An exploration of in-service teachers' understanding of the teaching of mathematics/numeracy in Grade R class : the case of Grade R in Lesotho.

Abstract

Research have indicated that young learners are capable to learn mathematics because they are born with innate core of mathematical knowledge. Teachers of young learners are therefore, expected to offer mathematical curriculum which exposes learners to deep and explicit knowledge of high mathematics which embraces all five major content areas of mathematics in order to lay a solid foundation of the learning of mathematics in the future grades. This study focuses on in-service teachers teaching Mathematics in Grade R classes. The dissertation is aspired to explore their understanding of the teaching of Mathematics in Grade R class. Shulman’s theoretical framework of seven domains of knowledge that teachers must have in order to be able to teach any subject, guided this study. The objectives of this study were to understand in-service teachers’ understanding of the teaching of Mathematics in Grade R class and to examine how in-service teachers’ understanding of the teaching of Mathematics influences their teaching of Mathematics in Grade R class. To explore this, a qualitative approach and case study design were employed. I sampled five in-service teachers from four districts of Lesotho namely Maseru, Berea, Mohale’s hoek and Leribe. Data sources included teachers’ interviews, classroom observations, and analysis of documents such as teachers’ lesson plans, Grade R curriculum for mathematics and course outline of the mathematics course offered to in-service teachers during their training at the Lesotho College of Education. The findings were analysed and discussed according to themes. The findings revealed that in-service teachers had an inadequate understanding of the teaching of mathematics and that has a negative influence on the teaching of mathematics in Grade R class.