achieving meaningful mathematics teaching and learning in South African schools, the authors believe technology and digital platforms can play a significant role. In this theoretical paper, the authors examined a constructivist approach to learning, which holds that learning involves interaction with the environment to construct knowledge. Also incorporated into the framework is the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), which emphasizes that perceived efficacy, user-friendliness, and social influences impact the adoption and use of technology. As a result of the technology acceptance model, South African schools will be able to overcome challenges like infrastructure limitations and inadequate teacher training to advance the digitalization of information in mathematics education. Keywords: Technology, Digital Platforms, Data-Driven, Pedagogy, Student-engagement

Impact of ICT-Driven Teacher Professional Development for the Enhancement of Classroom Practices in South Africa: A Systematic Review of Literature

Education is critical to the development of any country. The quality of education depends on the quality of teachers in the education system. Studies affirm that the initial teacher education that teachers enter the teaching profession with, is not enough to sustain the education system. Hence, there is a need for continuing life-long learning for teachers to keep abreast of their profession. Seemingly, teachers play a significant role in the integration of ICT into teaching and learning. Therefore, adequate and regular professional development of teachers is paramount to the use of learning technologies in classrooms. This study employed a systematic review of the literature to explore the impact of teachers' exposure to ICT through professional development activities on teaching and learning success. The TPACK framework was adopted as an underpinning lens to understand the phenomenon. The study affirms that the professional development of teachers should be situated within ICT pedagogical and content-related content to capacitate teachers' ICT knowledge and skills. Hence, teachers' ICT knowledge enhances classroom instructional delivery, using various learning technologies in teaching and learning. The study recommends adequate and regular capacity building for teachers with ICT training, while teachers should be supported with ICT gadgets and resources. Follow-up should be designed to ensure teachers’ adoption and use of ICT for teaching and learning in South African schools, to familiarise their learners with various learning technologies, and to enhance their academic performances.
 
 Received: 17 April 2023 / Accepted: 29 July 2023 / Published: 5 September 2023

The Emergence of Semilingualism in South African schools – Are the Stipulations of the Language in Education Policy to Blame?

This paper reports one of the findings of a study that was conducted to determine strategies that can be used to promote the use of indigenous African languages as languages of teaching and learning in South African schools. The problem that I sought to address was the lack of or insufficient use of indigenous African languages for teaching and learning in the South African education system, despite these languages being constitutionally recognised as official languages in the country since 1994. The study was conducted against the background of existing research both locally and internationally, which highlights the negative effects of offering education in a language that is not the learner’s first language or mother tongue. It was conducted in KwaZulu-Natal, one of the nine provinces of the Republic of South Africa, in which isiZulu is the predominant indigenous African language. Participants included a random sample of educators from primary schools and high schools, a random sample of language and education specialists in institutions of higher learning found in the province, as well as a random sample of learners in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase. Questionnaires, an observation schedule, and focus group interviews were used to collect data for the study. As part of the literature review, language policies formulated after the adoption of the new constitution in 1994, in particular the Language-in-Education Policy (LiEP) of 1997, were reviewed to determine their contribution to the language provision dilemmas suffered by indigenous African languages in teaching and learning. This paper reports on one of the effects that language provisions made in the LiEP seem to have had, which manifests as a lack of competence in both the language of teaching and learning and in the home (native) language among most black learners, a condition that has been termed “semilingualism” by some scholars. The implications of this phenomenon for language in teaching and learning are also highlighted. The paper concludes by making suggestions for a need to revise the LiEP to help overcome this emergent problem and improve the use of indigenous African languages in teaching and learning.

Education in the New Normal: A Need for Alternative Strategies in Supporting Teaching and Learning in South African Schools in the Post-COVID-19 Era

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the educational system all over the world in many ways, including teaching and learning. Schools had to abandon face-to-face teaching and learning and adopt online teaching approaches. This means that teaching through mobile digital tools and blended approaches is to be enhanced post-COVID-19 era. This paper critically reviewed the literature on the strategies used to support teaching and learning in South African schools during the post-COVID-19 era amid the challenges experienced by the education system in South Africa. The literature review approach was adopted to gather literature on strategies to support teaching and learning in South African schools. Having considered teaching and learning in South African schools which is primarily based on face-to-face traditional pedagogical strategies before the outbreak of COVID-19 and the challenges experienced during the pandemic. The paper argues the need for educational planners to rethink how teaching and learning could be enhanced in the new normal. The digital learning, blended teaching, and eLearning/online learning approaches response of South Africa during the outbreak of the pandemic should be sustained. It emerged from the literature that although teachers and learners have embraced technology, there is no clear policy on how ICT should integrate with teaching, learning and assessment. Therefore, this study recommends that the Department of Basic Education develop an ICT integration policy providing a clear strategy that will accommodate both rural and urban schools. Furthermore, it is recommended that increased funding on education resources and the provision of continuous teacher professional development program be considered. Keywords: New normal, Post-COVID-19, Blended teaching and learning, Online learning

Preferences of Grade R-12 learners in South Africa for Digital Game-based Learning

Evidence from the literature suggests that Game-based Learning (GBL) can help students learn better. A gamified environment can provide a blend of serious learning and fun for students. Some researchers have observed that GBL could stimulate valuable educational outcomes and positively impact a child's life. However, evidence shows that students in poor communities in South Africa are performing poorly academically due to poor student engagement and lack of motivation. Although GBL platforms are being used widely in some developed countries, they have not been widely adopted in South African schools. This paper provides insight on the preferences of learners in South African schools with respect to GBL. We conducted a survey involving participants from four South African Schools (2 Primary schools and 2 Secondary schools) to determine the type and mode of GBL that Grade R-12 learners prefer. A total of 193 learners participated in the survey. The study found the learners' preferential order of type of games are puzzles, video games, simulation games, word games, and card games. The aspects of visual aesthetics, musical scores, and incentive appeal to most learners. At the same time, there is also a preference for games that involves a challenge, enable competition with peers, and promotes curiosity. Based on our findings, we argue that multiplayer game platforms that have rich social interaction features would suit learners in South African schools, while single-player game platforms that can stimulate logical thinking and reasoning will also be helpful to aid learners in identified difficult subjects like Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Pure Science, accounting, and Geography. The study provides a solid foundation for understanding the requirements for developing GBL solutions to support education in South Africa. Furthermore, the study's findings could guide government policy on the adoption of GBL and software developers in making design choices during the development of GBL platforms.

Ubuntu translanguaging as a systematic approach to language teaching in multilingual classrooms in South Africa

The Language in Education Policy recognises the linguistically super-diverse nature of learners in South African schools and provides allowance to use more than one language in teaching and learning within the framework of promoting multilingualism. This policy adopted an additive approach and encouraged school governing bodies to establish how they will promote multilingualism through the use of more than one language. However, it seems there is lack of systematic approaches on how schools should promote multilingualism. This study, therefore, looked at how Ubuntu translanguaging can be applied as a systematic approach in schools to promote multilingualism. This small-scale exploratory qualitative study made use of semi-structured interviews and classroom observations to explore how teachers incorporated and understood the Policy in promoting multilingualism. It was found that teachers used more than one language to enhance learning, though they believed this was not allowed and that they were required/expected to use only one language for learning and teaching at a time. The study concludes that there is a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the Policy and recommends that the policy be unpacked and clarified for teachers. It further recommends the Ubuntu translanguaging pedagogy to be accepted as a systematic approach to promote multilingualism.

