TEACHER INTERVIEW (SCHOOL L)

Key: “T” represents the Teacher interviewee; and “I” stands for the Interviewer I: Good morning, sir!

T: Good morning….. I: How are you? T: Fine

I: Alright… I gave your learners a questionnaire to answer concerning the use of everyday words use in the Physics context and then when they answered them, I marked them and then I interviewed and recorded them…I then analysed several words. This interview with you is based on that interview and questionnaire. I extracted five words that I want to discuss with you…just five of them…..

T: Okay….

I: Alright, in the first place, how do you judge your learners in terms of proficiency in the use of English language, that is in their everyday communication with you, do they communicate well or properly….are they proficient?...

T: Ahhh…….I would say……Yes, most of them they are not problematic, but I think three or four are not proficient in English. But the rest can express themselves well in English unlike the experience that I had when I was teaching in rural Eastern Cape, where I faced serious challenges with language proficiency…..the learners would hardly understand you when communicating in English

I: Okay….what about the labs, are they well equipped to your satisfaction?

T: To be honest with you, I don’t have problems, even if I do not teach in a Lab’ per ser, I get all the equipment I want and teach science…..I got everything right here…….test tubes…..and stuff like that……

I: …..In terms of learners’ behaviour, are they okay or they are problematic? T: Mmmhhhh! They are not problematic

I: The next one is about class sizes, are they too big or too small to your liking?

T: My classes are not too big, for example my Maths class is 35 and Physical Science is 21….

I: Oh, you teach Maths’ as well? Are you comfortable with that?

T: Yes, my Maths class is the one that is big but that is not a problem, I’m okay

I: Alright….There are certain words in the questionnaire that were……actually interesting, for example, the word….eh……sensitive……In your own understanding, what does this word mean to you……..? (Spelling the word)

T: Ehhmmm…….I would say it means touchy… kind of…

I: But some of your learners chose the meaning of the word as “ to getting very spoilt easily”…..and others say….Ehhh (clearing throat)….”for sensitive people…..”. Do you agree with them or not….?

T: No, the word means something touchy… now, to say only sensitive people must use a sensitive thing is farfetched……

I: Have you ever used this word before in your teaching? And, if you can remember the topic in Physical Science, where you used the word with your learners, it would be fine…

T: Ehhhh, I don’t remember….

I: Okay, let’s go to another one……the word valid……According to your own understanding, what does the word valid mean to you?

T: Ehhhmm, I think I would mean “tried and tested”, “correct” or “something that is generally accepted”

I: Your learners said the word valid means brief. Do you agree with them? T: I don’t …..

I: Why, There are your learners, you taught them…..

T: Wait, Wait! Yes……they are my learners but I do not think I have ever taught them valid as brief……..remember……in Physical science, like when write the final answer, I say they have to put units that are valid, meaning correct (units)

I: Where do you think they pick this meaning from?

T: ……..You know learners, even if you teach them something correct, they prefer to use words that are popular or cool with them, like the one they use for internet texting

I: And then the next word is source. What do you understand by this word……its meaning? T:…..(prolonged silence)……okay where something comes from……

I: …..And then so of your learners said it means loudness and others said it means and others said it means pitch… Do you agree with them……?

T:………Hmmmmm……. (Prolonged silence).. I: ……that is terms of the source of sound…

T: Ah, as a source of sound……! Where the sound comes from is the origin, the source…..I believe that is where the learners meanings come from because they (studied the sound waves)

I: In this situation, you teach these learners…..you know them….now you see that they have a tendency of using words the way you did not teach them (laughing)….definitions coming from somewhere else……such simple words that you think they know their meanings…..but they answer otherwise…and even wrong meanings…..So do you actually explain the meanings of these everyday words each time you use them……even if they are simple like this?

T: Ahhm………..I wouldn’t say, yes I explain such words always…. I: Why don’t do that?

T: I can’t say that every lecture (Lesson) I have to explain words to them…. You know with Physical science, we don't have time on our side…..okay….you are not finishing what you want to teach…but of the times they know…..

I: But, don’t you think it is important?

I: What do you think teachers must do, should they take it for granted that they (learners) know and progress?

T: No, I don’t……I don’t agree with that..

I: In future, are you going to (take this seriously) explain the (contextual) meanings of the words?

T: Yes of course, I’ve always been doing that but not very much…

I: Okay, can you answer for me the following questions which are now in the context of Physics, question 5

T: (Reading aloud). The answer is A, to measure very small things

I: Okay, the other one is question number 6, what answer would you prefer? T: …..(Reading)…I choose “sound”

I: The next one is question number 24

T:…(Reading aloud)…I would go for “ Where it came from..”

I: Okay, I think that’s all. Thank you very much for the interview, it was a pleasure T: Same to you….