How grade R teachers in the Oshana Region of Namibia approach literacy education

M.Ed. (Childhood Education)Abstract: In my practice as education specialist for grade R, I have noticed that teachers find it both difficult to prepare and stimulate children for initial reading. I initiated the current study to investigate grade R classrooms in one region in Namibia, to get a closer look in order to find out what teachers say and what they do in their classrooms. I prepared the study from a dual theoretical perspective, because I was interested in both the approach to early literacy (or pre-literacy) pedagogy of the teachers, as well as their specific stage of development as early literacy education practitioners. To this end, I view teachers’ knowledge and practice of preparation for initial reading through a synthesis of two frames - Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory or cultural-historical theory as it was originally known (Vygotsky, 1978, 1992), coupled with a teacher career path model of a teacher of reading (Snow, Griffin & Burns, 2005). I utilised this synthesis as a dual lens for a ‘gaze’ on grade R teachers’ in interaction with the children in their classes. Many scholars of teacher knowledge of reading pedagogy affirm that there is a void in grade R (and generally in early grades) teachers’ knowledge of what constitutes early literacy, even though teachers may practice some of its teaching techniques. Some researchers advocate for teachers’ knowledge of metalinguistic (or meta-pedagogical) knowledge, such as phonological and phonemic awareness as foundation for teaching skills of initial reading (Cunningham, Perry, Stanovich, Stanovich, 2004; Moats, 1994, Moats & Lyon, 1996). In this study I argue that teachers with sufficient pedagogical content knowledge (PCK, as first defined by Shulman, 1987) for initial literacy pedagogy are likely to make informed choices about pedagogy and assessment. In this case study (Henning Van Rensburg & Smith, 2004; Stake, 2005; Yin, 2009), the unit of analysis is teacher knowledge and practice of ‘pre-literacy’ skills pedagogy and overall PCK. The unit of sampling is 10 grade R teachers’ in the Oshana Region of Namibia. Interview and observation data were analysed, capturing teachers’ expressed knowledge and their actual literacy practices..