The facilitative role of grade 1 teachers in the development of reading skills in Sesotho

[摘要] The study explores the facilitative role of the Grade 1 teachers in the development ofreading skills in Sesotho in some Mangaung schools. Since the Progress inInternational Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) report of 2006 and those of theSystemic Evaluations of 2003 and 2007 revealed that South African learners performpoorly 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 inthe teaching of Sesotho at the University of the Free State in the Faculty ofEducation, School of Social Sciences and Language Education, I became concernedthat Sesotho-speaking learners' performance was the poorest in comparison withother African language speaking learners. My concern was intensified by reports thatSouth African teachers were dissatisfied with their profession and experiencing lowmorale. This phenomenon evoked my interest in how Grade 1 teachers werefacilitating the development of their learners' reading skills in Sesotho, and motivatedme to determine if there was a need to intervene and how the teachers and I wouldit. I therefore formulated the research question as follows: 'How can I assist theGrade 1 teachers in some Mangaung schools to improve their facilitation of thedevelopment of reading skills in Sesotho?My study is qualitative in nature and is based on Kemmis and McTaggart's model ofspiral of action research cycles, which I adapted to suit the contexts of theparticipants. Since the study involved improving and changing the disempoweringconditions which hamper the teachers' effectiveness in facilitating the development ofreading skills, I approached the study within a constructivist paradigm. As teachersbegan to construct meaning of their facilitative role in the development of readingskills they made significant inputs into the formulation of the guidelines which theyadopted as their own and were eager to implement.Thirteen Grade 1 teachers participated in the in-depth situation analysis of the studyand only seven in the intervention. Having considered ethical issues, the participantswere interviewed, observed in their classrooms and assessed on how they presentedreading lessons to demonstrate their facilitative role in the development of readingskills. Data was analysed inductively allowing for categories and themes to emerge.New insights emerging from the in-depth situation analysis informed how theintervention took place.Since the seven Grade 1 teachers participated in the study as co-researchers, theymade inputs in developing the cycles of the action research. Cycle 1 of theintervention was undertaken in the form of an awareness workshop entitled'Empowering teachers: working with the head, heart and hands. The main objectivewas to assist teachers to understand better some issues pertaining to their facilitativerole. The findings of this cycle showed that in providing assistance and guidance tothe teachers, they improved their understanding of the progression from Curriculum2005 to the National Curriculum Statement and the Foundations for LearningCampaign, of reading policy documents, of the concept reading and the readingprocess, of their facilitative role, and of integrating components of lesson planning.Their level of motivation and confidence improved after the workshop, which furthermotivated them to become change agents and to improve their facilitative role byparticipating in the intervention. The Grade 1 teachers and I therefore proceeded toCycle 2 in which the teachers were continually assisted to implement the guidelinesin Spiral Cycle 1, improved the implementation of the guidelines in Spiral Cycle 2 andassessed the implementation of the guidelines in Spiral Cycle 3.The findings of the intervention show that teachers were motivated and gainedconfidence in having improved their facilitative role in the development of readingskills. They attached value to the collaboration established among themselves, theircolleagues from the school they partnered with in my study and between some of thelecturers at the UFS. They have deepened the knowledge, skills, values andattitudes from participating in the study pertaining to their facilitative role in thedevelopment of reading skills. Most importantly, they have become aware that theycan resolve their own problems by planning, acting, observing and reflecting on theirpractice. They understand that improving their facilitative role is an ongoing processwhich can be made easier if they have the necessary resources such as readingbooks and that they are continuously supported and motivated to commit to theirpractice.

[发布机构] University of the Free State