INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF LITERACY RICH CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT ON LEARNING: A CASE STUDY OF ONE PRE AND LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL IN NACHINGWEA DISTRICT, SOUTHERN TANZANIA MUSTAFA H. MALIBICHE
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THE AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY
TANZANIA INSTITUTE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EASTERN AFRICA
INVESTIGATING
THE INFLUENCE OF LITERACY RICH CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT ON LEARNING: A CASE STUDY
OF ONE PRE AND LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL IN NACHINGWEA DISTRICT, SOUTHERN TANZANIA
MUSTAFA H. MALIBICHE
A
DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EASTERN
AFRICA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COMPLETION OF MASTERS
DEGREE IN EDUCATION (LANGUAGE AND LITERACY)
DAR ES SALAAM – TANZANIA
27th,11,
2015
APPROVAL PAGE
THE AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY
Tanzania Institute for Higher
Education
Institute for Educational
Development Eastern Africa
TO: THE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, EASTERN AFRICA
MUSTAFA
HAMISI MALIBICHE
Full
Name of Student
I hereby give my permission for the
research project of the above named student, for whom I have been acting as
supervisor, to proceed to examination.
DR.LILLIAN
VIKIRU(Research Project Supervisor)
Date: …………………………………
The members of the Research Project
Evaluation Committee appointed to examine the research project of the above
named student find it satisfactory and recommend that it be accepted.
-------------------------------------------
(First Examiner)
--------------------------------------------
(Second Examiner)
Date:
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DEDICATION
This
work is dedicated to my beloved family particularly my wife Sarah Malibiche, my
daughters and sons Mwajab, Hidaya, Shazir, Abdulrazaq, Yusra and Hamisi. Their
toleration, prayer, encouragement, advice, and assistance during my study were
appreciative towards my academic achievement. They really demonstrated the idea
that there is a stream of fantastic love and realization that I was pursuing a
job for the benefit of entire family.
More
specific, for all good they have done to me, let them continue, what's more, I
apologize for anything that was behind my scene and those missed them during my
study that caused distressful.
ABSTRACT
Literacy
rich classroom environment is a cornerstone for pupil’s multi-literacies and
intelligences. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of
literacy rich classroom environment on pupil’s learning in one pre and lower
primary school using a case study research design.
Four
instruments namely interview, focus group discussion, observation and
photographs were used to collect valid information from 18 research
participants in Daweni primary school. Four themes were discussed within
research dichotomies which came out with the valid expectations of the
research. These looked for genuineness of information about availability of
resources in classrooms, contributions of literacy rich environment on
learning, teacher’s, parent’s and pupil’s views about literacy rich classroom
environment and measures taken to sustain literacy rich environment. The end
result obtained from the study revealed that visual literacy resources were
much present in the area of the study with no digital literacy. The study also
revealed fifteen (15) influences about literacy rich classroom environment on
the learning of pupils in pre and lower primary school. These were; it facilitate inquiring mind on learning amongst
pupils, permit pupils to account for
the form, content and use, easy retrieval of information, teacher’s and pupil’s
engagement, motivation, enjoyment, difference in teaching and learning. Others
were involvement, active participation, love to subject, and creativity. In
addition to that, love to students and teachers, easy assessment, school
attractiveness, retention of students in schools, interaction and responsiveness
were also noticed. Interestingly, various efforts such as making of tools
lessons in all classes, creation of abacus, numbers and shapes using clay soil,
making of vowel, syllable and word cards for reading, using manila sheets,
molding of toys, using clay soil in and outside classrooms, drawings of
different pictures, collection of tools like wooden and plastic sticks from
pupil’s home environment made better
sustenance of the literacy rich classroom environment.
In
a nutshell, the government, MOEVT, teachers, community members and various
education stakeholders are urged to promote LRCE programmes to build best
literacy foundation for pupils in pre and lower primary school which can boost
literacy competence and performance levels to young children in Tanzania.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I
would like to express my sincere gratitude to The AKU, EA for their decision to
plant this best university in Tanzania that gave me a golden chance to study
this course here in Dar Es Salaam. Second grateful thanks should be directed to
AKU faculty members under leadership of the AKU, IED Director Prof. Lugala,
while special thanks to my mother, Dr. Vikiru who played a great deal making
sure that this work is meeting the international standard and be accepted by
the dissertation evaluation committee. Third thanks should be forwarded to
Professor Anjum Halai, Dr Geoff Tenant and Dr. Marriotte for their direct
supervision on the part of research and academic paper writing that added value
to my work as Masters Student.
