Guidance and counseling program development in Botswana

In this article the procedures utilized in developing recommendations for guidance and counseling programming in Botswana are discussed. Initially, the status of guidance and counseling was determined through numerous interviews with individuals in many locations in the country. In addition to the information gained from these interviews, a needs assessment was conducted through reviewing national documents and surveying primary and secondary teachers and secondary students. Questionnaires administered to 106 primary school teachers, 89 secondary school teachers and 405 secondary school students were analyzed.Data from these sources comprised the foundation for recommendations for a sequence of developmental tasks for Guidance and Counseling Program Development in the Botswana Educational System. Six primary counselor roles including 1) Counseling Service, 2) Consulting Service, 3) Information Service, 4) Referral Service, 5) Placement and Follow-up Service and 6) Evaluation and Research Service serve as the basis for these recommendations.     

Teachers’ direct and indirect promotion of self-regulated learning in primary and secondary school mathematics classes – insights from video-based classroom observations and teacher interviews

Self-regulated learning has a positive effect on academic outcomes; however, little is known about whether and how teachers at various education levels promote it in their classes. Video-based classroom observations were conducted to assess primary and secondary school mathematics teachers’ direct and indirect promotion of self-regulated learning (SRL). Teachers’ implicit and explicit instruction of SRL strategies (direct promotion of SRL) and the learning environment they created (indirect promotion of SRL) were rated according to how conducive they were to self-regulation. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the secondary school teachers to gain insight into their subjective views on SRL. Although the teachers’ instructional practices could foster SRL, teachers spent little time explicitly teaching SRL strategies. Moreover, they taught mainly cognitive strategies and very few metacognitive strategies. These results were more pronounced at the primary level than at the secondary level. Primary school teachers provided learning environments conducive to self-regulation more often than secondary school teachers did. The interviews revealed that the teachers lacked knowledge about metacognition as an important component of SRL and were rather reluctant to promote it; however, most of them valued cognitive and motivational components of SRL. Primary and secondary school teachers need training to enhance their direct and indirect instruction of SRL. They could benefit in particular from learning about explicit instruction of SRL strategies and metacognition.     

Accomplishing lessons in postcolonial classrooms: comparative perspectives from Botswana and Brunei Darussalam

Drawing on observations and audio‐recordings of classroom language use in two postcolonial societies, the Republic of Botswana in Africa and the Sultanate of Brunei Darussalam in south‐east Asia, this study seeks to explore how teachers and pupils face the challenge of accomplishing teaching and learning using a language which is not their own. In both Botswana and Brunei Darussalam, English is the official language of instruction for some subjects from mid‐primary school level. Unlike many comparative studies which concentrate on the macro or national level, the focus of this study is the micro‐level of classroom interaction. The study shows that there are both similarities and differences across the two contexts in the ways teachers and pupils engage with language(s) through a range of monolingual and bilingual strategies. In comparing the discourses of primary‐level classrooms in Botswana and Brunei Darussalam, the study demonstrates the tensions in the language policies and practices in the two postcolonial countries. The pressure of globalisation has resulted in the privileging of imported over indigenous languages and the study shows the pragmatic responses of the classroom participants in the two contexts.     

The effect of pre-school education on academic performance in primary school: a case study of grade one pupils in Botswana

Evidence abounds in the literature of a direct link between pre-primary education and academic performance in the primary school. The salutary effect of the ‘Head start’ programme inaugurated in the United States of America in the early 1960s on the academic performances of its beneficiaries in the lower primary is such a piece of evidence. Premised on this commonality between pre-primary education and academic achievement in the primary school, the study aimed at finding out whether there were significant differences in the performances of Botswana grade one pupils with pre-school education experience and their counterparts without such an experience on selected tasks in English language, mathematics and science. Using purposive sampling technique for school selection, a total of 120 grade one pupils were randomly selected for the study from four selected primary schools in Botswana. In addition, 20 grade one teachers from the study schools participated in the study. For data collection purpose, each pupil-subject was individually interviewed for about 20 min on the study tasks; and the opinions of the twenty teachers on the subject of the study was sampled by the use of a questionnaire. The results of the study indicated that pupils with pre-school education experience significantly out-performed their counterparts without such experience in all the three school subject areas surveyed by the study. This trend of the impact of pre-school education on academic achievement at the early primary school level was corroborated by the opinions of the primary school teachers. The paper concluded by observing that pre-school education equips children with pre-requisite skills which make learning in grade one easier and faster for children so exposed.     

