Non-specialist primary school mathematics teachers’ professional identity

Abstract

This study explored the mathematics teacher identity (MTI) of three purposefully selected grade 6 non-specialist primary school mathematics teachers. The participants’ subject matter knowledge and didactical skills were explored by means of semi-structured interviews, lesson observations, and document analysis of lesson plans. The data were analysed using thematic analysis; themes were predetermined from the conceptual framework, and codes and categories emerged from the semi-structured interview transcriptions. The conceptual framework describes teacher identity in terms of subject knowledge, teaching and learning knowledge, and the skills and ability to care for the learners as people. The analysis of the data indicated that non-specialist primary school mathematics teachers not only lack subject matter knowledge, but also do not have the teaching skills to recognise and address the learners’ lack of understanding of concepts. In turn, this influences the teaching and learning of mathematics in their classroom and results are generally poor. In particular, the three participants demonstrated difficulties in explaining new concepts and in employing a learner-centred approach. It is recommended that in-service training workshops be tailored to teach both content and didactics as well as the skills required to become reflective practitioners to better equip non-specialist mathematics teachers for the mathematics classroom.