A co-constructed support programme to facilitate professional development for beginner foundation phase teachers in the Western Cape

Abstract

Research suggests beginner teachers face challenges when transitioning from pre-service to in-service teaching. International research found that transitioning from pre-service to newly qualified teachers can be problematic. Similar studies conducted in South Africa concur with global findings regarding the needs and challenges experienced by beginner teachers. The national teachers' audit of 1994-1995 found poor quality of teaching and learning, lack of leadership and a fragmented teacher education system. The teacher preparation and training landscape has significantly changed, leading to a crucial gap in the existing research related to the Foundation Phase Grade Reception Year teacher preparation. This study unequivocally delves into the learning experiences of beginner teachers who have completed their Bachelor of Education at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution. Despite restructuring, TVET colleges decided to offer the Bachelor of Education programme in 2008. In contrast to universities with the resources to provide comprehensive teacher training programmes, TVET colleges need to be equipped to offer such programmes. As a result, TVET colleges need to improve in developing the necessary capacity to provide high-quality teacher training. The study aimed to determine how the mentoring experiences impacted a support program co-constructed through dialogue at three schools in the Western Province of South Africa. The primary goal was to develop a support programme in collaboration with beginner teachers and their department heads. Semi-structured interviews, journal entries and classroom observations were used to gather the learning experiences of teacher participants who had been purposefully selected. The research became more credible, reliable and trustworthy due to various data sources and data-gathering techniques. The sample consisted of six beginner Foundation Phase Grade Reception Year teachers and three Heads of Department from a target population of seventy-four teachers. The mentoring experiences of the Heads of Department and beginner teachers' learning experiences were analysed using an interpretivist data analysis approach. According to the research, beginner Foundation Phase Grade Reception Year teachers faced several challenges. From working with non-English speaking learners, limited parental involvement, implementing the curriculum, demands with classroom management, and the need for more communication, collegiality, and collaboration between beginner teachers and their heads of department. It was found that beginner teachers needed help implementing the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) due to a lack of training and Department of Education support. They also needed help implementing theory, as they were expected to do the same duties as more experienced teachers. The findings show that beginner teachers needed more organisation and prioritisation skills to put everything together when teaching. In light of the findings and to improve the lives of beginning Foundation Phase Grade Reception Year teachers early in their careers and to assist their professional development, a mentoring programme was collaboratively developed by beginner teachers and their Heads of Department through dialogue. The framework for a mentoring programme promoted awareness amongst beginner Foundation Phase Grade Reception Year teachers and added to the corpus of information for Foundation Phase teachers just starting their careers. The findings of this study recommended that beginner Foundation Phase Grade Reception Year teachers’ (i) preparation programmes should employ a comprehensive method to prepare beginner teachers for practice, (ii) provide student teachers with knowledge of multilingual teaching methods, (iii) Improve parent-teacher relations can increase learner motivation and performance, (iv) continued professional development, (v) implementation of a co-constructive mentorship framework to advance beginner teachers' professional development.