The effect of 'opportunity-to-learn' and classroom pedagogy on mathematics achievement in schools serving low socio-economic status communities in the Cape Peninsula

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 239-255).An assumption evident in South African education policy documents is that making available a learner-centred pedagogy is the most effective approach to improving educational quality in classrooms and achieving greater equality in achievement outcomes for socio-economically disadvantaged learners. This thesis investigates whether the existing South African policy approach is supported through research, or whether, in accordance with the international evidence, 'Opportunity-to-Learn (the curriculum content and skills actually made available to learners in classrooms) has a greater effect on achievement and is therefore a policy variable worth taking more seriously for narrowing the gap in achievement outcomes between South African learners of different socio-economic backgrounds