The facilitative role of grade 1 teachers in the development of reading skills in Sesotho
Loading...
Date
2012-08
Authors
Ramabenyane, Mamosebatho Julia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
The study explores the facilitative role of the Grade 1 teachers in the development of
reading skills in Sesotho in some Mangaung schools. Since the Progress in
International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) report of 2006 and those of the
Systemic Evaluations of 2003 and 2007 revealed that South African learners perform
poorly in reading it has became a cause for concern to all. Being a Mosotho by birth,
with a personal interest in the development of Sesotho, and also being involved in
the teaching of Sesotho at the University of the Free State in the Faculty of
Education, School of Social Sciences and Language Education, I became concerned
that Sesotho-speaking learners’ performance was the poorest in comparison with
other African language speaking learners. My concern was intensified by reports that
South African teachers were dissatisfied with their profession and experiencing low
morale. This phenomenon evoked my interest in how Grade 1 teachers were
facilitating the development of their learners’ reading skills in Sesotho, and motivated
me to determine if there was a need to intervene and how the teachers and I would
it. I therefore formulated the research question as follows: “How can I assist the
Grade 1 teachers in some Mangaung schools to improve their facilitation of the
development of reading skills in Sesotho?”
My study is qualitative in nature and is based on Kemmis and McTaggart’s model of
spiral of action research cycles, which I adapted to suit the contexts of the
participants. Since the study involved improving and changing the disempowering
conditions which hamper the teachers’ effectiveness in facilitating the development of
reading skills, I approached the study within a constructivist paradigm. As teachers
began to construct meaning of their facilitative role in the development of reading
skills they made significant inputs into the formulation of the guidelines which they
adopted as their own and were eager to implement.
Thirteen Grade 1 teachers participated in the in-depth situation analysis of the study
and only seven in the intervention. Having considered ethical issues, the participants
were interviewed, observed in their classrooms and assessed on how they presented
reading lessons to demonstrate their facilitative role in the development of reading
skills. Data was analysed inductively allowing for categories and themes to emerge.
New insights emerging from the in-depth situation analysis informed how the
intervention took place.
Since the seven Grade 1 teachers participated in the study as co-researchers, they
made inputs in developing the cycles of the action research. Cycle 1 of the
intervention was undertaken in the form of an awareness workshop entitled
“Empowering teachers: working with the head, heart and hands”. The main objective
was to assist teachers to understand better some issues pertaining to their facilitative
role. The findings of this cycle showed that in providing assistance and guidance to
the teachers, they improved their understanding of the progression from Curriculum
2005 to the National Curriculum Statement and the Foundations for Learning
Campaign, of reading policy documents, of the concept reading and the reading
process, of their facilitative role, and of integrating components of lesson planning.
Their level of motivation and confidence improved after the workshop, which further
motivated them to become change agents and to improve their facilitative role by
participating in the intervention. The Grade 1 teachers and I therefore proceeded to
Cycle 2 in which the teachers were continually assisted to implement the guidelines
in Spiral Cycle 1, improved the implementation of the guidelines in Spiral Cycle 2 and
assessed the implementation of the guidelines in Spiral Cycle 3.
The findings of the intervention show that teachers were motivated and gained
confidence in having improved their facilitative role in the development of reading
skills. They attached value to the collaboration established among themselves, their
colleagues from the school they partnered with in my study and between some of the
lecturers at the UFS. They have deepened the knowledge, skills, values and
attitudes from participating in the study pertaining to their facilitative role in the
development of reading skills. Most importantly, they have become aware that they
can resolve their own problems by planning, acting, observing and reflecting on their
practice. They understand that improving their facilitative role is an ongoing process
which can be made easier if they have the necessary resources such as reading
books and that they are continuously supported and motivated to commit to their
practice.
Description
Keywords
Action research, Action research cycles, Action research spiral cycles, Assessment standards, Facilitation, Facilitative role, Guidelines, Outcomes, Reading, Reading approaches, Reading programmes, Reading skills, Reading strategies, Sesotho Home Language, Sotho language -- Study and teaching, Thesis (Ph.D. (Curriculum Studies))--University of the Free State, 2012