Fourth,
thanks is directed to Dr. Wachira, and Madam Veronika, the ICT faculty members
for making clear instruction that made me a computer literate person and work
out until the production of this work. It is not easy to mention one by one at
the moment but all AKU, IED members, their contribution are valued. I would
like also to thank my Med sponsors (SESEA project) who made extraordinary
funding on fees, accommodation and research fund. Again, I would like to thank
the ERC AKU for research clearance and permit, MOEVT, RAS in Lindi Region, DAS,
and DEO in Nachingwea district, all teachers, parents and pupils who permitted
me to conduct a research in their area. Their participation and collaboration
are of highest value and appreciation.
Particular
thanks to my beloved mother, Biasha Juma Mtwiche, Piku family in general at
Namikango and Ntila villages in Nachingwea District in Lindi region.
All mistakes and
shortcoming which may appear in this work should be admitted being fully of my
own.
DECLARATION AND COPYRIGHT
I, Mustafa Hamisi Malibiche hereby declare that the originality of
this dissertation is a result of my own work and hasn’t been submitted in any
education institution for a similar award.
SIGNATURE
______________________________
MUSTAFA H.MALIBICHE
DATE
_______________________________
This
research dissertation is a copyrighted material protected under the AKU policy,
Institute for Educational Development, Eastern Africa. It is an intellectual
property and therefore, it should not reproduced by any means EXCEPT for short
extracts in fair dealing with an acknowledgment, without written permission of
Coordinator for studies on behalf of both author and the AKU, IED EA.
LIST OF ABBREVIATION
AKU……………….Aga
Khan University
AKU,
IED, EA….....Aga Khan, Institute for Educational Development, Eastern Africa
BRN……………….Big
Result Now Policy
DAS……………….District
Administrative Secretary
DEO……………….District
Education Officer
EMIS……………....Education
Management Information System
ERC………………..Ethical
Review Committee
ETP………………...Education
and Training Policy
FGD……………......Focus
Group Discussion
F
&M………………Female and Male
HT…………………Head
Teacher
ICT………………...Information
Communication Technology
LRCEP…………….Literacy
Rich Classroom Environment
LTs………………...Language
Teachers
LTM……………….Long
Term Memory
MED………………
Masters of Education Degree
MOEVT……………Ministry
of Education and Vocational Training
P
1………………….Pupil class one
P
2………………….Pupil class two
PCR………………..Pupil’s
Classroom Ratio
PSLE………………Primary
School Leaving Examination
RtL…………………Reading
to Learn Methodology
SAQMEC………….Southern
and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality
SESEA…………….Strengthening
Education System in Eastern Africa
SMC……………….School
Management Committee
STM……………….Short
Term Memory
TTC………………..Teachers
Training College
UNESCO…………..United
Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organizational
WBB………………Word
Building Blocks
WWA……………...Whole
Word Approach
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This
research study was designed to investigate the influence of literacy rich
classroom environment on learning; a case study of learning that focused in
Daweni (pseudonym) pre and lower primary school in Nachingwea District-Lindi
region, Southern Tanzania. This chapter presents the background information
about the investigation, statement of the study, purpose and significance of
the study, and research questions and an overview of the rest of dissertation.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Tanzania
has, for many years, been committed to revolutionizing its economy in order to
change the status of the country by 2025. In the education sector for example,
it has integrated the 2025 National Development Plan to bring about fast
increase of human resource that will raise the number of elites in the country
for quick National progress by 2025 (MOEVT, 2014).
In
the light of the above view, the central government has, continuously,
formulated various education policies to contribute to quality education of
Tanzanians. The Education and Training Policies of 1995, for example, has
contributed to various improvements in the education sub sector. Some of the
improvements are infrastructure, increase in number of teachers at all levels
including primary, secondary and higher learning institutions.
The policy is, currently, recognizing the need to build the best
foundation for children at lower primary school level that is crucial in the
development of cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains such as, the
introduction of pre- primary program in TTC’s, and putting rich teaching and
learning materials for literacy for learners . In the light of this, the United
Republic of Tanzania has included pre-school education, in all its primary
schools, and the Education and Training Policy of 2014 has declared preschool
as a mandatory section. In this regard, many supportive efforts such as
recruitment of pre-school teachers, development of pre-school curriculum, and
transforming the language of instruction from English and Kiswahili to
Kiswahili only as medium of instruction from lower classes to higher levels of
education institutions have been introduced.
Despite
the successes of ETP of 1995, there are many challenges that need to be
addressed. Weakness in education and training system, scarcity of teachers,
learning and teaching resources, as well
as lack of control over quality of schools, colleges, universities and their
environments within (input and process) and outside the institution (output)
are some of the challenges that need to be addressed.
Literacy
rich classroom environment in learning, especially in lower primary and
pre-schools, may add value to the quality of education provided to our children
(Kimberly, 2013). Programs, such as SESEA projects in Nachingwea district, are
making classes rich enough with literacy teaching and learning materials that
support the development of learners.
Although
some classes are literacy and environmentally made rich in most of the
government schools, standards of pupils who finish lower primary and pre-
primary schools, such as standard one and two, are low in quality. For this
reason, various education stakeholders, such as Aga Khan Foundation, through
its SESEA project, has joined hands with other stakeholders to support literacy
development to lower classes using Read to Learn (RtL) methodology in teaching
children in class I,II and III, especially in some of the coastal and
peripheral areas of East Africa. Although this particular project has done a
lot to make these classrooms rich in prints, pictures, short story books,
drawings and the like for quality education in the area, yet the influence of
this particular initiative on learning is yet to be widely recognized. This
study, therefore, investigated the influence of literacy –rich environment on
children learning in pre and lower primary classes, especially class I &II
in Southern Tanzania.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Research
done by Dynia (2012) indicated that, the quality of classroom literacy
environment in early childhood education has direct impacts on the relationship
between the classroom literacy and learning of children, and that, teachers
benefit most from programs that focus on increasing instructional support to
help them use literacy materials that make literacy rich classroom environment
for learning. Without literacy rich classroom environment in learning, children
face various problems such as mastering the subject matter of a lesson, memory
defect, de-motivation, lack of interaction, engagement and enjoyment causing
poor mastery of skills to other subjects
resulting to children drop out from schools.
Although
some research has highlighted the importance of high standard preschool
programs (Mashburn
et al., 2008; Mashburn,
2008)
kirp), literacy rich environments are yet to be acclaimed (Justice,
Mashburn, Hamre, & Pianta, 2008; LoCasale-Crouch
et al., 2007). However, the presence of literacy
enriched environment in some government pre and primary schools, especially in
Nachingwea District, is very significant, and that, their usefulness on
learning, in literature, needs to be recognized. It was therefore crucial for
researchers to visit whatever small number of pre and lower primary school
classes, to investigate, through key educational stakeholders such as teachers
and parents, the influence of literacy rich environment on learning of children
in Nachingwea District- Southern Tanzania.
1.3 RATIONALE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
rationale for this study is for the researcher to get insight on influences of
literacy rich classroom environment on children learning especially in schools
with such programs. The significance of this study is that it may build
children’s foundation towards academic achievement not only in Nachingwea
District but also in Tanzania. The study also may inform initiatives to improve
quality inputs, exposure, adult responsiveness, deliberateness as well as
recurrence in classrooms.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This
investigation was guided by one main research question and four subsidiary
questions.
1.4.1 The main question
1. What
is the influence of literacy rich classroom environment on learning in pre and
lower primary schools?
1.4.2 Subsidiary questions
1. What
are the available resources in the literacy rich classroom environment for
learning of children in pre- and lower primary schools?
2. What
are the contributions of literacy rich classroom environment on learning of
children in pre- and lower primary schools?
3. What
are the teacher’s and pupil’s views about literacy rich classroom environment?
4. What
can be done to sustain the literacy rich environment in classrooms?
1.5 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.5.1 Literacy
The
traditional view of literacy refers to the ability to and the functionality of
reading, writing, and numerical competences for different activities at school,
home and in the real world. It’s about understanding words, texts, numerals and
the World.
