Teaching strategies in Grade 11 multilingual Life Sciences classrooms: a case of two schools in East London District
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Date
2012
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Fort Hare
Faculty of Education
Faculty of Education
Abstract
It is important to find strategies to assist learners who are taught in English especially as learners show different levels of English proficiency. English is taught as an Additional Language in many South African schools. Code switching is a well documented and researched strategy that teachers use in multilingual classrooms where the language of teaching and learning is not the learners’ home language. The study is concerned with and seeks to investigate the teaching strategies that Life Science teachers use in multilingual classes in addition to code switching. A case study of two Grade 11 Life Science teachers was conducted. The study adopts classroom observations and face-to-face interviews as qualitative data – gathering methods. The findings of this study, among other issues, reveal that in addition to code switching teachers use a variety of teaching strategies that include the use of textbooks, preparing notes for students, etc. Evidence available further suggests that the choice of teaching strategies is examination oriented rather than based on an understanding of current thinking on the ways of learning Life Sciences.
Description
Keywords
Life sciences -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape, Effective teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Citation
Jekwa, Noxolo. 2012