Barriers affecting the use of learner-centred teaching methods

barrier to the implementation of learner-centred teaching methods, including English as the medium of instruction, the lack of teaching and learning materials, textbooks, laboratory equipment and chemicals, and large classes. These barriers are reported in the next section.

4.6.4.1 English as the language of instruction

The licensed science teachers reported that using English as the medium of instruction was the main barrier in the implementation of learner-centred instruction. They stated that learner-centred teaching methods are difficult to implement, particularly for teaching lower grade students, such as Form 1 and 2 classes, because of the students’ low level of proficiency in English, the medium of instruction. Safari comments:

On a few occasion I use learner-centred teaching methods when teaching Forms 3 and 4, but in Forms 1 and 2 it is very difficult because they are not conversant with English ... If you divide Forms 1 and 2 students into groups they keep silent, and so as the teacher you will be going round the groups explaining each and every thing to them. (Safari, phase 1 interview, 3)

As English was not the medium of instruction in primary schools the teacher felt this lack of exposure to the language affected the students’ ability to express their ideas in English.

You know language is a problem … the language of instruction is affecting students, in particular students in the lower grades because they were not used to being taught in English in primary school … they are used to

Kiswahili, which is the medium of instruction in primary schools in Tanzania. (Qwary, phase 1 interview 1)

Another challenge in implementing learner-centred teaching methods is the English language, which is the medium of instruction. … the language of instruction is affecting students because English is new to them. I suggest that if we want to improve the ability of students to understand English they should start using it as the medium of instruction in primary schools. (Manimo, phase 1 interview 4)

If a student in primary school can hardly read a passage in Kiswahili, I think he or [she] will not be able to study well in secondary school because English, which is the medium of instruction, is new to them. (Sungura, phase 1 interview 5)

The teachers’ practices in the first phase of the study also corroborate their claims that students were unable to study efficiently through the use of English. During the lessons the mixing of English and Kiswahili by students and teachers was observed. When teachers entered the classroom they started talking using English but after about 10 minutes of teaching in English most changed the medium of instruction to Kiswahili and started elaborating lesson concepts in Kiswahili, then they went back and forth in English and Kiswahili. The observer also noted that the teachers had difficulties explaining lesson concepts in English.

4.6.4.2 Lack of teaching and learning materials

The licensed science teachers also reported the lack of teaching and learning materials as a challenge that prevented them from teaching students using learner- centred methods. They reported that many community secondary schools classrooms were impoverished since they lacked laboratory apparatus, laboratory chemicals, teachers and students’ textbooks.

There are many challenges in using learner-centred teaching methods, such as the lack of textbooks, teaching and learning materials and laboratory

apparatus. Therefore, if you want to use a learner-centred teaching approach you have to find textbooks for each group of students… (Safari, phase 1 interview 3)

Of course the main challenge in teaching science through participatory teaching methods is ... the lack of student textbooks, laboratory apparatus and chemicals. (Manimo, phase 1 interview 4)

…involving students becomes very difficult because many of them do not have textbooks. If each student has his own textbook learner-centered teaching methods can be easily used because students will be able to read the topics on their own. (Sungura, phase 1 interview 5)

Clearly the inadequate supply of teaching and learning materials it seems discouraged teachers from implementing learner-centred pedagogy.

4.6.4.3 Heavy teaching loads

Along with a the lack of teaching and learning materials, one teacher reported that in her school, the teachers including herself were overloaded because they teach more than the recommended number of hours per week. Pombe commented that:

This school has a shortage of teachers and the few that are available have a heavy weekly teaching load. For example, each week I teach 8 streams (A,B,C and D) in both Forms 1 and 2 … if you decide to use learner- centered teaching methods for all classes you will faint in the classroom, and you will not finish your syllabus by the end of the year. (Pombe, phase 1 interview 2)

Tiita similarly reported that “inadequate time because of many hours of teaching because of shortage of science teachers … for example, last year I was teaching physics for the all classes (Tiita, phase 1 interview 6).

This time pressure made learner-centred pedagogue unrealistic choice in their opinions because completion of the syllabus would be unachievable.

4.6.3.4 Large class sizes

The case study schools were found to have insufficient classrooms to accommodate students according to the required teacher-student ratio of 40 students per room. This shortage of rooms meant teachers were forced to combine two classes into a single class. They reported that the small number of classrooms in relative to the number of students was another barrier affecting the implementation of learner-centred teaching methods. This is illustrated in the comments made by Sungura, Manimo and Qwary:

The first challenge is the overcrowded classes, because there are many more students in the classroom than the recommended teacher-student ratio of 40 students per class … for example, some classes have 80 students … and there is only one textbook, therefore as the teacher you will be teaching while at the same time writing notes for students on the blackboard. (Sungura, phase 1 interview 5)

I don’t use learner-centred teaching methods frequently because the learning environment does not encourage the use of the learner-centred teaching methods…also classes are overcrowded. I mostly use questions and answers when teaching the class, which is a two-way discussion. (Manimo, phase 1 interview 4)

I have being using participatory teaching methods in my classes but not often because of the lack of learning materials, overcrowded classrooms and the shortage of teachers. Here you may find a single classroom having more than 50-65 students instead of 30-35 students. Therefore, the strategies I usually use are teacher-centred teaching methods, particularly the lecture method. (Qwary, phase 1 interview 1)

The teachers appeared unable or unwilling to employ learner-centred teaching methods in these overcrowded classrooms. During classroom observations, particularly chemistry and biology lessons, the classes were obviously congested and in some lessons more than 70 students were observed in one classroom. Forms 1, 2 and 3 classes were noisy and teachers struggled to manage the classes while teaching.

In conclusion, licensed science teachers had a partial understanding of how to teach students using learner-centred teaching methods, tending to conceive them as students just participation in group discussion during the lesson. The study also revealed that these teachers believed that oral questions, tests and quizzes were the best learner-centred assessment strategies. They had the perception that students in Forms 1 and 2 do not like being taught through learner-centred teaching methods, although their classroom practices in Form 3 and 4 were no different as they claimed. The licensed science teachers believed that English as the medium of instruction, the lack of laboratory apparatus, teaching and learning materials and the high student-teacher ratio hindered the implementation of learner-centred teaching methods in Tanzanian community secondary schools.

4.7 Existing professional development programmes for supporting