Intelligence Instruments Applied to South African School Learners: A Critical Review

To establish reliability and validity of formal intelligence assessment instruments in a multicultural and multilingual society such as South Africa, context needs to be taken into consideration and existing psychological intelligence test instruments need to be surveyed carefully for cultural bias. The aim of this critical review of scientific literature was to critically appraise and synthesize data regarding intelligence instruments applied to South African school learners. The search initially yielded 405 studies of which 15 were finally included for thematic analysis. The following three main themes emerged from the included studies: Applicability of intelligence instruments administered to South African school learners; Contextual and demographic influences affecting performance on administered intelligence instruments; and Intellectual measuring instruments related to developmental and cognitive ability levels. It is recommended that the findings of this research study should be considered in the possible development of a strategic guideline to design an intelligence instrument applicable to South African school learners.

Preparing pre-service teachers to guide and support learning in South African schools

Background: Given the poor academic performance in many schools and the inequality in learning outcomes, there is an urgent need to improve teaching and learning in South African schools. Recognising the importance of preparing pre-service teachers to guide and support learning in varying schools in South Africa, we piloted a course in 2020 in which we taught final-year pre-service teacher education students a new way of designing lessons. The lesson design approach foregrounded learning.Aim: The study aimed to address the question ‘What are pre-service teachers’ views on how the course prepared them for teaching?’.Setting: The study took place in the Department of Childhood Education at a South African university.Methods: The study followed an interpretive research approach. To generate data for the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 pre-service teachers at the end of the academic year. In addition, I conducted stimulated recall interviews on lessons that the pre-service teachers designed.Results: The results indicated that the pre-service teachers viewed learning about the science of learning and competencies for a fast-changing world as valuable to enrich their teaching. Despite being aware that they still had some gaps in their understanding of some teaching strategies, the results showed that pre-service teachers valued the strategies they learned in the course.Conclusion: Based on the findings, I conclude that the knowledge the pre-service teachers gained from the course has provided them with a sound basis to guide and support learning in varying school contexts.

Using key-word signing to support learners in South African schools: a study of teachers’ perceptions

Key-word-signing (KWS), an unaided augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategy, has an important role to play in the education system. To date, limited research exists regarding the use of unaided AAC strategies in the school environment, especially in low- and middle-income countries. To address this research gap, the current study aimed to explore the perceptions of South African teachers toward the use of KWS strategies in the educational context. The study used a descriptive paper-based survey comprised of both closed and open-ended questions that was completed by 101 special education teachers. The sample was drawn from 10 public and independent schools for learners with special education needs in five urban school districts within South Africa’s Gauteng province. These schools accommodate students with a broad spectrum of disabilities and are likely to include learners with complex communication needs. The participants identified various factors and challenges that influenced the use of KWS within the education system (e.g., school culture, parents and other team members, community awareness, learner-related considerations, and training needs). These factors and challenges are assessed and discussed in relation to both local and international norms. Recommendations are made regarding expanding both an understanding and acceptance of unaided AAC strategies as a further means to support learning in the educational context.

Recommendations for implementing work-integrated learning in South African schools of pharmacy

Aim: Pharmacy schools in South Africa need to prove compliance with work-integrated learning (WIL) as articulated in the Good Pharmacy Education Standards (GPES). This study aims to determine the current status of WIL in South African schools of pharmacy. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with heads of pharmacy schools regarding the challenges experienced with the implementation of WIL. Results: Four of the possible nine heads of South African schools of pharmacy participated in the study. Categories and subcategories were identified under the theme ‘challenges of WIL’. Conclusion: Findings showed that pharmacy schools in South Africa comply partially with WIL requirements. Possible reasons for partial compliance are challenges experienced relating to resources, campus-based infrastructure and service providers. Based on this study’s findings, the authors present several recommendations for the implementation of WIL in South African pharmacy schools.

