Natural sciences teachers’ experiences on the use of learning and teaching support material in grade 9 classroom in rural area

Abstract

Learner and teaching support materials (LTSM) are essential Natural Science (NS) because it assists the teachers in delivering their planned lessons more effectively and it encourages teacher-learner communication with the goal of improving learners' performance. It is therefore imperative for the teachers to incorporate the use of LTSM into their lesson presentation in their natural science classrooms otherwise it will be poorly delivered. This study aimed to establish the experiences of Natural Sciences teachers on the usage of LTSM in Grade 9 classrooms in a rural area. This research study was conducted in five selected secondary schools at Thabo Mofutsanyana District, Free State province. The theoretical framework that underpinned the study is behaviourism. The researcher employed a qualitative research approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and lesson observations from ten participating teachers teaching Grade 9 Natural Sciences, and the data were analysed thematically. However, the study found that while LTSM are considered essential for effective teaching, there are significant shortages, particularly in rural schools, which significantly impacted on the teaching and learning of Natural sciences in grade 9 classrooms. In addition, it was revealed that lack of LTSM often leads to improvisation and a reduction in practical experiment or hands-on learning experiences, which are critical for Natural Science. The findings emphasised the importance of adequate and equitable provision of LTSM to support curriculum delivery and improve learner outcomes.

Disebediswa tsa tshehetso ho baithuti le ho ruta (LTSM) ke tsa bohlokwa tsa Saense ya Tlhaho (NS) hobane e thusa matitjhere ho fana ka dithuto tse rerilweng ka katleho mme e kgothalletsa puisano ya mosuwe le moithuti ka sepheo sa ho ntlafatsa tshebetso ya baithuti. Ka hona ho bohlokoa hore matichere a kenyelletse tšebeliso ea LTSM thutong ea bona ka diphaposing tsa bona tsa thuto ya mahlale a tlhaho ho seng jwalo e tla be e sa fanoa hantle. Boithuto bona bo ne bo reretswe ho theha maitemogelo a barutabana ba Disaense tsa Tlhago malebana le tiriso ya LTSM mo diphaposing tsa borutelo tsa Mophato wa 9 kwa metseselegaeng. Phuputso ena e entsoe likolong tse hlano tsa sekondari tse khethiloeng Seterekeng sa Thabo Mofutsanyana, profinseng ea Foreisetata. Mofuputsi o sebedisitse mokhwa wa ho etsa dipatlisiso tsa boleng, data e ile ea bokelloa ka lipuisano tse bulehileng le litebello tsa lithuto ho matichere a leshome a nang le seabo a rutang Kereiti ya 9 ya Tlhaho ea Saense. Phuputso e fumane hore le hoja LTSM e nkoa e le ya bohlokwa bakeng sa ho ruta ka katleho, ho na le dikhaello tse kholo, haholo dikolong tsa mahaeng, tse nang le phello e kholo thutong le thutong ea mahlale a Tlhaho diphaposing tsa sehlopha sa 9. Ho feta moo, ho ile ha senoloa hore khaello ya LTSM hangata e lebisa ntlafatsong le phokotsong ya diteko tse sebetsang kapa diphihlelo tsa ho ithuta ka matsoho, tse bohlokoa bakeng sa Saense ea Tlhaho. Liphuputso di hatelletse bohlokoa ba ho fana ka LTSM e lekaneng le e leka-lekaneng ho tšehetsa phano ea thuto le ho ntlafatsa diphetho tsa baithuti.

Didirišwa tša thekgo ya moithuti le go ruta (LTSM) ke Saense ya Tlhago (NS) ye bohlokwa ka gobane e thuša barutiši go aba dithuto tša bona tše di rulagantšwego ka mo go atlegilego kudu gomme e hlohleletša kgokagano ya barutiši le moithuti ka nepo ya go kaonafatša mošomo wa baithuti. Ka fao go bohlokwa gore barutiši ba tsenye tšhomišo ya LTSM ka gare ga tlhagišo ya bona ya dithuto ka diphapošing tša bona tša borutelo tša mahlale a tlhago go sego bjalo e tla fiwa gampe. Thuto ye e be e ikemišeditše go hloma maitemogelo a barutiši ba Mahlale a Tlhago ka ga tšhomišo ya LTSM ka diphapošing tša borutelo tša Mphato wa 9 tikologong ya dinagamagaeng. Thuto ye ya nyakišišo e dirilwe dikolong tše hlano tša magareng tše di kgethilwego Seleteng sa Thabo Mofutsanyana, profenseng ya Free State. Monyakišiši o šomišitše mokgwa wa nyakišišo ya boleng, datha e kgobokeditšwe ka dipoledišano tše di bulegilego le go lebelela dithuto go tšwa go barutiši ba lesome bao ba tšeago karolo bao ba rutago Mahlale a Tlhago a Mphato wa 9. Thuto e hweditše gore le ge di-LTSM di tšewa e le tše bohlokwa bakeng sa go ruta ka mo go šomago gabotse, go na le ditlhaelelo tše kgolo, kudukudu dikolong tša dinagamagaeng, tšeo di amago kudu go ruteng le go ithuta mahlale a Tlhago ka diphapošing tša mphato wa 9. Go tlaleletša, go utolotšwe gore go hloka LTSM gantši go lebiša go go itlhamela le phokotšo ya diteko tše di šomago goba maitemogelo a go ithuta ka diatla, ao a lego bohlokwa kudu go Saense ya Tlhago. Dikutollo di gateletše bohlokwa bja kabo ye e lekanego le ye e lekalekanego ya LTSM go thekga kabo ya kharikhulamo le go kaonafatša dipoelo tša baithuti.