Masters Degrees (Curriculum Studies)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Curriculum Studies) by Author "Barnard, Jacques"

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    Grade 6 English First Additional Language teachers’ perceived preparedness for pedagogical content knowledge in writing education
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Barnard, Jacques; Van der Walt, Christa
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT : This thesis set out to determine the perceived preparedness of English Additional Language teachers for pedagogical content knowledge, specifically regarding the teaching of writing in the intermediate phase. Key theoretical resources for the study were Lee Shulman, with particular focus on pedagogical content knowledge, and scholars who elaborated on his work. Data for the study were collected by using a mixed-methods approach: firstly, Shulman’s work was used as a lens for a detailed document analysis of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) document to determine specific pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) terminology that teachers should be prepared for in order to teach writing effectively. A survey, primarily consisting of closed-ended Likert scale questions, was drafted upon the data from the document analysis and administered to teachers in the Western Cape in order to obtain deeper insight into how prepared they felt to teach the writing curriculum. Open-ended questions provided useful data to triangulate other data sets and also enriched the inquiry into the phenomenon. This study found substantial evidence indicating that there is a big difference between what teachers do know about the teaching of writing and what they, according to the curriculum document, should know. The CAPS is clear in emphasising particular concepts, strategies and everyday terminology to teach writing, and it follows that teachers should at least be prepared for the minimum requirements prescribed by the curriculum. Teachers’ lack of confidence was manifested particularly in the teaching of academic (formal) writing, transactional texts and the initial phase of the writing process. Many teachers felt confident developing the final draft of the writing task, but initiating the writing process – developing students’ ability to write the first draft, or to design and structure the task according to its formality and purpose – was an area in which teachers felt unprepared. There is evidence that teachers do not feel 100% confident to teach any of the 29 prescribed writing genres well. A significant pattern that emerged was that teachers felt more confident in teaching informal writing as opposed to transactional texts, which tend to be formal in professional contexts. This information is valuable, not only for future researchers, but also for stakeholders in South African education concerning the current level of preparedness of English First Additional language teachers in the intermediate phase. This study does not merely aim to identify a problem, but rather offers an indication of where and how teacher quality could be improved.