Teacher identities and mathematics classroom practices in selected primary schools in Lesotho

Abstract

The study explored the influence of teacher professional identities on mathematics classroom practices in primary school classrooms in Lesotho. According to literature there is need for more explorations of the relationship between teacher identities and classroom practices. Social Identity Theory (SIT) provided the theoretical framework. Data analysis and interpretation drew concepts from the Mathematical Discourse in Instruction (MDI) framework and related concepts. The study was motivated by reports from earlier studies showing unsatisfactory learner performances in primary school mathematics in Lesotho and the Southern African Development Communities (SADC) region. Another challenge was inadequate performance of teachers in mathematics classrooms amidst efforts to improve performance through, inter alia, curriculum reform. This qualitative study focussed on cases of three teachers with teaching experience in primary school mathematics exceeding 5 years. Data were collected through classroom observations and interviews (pre and post classroom observation). Data analysis derived meaning from patterns, themes, categories and regularities. The findings indicate that teacher professional identities can be linked to teachers’ life experiences. The findings further indicate that teacher professional identities influence mathematics classroom practices, in some unique ways based on factors that include subject matter knowledge, classroom environment and school context. The study recommends that the design and implementation of pre-service teacher training and in-service professional development programmes should be informed by research on teacher professional identities, because teacher identities influence meaningful classroom experiences. Teacher training and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs to strengthen strategies of equipping teacher trainees with content and related pedagogical knowledge and skills to build their confidence in teaching mathematics or numeracy across the primary school grades.