统编教材小学语文故事类文本的教学策略

统编版小学语文教材在设计方面考虑到了小学生的发展需求,在编排上包括许多故事文本,课文内容丰富有趣,能调动学生的阅读动机,是语文教学中的重中之重。鉴于此,小学语文教师要科学应用教学策略,积极挖掘故事类文本的内涵,培养小学生的语文核心素养,从而提升语文课堂教学的实效性。本文就统编教材小学语文故事类文本的教学策略展开具体分析,旨在促进小学生的全面发展。     

Pedagogical and political encounters in linguistically and culturally diverse primary classrooms: examples from Quebec,Canada, and Gauteng,South Africa

Comparative research in multilingual urban primary schools indicates that the pedagogical and political goals of schooling may operate at cross-purposes. Classroom observations and teacher interview-discussions were conducted in classes for immigrant children in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the language of instruction is French, and in classes in Pretoria, Gauteng Province, South Africa, where children from many different language backgrounds are taught in English. Two main themes emerged: (1) pedagogically, effective teacher–learner communication can break down when teachers are unaware of the roles that language and culture play in second language classrooms; (2) politically, efforts to assimilate learners into new socio-cultural/political contexts sometimes take precedence over sound pedagogical practice, such as drawing on the linguistic and cultural repertoire that learners bring to the classroom. This ongoing qualitative research underlines the importance of preparing pre-service and in-service teachers for the linguistic and cultural diversity they are bound to encounter in their classrooms, and of deepening their understanding of the influence of such diversity on the teaching–learning process.     

海南省小学教师心理健康状况

目的 了解海南省小学教师心理健康状况。方法 运用SCL-90量表对海南省291名小学教师进行心理健康状况调查。结果 海南小学教师的心理健康水平低于国内一般成年人；男女教师心理健康状况表现出不同特点；毕业班科任教师心理健康状况不如非毕业班教师；少数民族地区教师心理健康水平较汉族地区教师高；城市教师心理健康水平比乡村的低。结论 要想培养身心健康发展的人，就必须重视小学教师的心理健康问题。     

小学数学综合实践活动课实施的策略与途径分析

新课改对小学阶段的教育教学事业提出了更加多元、更加多样、更富实践性的具体要求,这促使教师在实际课堂教学中,需要结合具体的学科特性,对实践活动尝试更多选择。本文以此为出发点,围绕小学数学教学活动,探索综合实践活动课在小学数学教学中的实践策略与具体途径。     

小学语文课堂有效教学研究

随着课程改革的逐步深化,越来越强调课堂教学的有效性。现阶段,有效教学这一理念在小学语文课堂中逐步渗透,为了更加有效地提升小学语文课堂教学质量和课堂教学效率,语文教师必须加深对有效教学理论的分析与研究,从而制定更加具备有效性、针对性的教学策略,进一步改善小学生语文课堂学习效率。文章从小学语文课堂教学现状出发,分析小学语文课堂教学中有效教学的相关问题,最后提出实现小学语文课堂教学有效性的具体对策,希望能够改善小学语文课堂教学现状。     

Students’ Perceptions of Code-Switching in Natural Sciences Classrooms: A South African Perspective

Although South Africa is a multilingual country with 11 official languages, English dominates as the language of teaching and instruction in almost all schools. In addition to this, the Natural Sciences teachers at the school of study were cautioned not to use code-switching because the school policy states that the medium of instruction should be exclusively English. Recently, students at this school complained about teachers who had been code-switching between one or more indigenous languages and English. The objectives of this investigation, therefore, were to explore the perceptions of Grade 8 students regarding code-switching in Natural Sciences classrooms, their perceptions of the effect of code-switching on their academic achievement and also how the use of this teaching strategy influenced their respect for their teacher. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire and the findings revealed that students believed that the use of code-switching confused many students, resulting in underachievement in Natural Sciences and that they respected teachers more when they taught in English only.     

