South African Learners Research Articles

Promoting Sustainable Well-Being: Burnout and Engagement in South African Learners

This study aimed to analyze the latent profiles of burnout and engagement of learners and to investigate differences between these profiles regarding demographic and contextual variables and academic boredom. The findings have practical implications for educators and professionals in the fields of education and psychology. Grade 9 and 10 South African learners (N = 544) studying English and Mathematics as school subjects participated in the study. Five learner burnout and engagement profiles were identified: healthy engaged (10.66%), moderately balanced (27.57%), slightly disengaged (30.7%), moderately burned-out (20.4%), and burned-out (10.66%). Academic boredom in Mathematics and English was linked to burnout-engagement profiles. The healthy engaged and moderately balanced profiles exhibited significantly lower academic boredom levels in both subjects than the other profiles. Positive relationships with teachers and interest in the subject were crucial across all profiles to diminish academic boredom and enhance engagement, especially in English. Various demographic and contextual variables were associated with burnout-engagement profiles. Home study environments, nurturing positive teacher-learner relationships, and fostering intrinsic interest in subjects can enhance engagement and mitigate burnout in secondary school learners. Sustainable interventions could be created by teachers or researchers, implemented by schools, and taken up in important policies within South Africa, showcasing how the SGDs of improved health and well-being and delivering quality education could be achieved.

Teachers navigating the sociocultural challenges of teaching sexuality education to South African learners

Objective: Globally, South Africa has the highest rate of HIV infection, nevertheless, society and communities seem hesitant to entrust teachers with the responsibility to teach their children about sexuality issues. This study examined how Further Education and Training Life Orientation teachers navigate the sociocultural complexities of teaching sexuality education. Design: A qualitative, narrative study was conducted. Data were generated using narrative frames, collages, and lesson observations. Setting: Six Life Orientation teachers from six schools in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa participated. Results: Life Orientation teachers faced a range of sociocultural challenges when teaching sexuality education. The following strategies were used to mitigate these challenges: avoiding teaching about contradicting cultural and religious beliefs; using social media platforms; involving specialists, peer educators and role models; and adopting pastoral and parental roles. Conclusion: Collaborative opportunities between Life Orientation teachers, specialists, role models and community members or organisations could offer a supportive role and influence the teaching of sexuality education positively. Social media platforms and innovative teaching strategies could enhance the quality and teaching of sexuality education.

Investigating Methods and Approaches in Teaching Reading Skills in Sepedi Home Language to Foundation Phase Learners: Primary School in the Capricorn South District

Research shows that South African learners cannot read competently compared to those from other countries. This study investigates the different methods and approaches used in the teaching of reading skills in Sepedi Home Language in Foundation Phase learners with special focus on a primary school in Limpopo Province of South Africa. The research study sought to understand how teachers apply the different methods and approaches in teaching reading in the Foundation Phase so that learners are able to acquire the skills taught. A qualitative research method was used for data collection, in particular interviews and lesson observation. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants in the study, which were the teachers and learners. Thematic analysis was used to analyse all the datasets gathered in this study. Key findings include the following: Learners have varied reading opportunities at school; they have a fairly adequate reading opportunity at home; they were generally dissatisfied with the overall reading time allowed at school; Foundation Phase teachers have a fair understanding of what teaching reading skills entail; current methods used for teaching reading are inadequate; difficulties of teaching reading to non-Sepedi speaking learners; Departmental Heads provide useful support to teachers; and that there is a need to improve the reading skills of Foundation Phase learners. The study recommends that the Departmental officials should schedule regular workshops and do class visits in Foundation Phase for monitoring and supporting teachers in order for them to improve their teaching of reading; teachers need to make sure that they prioritise reading by engaging learners to participate in various activities that involve reading, and that learners should have access to the reading books that they use at school even at home, so that they could practise reading.

Online Education Adaptability for South African Learners with Dyscalculia and Dyslexia using Digital Learning Methods

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 defines equal and inclusive education. Countries of the global south, including South Africa, have several interventions to achieve before making headway on this goal. South Africa has a unique political and historical narrative, and almost three decades post-apartheid, there remain stark differences in school and post-school education. Amongst some of these include learners with learning disabilities. This research focuses on learners with learning disabilities, such as Dyscalculia and Dyslexia. The introduction of digital technologies within higher education institutions excludes these learners as the adaptability of digital learning techniques has not been considered for specific learning disabilities. The challenges are now heightened. Although primary studies have been conducted in the past, no definitive solutions have been established for the seamless integration of these learners into mainstream education. Hence a different research approach was undertaken. An expansive review of existing scholarship was conducted using online academic resources and search platforms such as Google Scholar, Scopus and EBSCOhost. The purpose was to engage with a wide range of national and global literature. A discussion and comparison of available resources and tools were outlined and structured according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study was underpinned by the universal design for learning theory. Global research indicated the availability of online tools that were too expensive for South African education and incompatible with the lack of skills and infrastructure. The literature provided adequate information to develop an introductory clinical sociology intervention and embark on a process of awareness and support for educators and affected learners

Psychosocial Factors Influencing Grade 7 Learners’ Performance in Mathematics Classes: A Focus on Primary Schools in the Northern Cape, South Africa

This study explored the psychosocial factors influencing Grade 7 learners’ performance in mathematics classes at primary schools in Frances Baard District in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative interpretive approach infused with a multiple-case study design. The thematic results showed that some learners were not fully engaged in the mathematics classes despite having the necessary resources, including qualified teachers. The study revealed that family and community issues affect learners’ academic performance in mathematics classes. It further found that some learners struggle to comprehend mathematical concepts taught in English, their second language. Furthermore, it highlighted why learner engagement is so weak in the intermediate-phase mathematics classroom. The reasons why learners’ mathematics marks declined in Grade 7 have also been discussed in this study. The study found that the socio-economic factors that affect learners in South African schools can be eliminated if we enlist the support of social services available to South African learners. The study recommends that teachers enhance their pedagogical approaches to fit learners’ home languages, locations, and socioeconomic circumstances. This study supports the notion that more learner-centered approaches be used in the mathematics classroom and adds to existing literature on the subject. Keywords: Mathematics Teachers, Academic Performance, Mathematics Classes, Primary Schools

The Understanding of Psychological Challenges Facing South African School Learners In the 21st Century: A Visual Explanatory Approach

The 21st century has brought rapid social, technological, and economic changes that have reshaped the educational landscape worldwide. Within this context, South African school learners face a multifaceted psychological challenge that significantly impacts their well-being and educational outcomes. These challenges are shaped by the unique sociocultural context of South African societies marked by historical inequalities, cultural diversity, and socioeconomic disparities. Thus, this study aimed to explore the understanding of the psychological challenges facing South African learners in the 21st century through the visual explanatory research design. To develop effective interventions and support systems, the study employed a qualitative research approach from the interpretive paradigm perspective to explain the researched issue textually and visually through its participants’ perspectives. The research context and the participants were purposefully and conveniently selected from two secondary schools in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province of South Africa. Besides, the study utilised the focus group discussion and drawing as a visual explanatory approach to generate data. Further, thematic data analysis was used to assign codes and themes. The findings indicate that South African learners are negatively impacted by the psychological challenges that come with the advancement of technology in the 21st century. This study suggests that both parents and the teachers must understand that technology brought both pros and cons to young generations; thus, guidance and restrictions should be employed in the use of technological devices for the benefit and well-being of these learners.

South African Basic Education System: Colonial Legacies in the Curriculum Design and a Way Forward

The South African Basic Education System does little to provide skills, needed to survive outside the schooling system, for those who do not wish to pursue post-secondary school education. The education system produces secondary school graduates who are poised, as content carriers and an un-employable labour force. A research question grappled with in this paper is whether this secondary school curriculum design inherited from the colonial formal education system is beneficial for South African learners? The paper argues that the continuation of the provision of this curriculum is tantamount to contributing very little to the national educational strategic goals of creating a skilled workforce needed to run the South African economy. Additionally, this also contributes to the exacerbation of the unemployment in South Africa. From a decolonial point of view, the paper provides a comprehensive overview of the basic education curriculum from the colonial period until the contemporary period and shows how it has contributed to huge numbers of job-seekers visa-versa employees and subservient of the curriculum design and schooling system. Methodologically, this paper is informed by a qualitative research approach in the form of document review. The research revealed four major important elements in decolonization of the school curriculum namely; history lesson, social justice and self-determination, formulation and execution of the protection of indigenous knowledge systems and promoting the significance of indigenous languages and use.

