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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Teachers' accounts of the usefulness of multigrade teaching in promoting sustainable human-development related outcomes in rural South Africa
Author:Brown, Byron A.ISNI
Year:2010
Periodical:Journal of Southern African Studies (ISSN 1465-3893)
Volume:36
Issue:1
Pages:189-207
Language:English
Geographic term:South Africa
Subjects:teaching methods
educational policy
External link:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03057071003607428
Abstract:One challenge facing the education sector in South Africa is a shortage of teachers in different phases of the school system. Multigrade teaching is seen as a means to overcome the effects of this shortage and, through the opening of access to basic education, to contribute towards achieving Education For All (EFA). Furthermore, with multigrade teaching there is scope for 'interactions' among learners of, inter alia, different ages, levels of maturity, grades, and abilities. Because the diversity and differences among learners is increased in a multigrade class, the interaction processes and curricula aspects are affected. The multigrade teaching debate has largely ignored the possibility that aspects of the multigrade teaching process could be utilized to support sustainable human development (SHD). Using a qualitative approach, this article examines multigrade teachers' views about multigrade teaching and group work as its methodology, and the extent to which teachers use group work to promote measures relevant to SHD - such as peaceful social interaction, shared responsibility, and civic participation. Evidence from 10 case studies, which involved 25 multigrade teachers, shows that while multigrade teaching seems a useful medium to promote social outcomes necessary for SHD, the ways in which it is implemented, and the context in which this is done, matter. Ref., sum. [Journal abstract]
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