BECOMING A TEACHER
BTE2601
BTE2601 Assignment 05 S2 2022
QUESTION 1
1.1 Shulman (2005:504) described classroom teaching as “perhaps the most complex, most
challenging and most demanding and frightening activity our species has ever invented”
Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
List five reasons and give practical examples to illustrate your answer on each statement.
AGREE:
The multicultural or multilingual setting that South African teachers operate in, poses a
challenge to the teaching environment
Classroom size, alarming levels of overcrowded classrooms for instance in KwaZulu-
Natal schools has reached alarming proportions.
Administrative burdens and keeping order in the classroom chips away teaching time
Socio-economic and cultural structures shape the lives of diverse communities deeply
influence teaching for instance gangs, parental poverty, ill health and taxi wars.
Political and social transition: Evils of apartheid education, its legacy of inequality and
resistance, have led to a continuing breakdown in the culture of learning and teaching.
Balancing the different learning needs of students and shortage of resources a few or no
books at all
DISAGREE
Continually take account of the complexities, possibilities and nuance with each teaching
and learning situation
Know when to use which trick, how to apply the tricks in context, and how to adapt the
learning content to fit the profile of learners
Constantly observe, inquire, assess, diagnose, design and redesign to become more
effective
Reflective teachers possess a deep understanding of self and their learners, and think
on their feet
Pedagogical content knowledge. Be clear about outcome objectives in each and every
lesson.
Engage learners; learner-centred approach through discussion and group work
Group work technique/method
Carefully designed lesson plan and orderly instruction to deliver the content
Have an active and interesting instruction that engage learners
Classroom discussion process.
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, BTE2601 ASSIGNMENT 05 S2 2022
1.2. Describe in your own words the Value of learning theories for your teaching practice in the
classroom. You are expected to indicate how these discussed learning theories can be linked to
the practice of teaching and learning in your class.
A solid grasp of learning theories helps teachers relate to students of diverse back grounds.
Concentrate on different learning styles to reach different students paying particular attention on
student needs and aptitudes.
Behaviourist
Behaviour a result of knowable causes
learning is an enduring change in behaviour and teacher can mould learners behaviour
towards the subject by positive reinforcement
develop an engaging classroom presence adjusting teaching methods based on the age
of their students, the resources available not looking-out for culprits and reprimanding
bad behaviour but fostering open interaction with learners
Acknowledge and praise learner for doing right or for mastering a new idea
Praise positive behaviour in class and often ignore bad behaviour to entice learners to
follow suit.
Strip certain dispensations rather than punishing bad behaviour and offer reward for
good behaviour with a badge or special activity in class
Set up games and quizzes competition to enforces positive behaviour and let winning
team receive a special price award
Social Constructivism
this theory focuses on learner knowledge and its use encourages learners’ active
participation in lesson and learning
learner construct knowledge and meaning from their experience
knowledge is personally constructed but socially mediated
Teacher and learners interact daily to unravel the knowledge content provided by the
curriculum
Social interactions fundamental for cognitive growth: student learn best when working
collaboratively with those more proficient to them
learners can be encouraged to work in groups to solve a problem
group given chance to share their views fostering peer assessment
makes it easier for shy learners to participate in building up of new-found knowledge
without feeling intimidated by the crowd
teacher only intervenes when need arises and head debates should learners side-track
works brilliantly in the science class provided the teacher constantly supervise and lay
down strict rules to avoid any experiments fiasco
ask group to share views and their findings in class and by so doing learners learn from
one another makes it possible
.
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