Navigating the complexities of learning history in English in two South African schools

Despite extensive research into the intersection between English aptitude and academic achievement, the challenges that learners for whom English is not their first language face when taught history in English are still underexplored. Underpinned by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, this study investigates the linguistic challenges that South African learners face when taught history using the English language, and then explores how learners would want to be taught. Using semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, this phenomenological study adopting a qualitative approach generated data from 12 purposively sampled participants drawn from two rural schools. Themed findings explicate that learners had poor command of the English language used for teaching and learning, and hence misunderstood command words, lacked confidence, mispronounced words and did not read for comprehension. The learners proposed that history teachers must employ scaffolding and translanguaging approaches to enhance mastery of history concepts. These findings suggest the need for schools through the Department of Education in South Africa, and in any other countries in similar contexts, to embrace scaffolding and translanguaging as pedagogical approaches in teaching history for understanding, rather than for uniformity. These insights could inform policies and practice for the language of teaching for the history curriculum in countries that are multilingual societies.

Profiling reading strategies used by Grade 10 English First Additional Language learners in two selected high schools in KwaZulu-Natal

In order to address learners’ reading difficulties, several researchers recommend the development of their reading profiles. To this end, South Africa is no exception. Many South African based researchers are of the view that designing and analysing learners’ reading profiles should be seen as a wise move towards fixing South African learners’ reading challenges. The study sought to profile the reading strategies that Grade 10 English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners used more and least frequently. The idea was to make teachers aware of their learners’ strengths and weaknesses with regard to reading. The study was quantitative in nature and a survey design was followed. A reading strategies questionnaire was administered to 60 Grade 10 EFAL learners who were purposively selected from two high schools. The mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated in order to assess the frequency of strategy used by the Grade 10 EFAL learners. The results indicated that before-reading and during-reading strategies were least frequently used by the learners. Moreover, the results showed that learners appeared to be using after-reading strategies more frequently. Recommendations are made that learners need to be made aware of the wide range of before-reading and after-reading strategies, along with how to use them during the process of reading.Contribution: The contribution of the study resides in the conclusion that teachers’ knowledge on how to develop and monitor learners’ reading profiles has the potential to improve learners’ reading proficiency.

Psycho-social factors are the key contributory elements toward the academic performance of grade 12 physical sciences learners in the Mandeni circuit in KZN

This study investigated the implications of psychosocial factors (PSFs), a significant determinant of academic achievement, on learners studying physical sciences in grade 12 at Mandeni Kwa-Zulu Natal. In the physical sciences, South African learners are doing poorly. Low socioeconomic status tends to be experienced by the majority of learners pursuing physical sciences, and this has been associated with poor educational achievement in high school. Participants selected using a purposive sampling technique from the accessible population, 105 grade 12 physical sciences from eight targeted schools in the Mandeni circuit of the ILembe district made up the sample. The study used a mixed approach and a triangulation research design. The questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Quantitative data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and thematic analysis was used for interviews. The findings revealed that learners studying physical sciences in grade 12 encountered major obstacles due to psycho-social variables, which negatively impacted their academic performance. The findings of this study are diagnostic, and they assist the Department of Basic Education establish a policy that outlines the requirements or guidelines for selecting Physical Sciences as a subject for a particular field of study. To inspire learners and encourage them to share their ideas with influential people in the science area, the department should collaborate with industries. In Secondary schools, school management teams (SMTs) should establish and put into practice effective policies that work closely with parents and other stakeholders to support the creation of a conducive learning environment at all times. This will improve the academic achievement of learners studying the physical sciences.

