A (case) study of newly qualified teachers' experiences of support in a foundation phase literacy classroom.

Abstract

This case study research explores the effects of emotional support on four newly qualified Foundation Phase teachers in their first year of teaching, and how this affects their ability to teach reading. The research is qualitative and draws on data from from four sources to construct and interpret the different experiences of support within a conceptual framework derived from literature on the subject. The literature review is presented in two sections. Section 1 investigates the essential components of a reading programme to establish if the teachers were adequately prepared during pre-service training. Section 2 investigates the effects of support on newly qualified teachers‟ ability to teach. A key theme from Section 2 suggests that appropriate support positively affects first year teachers‟ ability to teach and implement the skills and knowledge acquired during pre-service training. Each teacher kept a journal, completed a questionnaire and was observed and interviewed between April and November 2008. The research draws out themes from the data about the support experienced by the participants during their first year and then correlates these experiences to their teaching of reading. Key findings suggest that these newly qualified teachers perceived themselves to be adequately prepared to teach reading but, without adequate support, they struggled to implement their newly acquired skills and knowledge and resorted to less effective strategies. This research seeks to add to the literature on how to support newly qualified teachers in their first year as a means to improving the teaching of reading in the Foundation Phase. in South African schools.