Developing a Model for Crises Containment Management in South African Schools

School learners and educators encounter several crises on a regular basis, which can lead to various maladaptive behaviours, leaving the individual feeling numb, overwhelmed, and hopeless with decreased energy levels. Therefore, it is vital for a team to be allocated in schools that are well prepared to intervene to create a safe and healthy school environment. This qualitative document analysis aimed to develop a model for crises containment management in South African schools by combining findings from two recently published research studies. The researchers focused on identifying themes and placing themes in logical order to ensure that the developed model is related to other models, transparent and easy to interpret, easily understandable, and adaptable to various school contexts. The findings of this qualitative document analysis concluded the following themes: threats to school safety; impact of crises; management of crises; and Covid-19 mitigation. Based on these themes, steps were developed for the proposed model for crises containment management in South African schools. These steps include: assessing the safety and the situation; stabilising the environment; reflecting on facts, needs and support structure; referring (if needed); and checking-in on self and the individual in need. It is imperative that South African school learners, educators, and support staff need to be trained to handle various crises, for they are the first responders in most cases.

The rise of Xanax in South African schools: Toward a framework for connecting drugs and education

This article addresses the dramatic rise in the illicit use of Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication, among South African school learners from roughly the mid 2010s. Based on interviews conducted in secondary schools in Durban, I argue for the importance of locating the benzodiazepine in relation to other known drugs that include cannabis, heroin, alcohol, ecstasy, mandrax, and cocaine. Xanax is typically seen as a stronger version of cannabis/weed but not as potent as drugs such as heroin, which drive students away from school. Xanax pills are also easy to conceal and, for women in particular, do not involve the stigma of smoking. A second argument rests on taking seriously learners’ statements that they use drugs to distract themselves from everyday problems and stresses. Locating schools in the context of a youth unemployment rate of more than 50 percent, I argue that Xanax fits with the ambiguous position of learners who are aware of the illusive connections between schooling and desirable work but are reluctant to turn their back on institutions that, in the absence of alternatives, offer some hope for social mobility.

The Impact of Using Code Alternation in Teaching Life Science to English First Additional Language learners in South African Schools

The study aimed at investigating the extent to which English is used as a medium of teaching and learning Life Sciences in a South African rural high school. As the government has given recognition to the country’s multilingual, multi-ethnic and multicultural composition, School Governing Bodies are mandated to choose any of the eleven official languages as a medium of instruction (RSA, Act 108 of 1996), but the power of deciding which language to use as a medium of instruction has been taken by teachers to shield their own shortcomings. To be able to explore and understand the prevailing situation, the researchers employed a qualitative design which translated into researchers observing classes, evaluating learners’ written texts and interviewing the teachers as methods of collecting data. The findings are that: first, learners’ and teachers’ proficiency levels in English are very low, as such, the English language is not a pivot of learning and teaching in the South African education system. This emanates from the fact that although in theory the majority of the South African schools have adopted English as a medium of instruction, in practice, this is far from the truth as teachers employ code alternation in the form of code switching, code mixing and sentence translation as viable means of scaffolding the learning of content subjects.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Peer Leader Training Programmes: A Strategy to Enhance Provision of Psychosocial Support to Vulnerable Learners in South African Schools

Monitoring and Evaluation of Peer Leader Training Programmes: A Strategy to Enhance Provision of Psychosocial Support to Vulnerable Learners in South African Schools

The Influence of Information Communication Technology (ICT) integration on teaching and learning in South African Schools

Despite recent emphasis on the quality of education for all in South Africa, the department of education still face major challenges that hinder the progress of implementing quality education, especially in the rural areas. Consequently, this study followed an action qualitative method. The overall purpose of the study was to determine the influence of ICT integration in on the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom and to further examine the benefits of using ICT to enhance personal growth, individual performance, critical thinking skills reading and writing skills. The research questions were semi-structured and open-ended. The researcher interviewed nine (9) learners and seven (7) teachers in a two session focus group, first session involved only teachers and last session had only grade 12 learners. The themes of the sessions were documented separately, however, relationship between the themes were identified. The study also performed observation in the classroom to access situations that would have been almost impossible to identify in an interview or a questionnaire. Results shown that a lot still need to be done by the government to initiate the process of integrating ICT in education or empower teachers with ICT skill and to do away with the traditional teaching method. The study however concluded on the positive influence of ICT integration on teaching and learning practices in the classroom for both teachers and learners. Consequently, the study recommends the following: government must provide training and incentives to encourage personal development in teachers and for young graduates to value teaching; policies about lost equipment must be drafted and understood by all parties; deployments of technology innovation, as well, as the imperatives of following the recommendation of UNESCO’s four stages of ICT integration