Core academic language skills as a predictor of academic success in Grade 6 South African learners

With this article I explore the relationship between core academic language skills (CALS) – a construct representing a set of high-utility language skills needed to manage the linguistic features prevalent in academic texts across content areas – and schooling outcomes. There has long been an understanding that there is a distinction between academic language and colloquial language, originally described by Jim Cummins (1976) as cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) and basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS). The construct has only recently been operationalised (Uccelli, Phillips Galloway, Barr, Meneses & Dobbs, 2015) as the individual skills and competencies that underlie CALP. The CALS construct describes an empirically testable set of competencies that address this need. This has been used in the development of an assessment instrument aimed at South African learners – the CALS-I-ZA (MacFarlane, Barr & Uccelli, 2022) – and I investigate whether a measurable link exists between this assessment and schooling outcomes for a sample of Grade 6 learners in 2 public schools in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Schooling outcomes have been measured using the Gauteng Provincial Common Assessments – a provincial examination intended to measure schooling outcomes on a comparable assessment instrument. The study reported on here shows a moderately strong correlation between the CALS I ZA and the provincial common examinations (r = 0.64 and r = 0.65). This predictive relationship between CALS and schooling outcomes leads to an argument for direct instruction in CALS as an embedded feature of pedagogy in South Africa.

TRANSLATION AS A PEDAGOGY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH SECOND LANGUAGE IN A RURAL UNIVERSITY

English proficiency among black South African learners and students has been found to be generally difficult to attain despite English being used as the sole medium of instruction in schools and at universities. To mitigate the issue, this paper explores the use of translation pedagogy as an approach in enabling bilingual students to utilise their linguistic repertoire as a tool not only to enhance their English Second Language development but to also give recognition to their first language. The contribution of the study is made significant by the fact that available related research has largely been conducted at kindergarten and school level leaving a gap in the higher education environment. An observational qualitative data collection methodology was conducted in which a university lecturer presented a lesson prepared by the researcher. The participants were bilingual in a predominantly African language speaking university community in a rural area of South Africa. The use of students’ African language (IsiZulu) was observed to enhance their English vocabulary which in the process saw them participating freely in both languages throughout the lesson. The main finding of the study is that English competency can be enhanced with the learners’ home language in a carefully prepared lesson that draws from translation pedagogy.

Motor proficiency of learners with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities.

Intellectual disabilities refer to a permanent brain condition that interferes with a learner's ability to perform basic living tasks, academic tasks and social interactions. By observing the motor proficiency levels of these learners, one can determine the extent of a learner's possible physical motor proficiency barriers. To determine the motor proficiency levels of learners with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition (BOT-2) Brief Form. This quantitative descriptive study included 46 learners (17 girls and 29 boys) from a Mangaung school for learners with special needs between the ages of 15 and 17 years. Indicated that 31 learners (67.4%) out of 46 learners identified with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities had a well-below average; 11 learners (23.9%) had a below average and only 4 learners (8.7%) had average motor proficiency levels. Alarmingly, this indicates that the majority of learners have severe motor difficulties that may reduce these learners' abilities to perform tasks using gross and fine motor skills. Reported motor proficiency levels can be used as a guide to direct future motor intervention programmes. Timely interventions are central to improving learners' motor difficulties. This study focused on providing information regarding the motor proficiency levels of South African learners with ID that was not previously explored. This was an attempt to bridge the gap in knowledge pertaining to the use of standardised motor proficiency tests for South African learners with ID.

Exploring Learner Errors and Misconceptions in Algebraic Expressions with Grade 9 Learners Through the use of Algebra Tiles

South African learners’ performance in mathematics, both locally and internationally, has raised significant concerns, particularly in the realm of algebra. To address this issue, a mixed-methods study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of using algebra tiles to teach algebraic expressions. The study aimed to investigate algebraic expression errors and misconceptions among Grade 9 learners and evaluate the impact of an intervention involving algebra tiles on learners’ post-test results. Data were collected through tests administered to a class of 22 Grade 9 learners. The findings of the study confirmed the error types identified in the literature and demonstrated a notable improvement in performance on the post-test following the intervention using algebra tiles. The results indicated that the intervention successfully rectified pre-existing errors and misconceptions, resulting in an 18% enhancement in overall performance among participants. The study aligned with a Vygotskian sociocultural perspective, emphasizing the pivotal role of manipulatives in facilitating learning within the zone of proximal development. The use of manipulatives aids learners in constructing conceptual understanding by reinforcing abstract ideas. Therefore, the study contributes to existing research highlighting the utility of manipulatives in mathematics classrooms, underscoring their effectiveness in enhancing learning outcomes.

