Abstract:
This paper is based on a field experience project designed as part of the foundation
phase literacy programme. In this project, foundation phase teacher education student-teachers
selected a teaching site and a learner or group of learners that they would teach to read in the
afternoons and over the weekends. The aim of the project was to offer the teacher education
student-teachers an opportunity to put theory into practice using self-reflective strategies that
included group and individual reflections on instructional strategies presented in DVDs,
reflections on microteaching lessons to the class, and reflections on teaching learners in local
schools. During the time that they were working with their learners, they were also expected to
confer with other teacher education student-teachers to exchange ideas, strategies and their „best
practice‟ experiences with others. Three distinct stages emerged as student-teachers taught and
reflected on their experiences. Student-teachers were initially unsure of their capability of taking
on the project. The second stage was that of determination to grapple with the project and the last
stage was resolving to take ownership of the project. This paper recommends that projects of this
nature are necessary as they allow undergraduate student-teachers opportunities for authentic
learning regarding the teaching of reading.