Stakeholders’ Support for Large Scale Assessment in Schools: A Case of Annual National Assessment (ANA) in South African Schools

Assessment is a crucial aspect of teaching and learning; it includes various means of assessing what learners could reproduce as product of learning. Annual National Assessment (ANA) is a large scale assessment with the sole aim of measuring learners’ achievement, growth and progress. Since the introduction and implementation of ANA in 2010, the analysis of the results from 2011 to 2014 has shown very little improvement in learner performance. This qualitative study sought to ascertain how stakeholders supported standardised testing to overcome its limitations, and can be used to improve teaching and learning in South African schools. The theoretical framework that underpins this study is the Hard Accountability Model. Themes were generated from the collected data from ten English teachers, ten Mathematics and ten Heads of Departments from ten grade six primary schools in King Cethswayo district, Kwa-Zulu Natal Province of South Africa. Findings revealed that stakeholders did not support adequately ANA to fulfil its purpose in schools. The study also indicated inadequate teacher development programmes to regularly capacitate teachers on how to improve ANA results. The study therefore recommended that the Department of Basic Education should ensure that teacher developmental programmes are conducted while curriculum advisors and School Management Teams should strengthen their supervision and monitoring in schools.

LEARNERS’ VIEWS ON ASYMPTOTES OF A HYPERBOLA AND EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION: A COMMOGNITIVE APPROACH

Learners in South African schools often respond poorly in questions related to the asymptote. Despite the fact that there are only a few functions in the South African curriculum that actually explore the asymptote, learners still show some deficiency in their understanding of the concept. This research examined Grade 11 learners’ mathematical discourses about the asymptotes of the hyperbola and exponential functions. Data were analysed using the Realisation Tree of a Function, an adaptation of the Realisation Tree Assessment tool from Weingarden, Heyd-Metzuyanim and Nachlieli. While the Realisation Tree Assessment tool focused on teacher talk, the Realisation Tree of a Function focused on learner expression and responses. A qualitative research design was essentially adopted, with exploratory, descriptive and interpretive elements complementing both its data collection and analysis. A purposive sampling strategy was implemented. Data were collected by means of a test administered to a total of 112 Grade 11 participants from four selected secondary schools. Focus group interviews were conducted with 24 of the best-performing participants by using their responses from the written mathematical tests. The results revealed that the learners’ mathematical discourse is not coherent. While learners’ work on each representation was often mathematical there seemed to be a struggle when the task had an unusual orientation. Different expressions of the same mathematical object elicited different responses. The challenge is that learners exhibited a fragmented relationship between the mathematical objects of the function. Keywords: commognition, realization tree, ritualised learning, visual mediators.

A Call for Social Work Intervention to Address the Phenomenon of Child Sexual Abuse against Learners in South African Schools: A Review of the Literature

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is undoubtedly one of the social problems negatively affecting children in South Africa. Everyday reports in research and different media platforms such as radio, television, social media and newspapers suggest that sexual abuse of children and those attending school, has reached unprecedented proportions. Within the school setting, it is reported that school-based employees such as teachers, security personel and gardeners are alleged to be the perpetrators of this heinous crime against children. The purpose of this paper through the literature review methodology, is to highlight the phenomenon of CSA perpetrated against learners in the South African schools and indicate how the social work profession may intervene. To this end, this paper calls social workers to intervene by means of educating learners on child sexual abuse, establishing and strengthening the childcare and protection forums, engaging parents, guardians and lastly facilitating dialogues with the school-based employees. These interventions will go a long way in addressing the phenomenon of CSA, and most importantly, protecting the rights of children as the most vulnerable group in societies.