Dialogue—Missing in Action Competence: A Cultural Historical Activity Theory Approach in a Botswana School

An in-depth case study on children's participation in environmental management activities in a primary school in Botswana was undertaken, drawing on cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) and the action competence model. This research revealed that due to a lack of dialogue between teachers and children, teachers tended to view children's participation in environmental management activities in a very limited way. Because of their culturally and historically formed views of environmental education, teachers wanted children to pick up litter, and this was the primary environmental education concern they had. Children, on the other hand, identified sanitation management in the school toilets as their primary environmental management concern. Opening up dialogue between children and teachers led to new forms of participation for children, enhancing their action competence development.     

Emotional labor and burnout among Turkish primary school teachers

Emotions play a critical role in teaching, especially in primary schools. Teachers have to manage their feelings in order to sustain a positive classroom climate. Managing feelings as a requirement of work is called emotional labor, which is a relatively new area of research in teaching. The main aim of this research was to investigate the type of emotional labor strategies Turkish primary school teachers often use and whether emotional labor is a predictor of burnout for primary teachers in a Turkish context. Also, the authors explore if there is a significant variation in emotional labor in terms of gender and school type (public/private). A survey was conducted with the participation of 370 primary school teachers from Ankara, Turkey. Results indicated that Turkish primary school teachers mostly engage in genuine emotions in their relationships with students. Female teachers use deep and surface acting strategies more often than males. Also, private school teachers were found to use deep acting strategies and display genuine emotions more often than public school teachers. Finally, it was found that emotional labor is a significant predictor of burnout among Turkish primary school teachers.     

Une approche plurilingue pour faciliter l’inclusion scolaire : engagement et dynamique pédagogique

A multilingual approach to facilitating inclusion: Educational commitment and dynamics – In the school context, the first steps in the process of learning a foreign language require commitment and motivation on the part of the learner, as well as a commitment from the teacher to include all students. This raises questions about the inclusiveness of education and the educational achievement of multilingual and/or immigrant students in predominantly monolingual classes. The author draws on a corpus of research to explore a number of parameters involved in the implementation of a multilingual and inclusive approach. She links the foundations of a multilingual approach to the institutional framework and the positions of the actors in the didactic relationship, as well as in their relationship to languages. The article then gives an overview of the characteristics of the metacognitive strategies employed by multilingual learners and, in conclusion, proposes some innovative methods to go beyond the monolingual principles in learning and foster exchanges that are both multicultural and multilingual.     

Profiles of Classroom Practices in U.S. Public Schools

In this research, we consider how the instructional strategies of public school teachers interact with the achievement levels of their students. Slightly more than 1,000 teachers in schools broadly representative of public schools in the USA responded to a school climate survey. Of this number, data from 426 teachers were subjected to Rasch scaling analysis, resulting in profiles of classroom instructional activities interrelated to the skill levels of students. Analyses revealed interesting "uncommonalities" in instructional emphasis, in number as well as kind. Instruction in low achieving classrooms generally was less coordinated than in classes of average achieving students. Instructional strategies and lesson focus in classes of high achieving students were linked in ways that resulted in more continuity and greater productivity.     

Infusion or confusion: A meta–analysis of Environmental Education in the 21st century curriculum of Botswana

The purpose of this article is to examine the integration of environmental education (EE) in the secondary school curriculum of Botswana. In order to achieve effective environmental literacy, EE needs to be integrated into all aspects of students’ learning experience. The article draws on a variety of qualitative meta-analyses of Botswana government documents and journal articles, published between 2002 and 2012. Although EE is integrated primarily in social studies and science subjects, the findings suggested that it is in a state of confusion due to ineffective professional development of teachers and neglect of educational authorities. Teachers at the secondary level rarely include EE because students are not tested on it. The study suggested that teachers’ values towards EE, subject flexibility, integration and child-centred learning should be enhanced as strategies for halting the confusion of its infusion into the curriculum     

