Teaching handwriting skills to foundation phase student teachers based at a rural university in the Limpopo province
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Date
2022
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University of Zululand
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine how Foundation Phase student teachers, based in a rural University of the Limpopo Province, might build their methodology for teaching handwriting skills. The study was underpinned by the concepts of Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Connectivism Learning Theory. The study is anchored on the interpretivism paradigm based on action research which the investigator to deconstruct the realities of knowledge about teaching handwriting for foundation phase student teachers. A qualitative research approach was adopted in this study. The population comprised of three officials from the Department of Education who formed one group of participants; three student teachers who were observed at schools during the teaching of handwriting, and nine foundation-phase student teachers for focus groups discussions on the social media platform, WhatsApp. A purposive sampling method was employed to select the three officials and the nine student teachers who participated in the study. Qualitative data was generated through electronic online individual interviews, classroom observation schedules, and electronic online focus group discussions. Discussions were conducted electronically through WhatsApp because of the COVID 19 restrictions which did not permit face-to-face interactions. The results included the fact that student teachers in the foundation phase value and acknowledge the importance of teaching handwriting skills, but that their teaching of handwriting was not extensive enough as too little time was devoted on “how to teach” handwriting. Formative assessment tasks for developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for teaching handwriting were not sufficient and Curriculum and Assessment Policy Document (CAPS) do not give guidance to teachers on how handwriting assessment is done. The study also revealed that the foundation phase curriculum does not provide enough time for learners to learn handwriting skills because handwriting is only a small portion of the Language subject and does not guide teachers on how to assess it. This was a common theme which emerged from the data of the student teachers and education department officials. The product of this study, therefore, is extensive data for foundation-phase student teachers on handwriting. Recommendations are that the Department of Education should consider handwriting as an important subject and give the learners' adequate time to develop all necessary v skills. It is also recommended that foundation-phase student teachers develop PCK for teaching handwriting and that universities provide online learning opportunities for student teachers to develop this as well as provide visual information on how to teach handwriting. Formative assessment activities for the student teachers' own handwriting development should also be included in the online learning teaching unit.
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Foundations of Education in the Faculty of Education, University of Zululand, 2022.