Pedagogical practices of mathematical literacy educators

Abstract

This study analyzed the pedagogical practices of three Grade 10 Mathematical Literacy (ML) educators. The rationale behind the study was to add information and insight into the very new and under researched Further Education and Training secondary school subject of ML. Botha (2011) discussed how one of the main concerns with ML integration into the South African national curriculum was that the educators being asked to teach ML were moved into it from other subjects without any real education or training, and so when teaching, relied on previously learned pedagogical practices from other subjects. It is the contention of this study that this is a real issue in terms of the teaching of ML in classrooms and in terms of damaging its perceived academic status. In order to offer insight into how ML is its own distinct subject and not simply a lesser version of Mathematics, this study analyzed three lessons of each of the three educators through the lens of Pedagogical Link Making (PLM) (Scott, Mortimer, & Ametller, 2011). PLM was the conceptual framework that guided the observations and post observation interviews, and through analysis of the educators’ pedagogical practices as well as a thematic analysis of discussion points during the interviews, this study came to five major findings. The findings suggested that the ML educators were not properly educated in ML pedagogy and that the educators made the majority of pedagogical decisions in the classroom based on generating learner interest and motivation for work. It also found that the educators used many of the links outlined by PLM, but also admitted to holding a lower academic expectation of ML and ML learners. A call is made to increase research into the relatively new subject of ML along the lines of pedagogical practices in order to assist new ML educators to translate and transmit the goals and content of ML provided for by the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS