The mathematics teacher identity development of non-specialist Grade 6 teachers in rural schools

Abstract

The development of mathematics teacher identity in ten purposefully selected Grade 6 non-specialist primary school mathematics teachers was explored with reference to their subject matter knowledge and didactical expertise. This was done utilising Beijaard et al.'s (2000) framework. Semi-structured interviews, lesson observations, and document analysis of lesson plans were used to collect data. The researcher applied inductive and deductive analysis using themes that were predetermined from the conceptual framework, as well as the categories and codes that emerged from the data. This study has revealed that there is a limited possibility that non-specialist mathematics teachers can develop their Mathematics Teacher Identity (MTI) through practice. The results indicate that the MTI of non-specialist teachers is not developed through practice as the participants demonstrated insufficient subject matter knowledge and a lack of didactical expertise. In particular, the ten participants demonstrated a lack of confidence, made many mistakes, and could not explain the various concepts explicitly. They also did not plan their lessons sufficiently. All of the participants used only a teacher-centred approach, which did not accommodate the diverse needs of the learners. The general approach that was observed did not facilitate accessing the learners’ understanding while teaching, since they only asked lower cognitive level questions. Furthermore, the results from this study showed that these non-specialist mathematics teachers’ beliefs and contextual factors had a negative influence on their MTI development. It was concluded that when teachers who are not trained at tertiary level to teach mathematics are appointed to do so, professional development programmes should be provided with a specific focus on the development of subject matter expertise, as well as didactical expertise. In addition, such programmes should aim to modify these teachers’ belief systems in order to bring about lasting MTI development. Furthermore, non-specialist mathematics teachers also need continuous support from school leaders who are mathematics experts.