Performance of L1 and L2 grade 6 South African learners on an assessment of core academic language skills

This study investigates the relationship between the linguistic background/s of South African Grade 6 learners and an instrument measuring Core Academic Language Skills (CALS). The learners’ (n = 89) results were divided into two groups based on their most commonly spoken language (either English, L1 or a language other than English, L2). All learners in the study (and indeed the overwhelming majority of South African learners) attend school in an English language immersion setting, where English is the sole language of learning and teaching. The groups were assessed on the CALS-I-ZA, an instrument developed to measure CALS that has been validated in the South African context. This study found that in both the L1 and L2 groups, the CALS-I-ZA showed a strong association with both the provincial Maths Common Examination (r = 0.642) and the provincial Natural Sciences and Technology Examination (r = 0.650). Surprisingly, the home language variable either does not correlate or correlates only very weakly with the other variables, suggesting that L1 or L2 status alone is a weak or increasingly irrelevant predictor of academic success. This research concludes that the strong association between CALS and schooling results remains robust, regardless of L1 or L2 status, and thus, there is compelling evidence to begin deploying the construct as an instructional tool in South African classrooms.

Perceptions of Grade 11 Setswana home language learners regarding English as the language of learning and teaching in a rural South African school

South African learners are amongst millions globally who learn English as a second language and also use it as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) at various levels of their educational careers. The literature abounds with views from language and education experts confirming that proficiency in the LoLT is a prime factor determining the academic success of learners. Conspicuously absent are the voices of learners on a matter that so intimately touches them. This study, therefore, investigated the perceptions of Setswana Home Language (SHL) learners about studying English as a subject and using it as the LoLT. The study was conducted with Setswana Home Language (SHL) Grade 11 learners in a rural public secondary school in the Bojanala Education District, North-West Province, South Africa. Second language acquisition theory and the concepts of Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) as espoused by Cummins informed the single case qualitative study. Data were collected through a questionnaire with one purposefully sampled Grade 11 English First Additional Language (EFAL) class and analysed qualitatively. In the findings, learners confirmed that they did not have a thorough understanding of English; lacked confidence when speaking English; had poor speaking and writing skills in English; preferred to have Setswana as the LOLT; were exposed to the use of both the home language (HL) and English in the classroom; and lacked sufficient access to English in their home environments.

Shifting assessment paradigms in South African higher education: Evolving towards transformative approaches to policy development.

Assessment policies facilitate the optimisation of learning and academic performance through the provision of fair, equitable, and standardised criteria for evaluation. In recent years, the assessment policies of three South African universities have been reviewed. These policies, in comparison to their previous iterations, are indicative of transformative approaches taken in assessment practices in South Africa amid broader disruptions to higher education. This article explores shifts in assessment paradigms in South African higher education using a conceptual framework of positivist and behaviourist, interpretative and constructivist, and socio-constructivist views. Document analysis identifies several notable trends, including a shift in the purpose of assessment away from assessment of learning to assessment for learning and assessment as learning. The paradigm shift is characterised by changes in the approach from a rules-based, with specific prescriptions, to principles and values-based approaches. The growing use of alternative and technology-enhanced online assessment methods, along with the need for flexibility, are more prominent additions to these new policies post-COVID-19. However, being mindful of the South African context, culturally sensitive and fair assessment practices, that consider the diversity of South African learners, and the role of assessment in promoting equity, social justice, and quality learning, are highlighted.

