Instructional Strategies Used by Junior Primary Teachers in the Oshana Region of Namibia to Teach the Number Concept to Grade 1 Learners

Abstract

Teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes contribute to the success of classroom instruction. Teaching approaches that are informed by teachers’ good content knowledge of mathematics they teach are regarded as more effective and produce high learning outcomes. It is critical that teachers possess both content and pedagogical content knowledge as these create confidence and a positive attitude toward the teaching of mathematics which in turn creates mathematically inclined learners. The problem identified in this paper is the low achievement in mathematics for learners at the junior primary level. The purpose of this paper is to identify the instructional strategies used by junior primary teachers when they teach the different aspects of the number concepts to Grade 1 learners. To achieve the goal of this study, an interpretative design was used to explore this phenomenon in detail and to help the researchers understand it in depth. The study found that junior primary teachers used a variety of methodological skills to teach the different aspects of early numeracy but lacked the appropriate pedagogical skills to effectively teach these aspects. The study recommends that junior primary teachers in the Oshana region of Namibia should be given continuous professional development workshops on pedagogy for them to acquire the skills and understanding necessary to effectively teach early numeracy skills.