Changes in teaching in order to help students with learning difficulties improve in Cypriot primary classes

This article aims to explore what changes two Cypriot primary school teachers brought in their teaching in order to help students with learning difficulties improve in their classes. The study was qualitative and used non-participant observation in two primary classrooms in different primary schools and semi-structured interviews with the main teachers of these classes. The findings revealed that the main changes implemented by these teachers were a differentiated programme of literacy and numeracy, and opportunities to students to process information through many senses. In addition, the teachers boosted the learning of students with learning difficulties by focusing on essentials, using process-oriented praise, peer tutoring, and regular communication with parents. The article concludes with suggestions about how Cypriot primary school teachers can boost the learning of students with difficulties and how leaders can support their efforts.     

ALBINISM IN BOTSWANA: Albinism in Botswana junior secondary schools – a double case study

Pupils with albinism potentially face a number of challenges in accessing quality education in schools in Botswana. Physical issues such as poor eyesight related to the condition and the problems of sensitive skin in such a dry and warm climate are both contributing factors to making learning problematic for some pupils. This study by Gareth Dart of the University of Worcester, Tiroyaone Nkanotsang from a junior secondary school in Botswana, Ose Chizwe from the Government of Botswana and Lily Kowa from a junior secondary school in Botswana, considers the educational experience of two particular pupils with albinism in junior secondary schools in Botswana. Case studies were carried out by student teachers on teaching practice. Issues arising from the case studies of the two pupils were combined with the life story of a third student teacher who himself has albinism. The authors conclude by making some recommendations as to how the experience of pupils with albinism might be improved in the light of local conditions and principles of development.     

Do the rich get richer and the poor poorer?: The effects of an intervention programme on reading in the home and school language in a high poverty multilingual context

There is little research on differential reading performance in multilingual contexts in less than ideal learning conditions. This article reports on a reading intervention project in a poor multilingual primary school in South Africa where reading levels in Northern Sotho (home language) and English (language of schooling) were initially very low amongst Grade 7 learners. The nature of the reading intervention is briefly sketched and the outcomes after three years of implementation presented. Results at the intervention school showed some Matthew effects in both languages. Differential reading performance is discussed in relation to the high poverty and multilingual context of the school. Although this is a single case longitudinal study, implications for reading interventions and classroom instruction are considered in the context of disadvantaged multilingual primary schools.     

“Nobody Told Me They Didn’t Speak English!”: Teacher Language Views and Student Linguistic Repertoires in Hutterite Colony Schools in Canada

This article presents a qualitative study of five monolingual teachers’ understandings of the linguistic repertoires of their multilingual students. These teachers deliver the Saskatchewan provincial curricula in English to Hutterite colony students who are users of three languages: (a) spoken Hutterisch as a home and community language, (b) written High German as a language for religious worship, and (c) spoken and written English for school and for communication outside the colony. Findings from this study demonstrate that the teachers report having had limited or inaccurate understandings of their students’ linguistic repertoires prior to beginning their teaching positions. Secondly, the teacher participants’ awareness of the students’ language resources was, and is, an ongoing process. Finally, the willingness and ability to cultivate hybrid language use of Hutterisch and English varies from teacher to teacher. The article concludes with discussion of considerations for teacher education and in-service teachers working in Hutterite communities.     

疫情防控下中小学教师在线教学与在线培训分析

疫情防控下,广大师生面临"停课不停学"的新考验,而超大规模开展在线教学从多方面给中小学教师带来了巨大挑战。为了解中小学教师在线教学的现状及其对在线培训的需求,文章面向23个省市地区的中小学教师进行了网络问卷调查,并对收集的15438份有效问卷进行了整理分析,重点分析了疫情防控下中小学教师对在线教学的态度、准备情况、平台使用和效果预期等,以及中小学教师对在线培训的具体需求。在调查分析的基础上,文章针对中小学教师在线培训提出了相关建议。通过在线培训提升中小学教师的在线教学能力,不仅仅是疫情防控下的权宜之计,也将是提高教师信息素养、促进教育信息化长远发展的重要途径。