The Response of Higher-Achieving South African Learners from Poverty to an Extracurricular Mathematics-guided Problem-based Learning Programme

Problem-based learning (PBL) has the potential to enhance both cognitive and affective engagement but has been criticised for being unsuitable for learners with low levels of knowledge and skills, such as South African learners from poor backgrounds. In such cases, guided problem-based learning (GPBL), which includes direct instruction and teacher prompting, may be more effective. However, little is known about the extent to which GPBL can replicate the cognitive and affective benefits of PBL for such learners in the context of middle-school mathematics problem-solving. It is also not clear what the optimal granularity of teacher prompting should be within GPBL. To address these issues, this instrumental case study was conducted with 26 higher-achieving Grade 8 and 9 learners from schools serving poor communities. These learners participated in a GPBL week-long extracurricular holiday mathematics programme in which they were guided to use trigonometry to determine the maximum height reached by a water rocket. Data were collected through video recordings, field notes, written work, and audio-recorded group discussions, and were coded using the multidimensional problem-solving (MPS) framework to identify cognitive and affective behaviors. The learners’ affective responses suggested general positivity towards effortful problem-solving. Their cognitive responses suggested successful engagement in some, but not all, aspects of problem-solving. Although fine-grained prompting did not promote exploratory discussion, it was found to be necessary to guide productive mathematical activity. Medium-grained prompting, which did lead to exploratory discussion, did not appear to be directly productive, although it did appear to enhance learners’ receptivity to subsequent fine-grained prompting.

Intermediate Phase learner performance in English: A quantitative analysis

Background: According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS, 2006 with 87%, 2011 with 82%, 2016 with 78%, 2021 with 81%), an international reading comprehension assessment conducted at the Grade 4 level, South African learners perform very poorly in reading comprehension, even when reading in their African home languages.Objectives: To analyse learner performance in the Intermediate Phase (IP) focusing on English First Additional Language (EFAL) before and after the implementation of the Primary School Reading Improvement Programme (PSRIP) in Johannesburg West (JW) district. The study aims to analyse EFAL learning gains obtained during the pilot phase of the PSRIP in JW district.Method: Quantitative data (learner performance in EFAL) was collected from South Africa-School Administration and Management System (SA-SAMS) in six schools in JW. Learner performance marks from Term 1 before PSRIP was implemented and from Term 4 after PSRIP implementation were analysed quantitatively using System Analysis Program Development (SAP) data and analytics solutions.Results: Learner performance analysis based on the DBE pass rates indicates positive outcomes, learner performance increased in 3 out of 6 schools; however, based on the PSRIP pass rates, only 2 out of 6 schools managed to get 90% of their learners obtaining at least 50% in EFAL after PSRIP was introduced.Conclusion: Implementation of PSRIP affected learner performance positively; however, more support is needed to meet the PSRIP targets.Contribution: Based on these findings, there is a need to further investigate how (if at all) the PSRIP strategies can be used in other languages that are taught at IP level. Study results will inform language in education policies. Furthermore, the Department of Basic Education’s reading campaigns may adopt the benefits of the PSRIP in improving literacy development in other South African languages including the indigenous languages.

Teaching measurement: The role of mathematics teachers' enacted PCK on gain in learner outcomes

Teaching is a challenging profession where teachers must create valuable learning opportunities to enhance learners’ conceptual understanding. Apart from mathematical content knowledge, teachers use their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) that develops as they reflect on previously taught lessons and learner responses in assessments. International and national assessment studies showed that South African learners perform poorly in, among other topics, Measurement. Thus, we determined the gain in learner outcomes as revealed in a pre-and post-test on Measurement and studied one of the PCK domains, namely teachers’ enacted PCK as informed by the baseline assessment learner outcomes. The aim was to determine how teachers’ enacted PCK relate to learner outcomes. Underpinned by a social constructivist paradigm, the study used a mixed-method research approach. Data were gathered from a pre-and post-test written by 124 Grade 9 learners taught by two experienced mathematics teachers in a city school in South Africa. Findings revealed that although some improvements are evident after the topic has been taught, the test was still experienced as difficult by almost all the learners. However, from the observations, there is little evidence that the experienced teachers extensively used the baseline assessment outcomes to inform their teaching.