1.5.2 New literacies
New
Literacy refers to a broader technologically enriched meaning to read and write
multimodal texts that are collectively bonded through different manifestations
such as computer graphics, video clips, and digital photos. These helps pupils
to learn various reading and writing competences in modern way of embracing
words, images and sounds which offer opportunities for both children and adults
to create novel spaces for meaning making, world exploration and expressing
their human, socio-cultural, and economic well being (Karchmer,
Mallette, Kara-Soteriou, & Leu Jr, 2005; Kist
2005)
Again, new literacies encompasses ICT skills and approaches
which enables us to adapt current transformation in ICT technology and the
prevailing environment for manipulating our social and technical well being
including the internet ( Lynde and Libo, 2009; cited in
Leu
et al., 2007), Kinzer, Coiro, and Cammack ;2004, pp. 1572, (Cope
& Kalantzis, 2009)
1.5.3 Literacy rich classroom environment
Refers
to a context in which the availability of complete space of resources such as
visual, audios, videos, cartoons, real objects and subject tools are guaranteed
and support literacy skills development. These skills are the ability to read,
write and understand of texts and multimodalities rather than denial of other
competences through learning process to children.
1.5.4 Learning
Refer to qualified everlasting modification
of pupil’s performance as an outcome of emphasized actions and experience (Feldman, 1999).
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This
study was conducted in Daweni pre and lower primary school in Nachingwea rural
area in Lindi Region situated in Southern Tanzania. The study was undertaken in
one government school in SESEA project area. Therefore the result obtained in
this study is limited the study school, but the information could be relevant
to schools in a similar context characterized by literacy rich classroom
environment only.
1.7 ASSUMPTIONS
Literacy
rich classroom environment may support literacy development to pupils in pre
and lower primary and add value to the quality of education provided to our
children.
1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This
study has been organized into five chapters namely; chapter one which presents
the introduction, statement of the problem, rationale, research questions,
definition of terms and organization of the study. Chapter two which dealt with
literature review related to this study about “the influence of literacy rich
classroom environment on learning of pupils”, chapter three dealt with research methodology, instruments, data gathering
techniques and procedures of the study while chapter four dealt with
presentation, and discussion of findings obtained from the area of study and
lastly chapter five dealt with
summary of finding, suggestion, recommendation as well as conclusion of the
study.
1.9 CHAPTER SUMMARY
T
he above chapter has given with you the introduction and background statement
of the problem under study, rationale, research questions, and definition of
terms and organization of the study about investigating the influence of
literacy rich classroom environment on learning of pupils in one pre and lower
primary school in Nachingwea district in Lindi Region, southern Tanzania
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This
chapter has carefully reviewed various literatures related to literacy rich
classroom environment. In this discussion, various issues relating to (a)
availability of resources, (b) contributions, (c) teachers and (d) pupil’s
views, and (d) factors to sustain literacy rich environment in classroom have
been covered.
2.1 Literacy rich classroom environment
Justice
(2004) pointed out that rich classroom environment refer to the setting that
expose children intentionally and repeatedly to premium spoken input among them
and in which adult-child verbal interactions are distinguished by superior levels
of adult openness. In other way, other literature indicates that a literacy
rich environment refers to the context in which children engage in
interest-based everyday literacy activities, with responsive adults. These
environments are interesting and offer a variety of literacy materials,
inviting and comfortable and that are easily accessible for all children
(Kimberly, 2013).
The
New London Group (1996) points out that rich classroom environment is about
creating learning environment that can engage children in a broad range of
literacy practices that are creative and cognitively challenging and that bring
together text-based and multimedia forms of meaning making.
These
explanations have given five elements of which the rich classroom environment need
to reference and which is very important namely high-quality input (Hart
& Risley, 1995), Exposure (Bunce,1995), Adult
responsiveness (Girolametto & Weitzman, 2002), Deliberateness ( Van Kleeck,
Gillan, Hamilton,& McGrath, 1997), and Recurrence (Robinson,
2002)Robbins
and Ehri,1994).
2.2 Resources available in literacy rich classroom environment
Justice et al., (2008) and Justice
& Kaderavek, (2004 )pointed out
that in pre-school classrooms resources are very essential and therefore must
be made accessible in order to promote inventiveness and problem solving skills
among children. In this regard, it’s important for pre and lower level
classrooms to have literacy associated artifacts (pencils, pens, crayons);
printed media papers, and envelops, signs, story books, recipes, maps,
newspapers, drawings-cartoons, pictures, card boards. In addition to that,
different multimedia forms including audio, videos and digital media are
resources that are necessary to attract learners’ attention in listening, watching
and engaging learners throughout lessons.
Real
World materials also have to be made available together with models as tools
that can children utilize in their play as exposure that can symbolize the bona
fide outside the classroom. These may assist learning of children as they may
be capable of learning new vocabulary whether independently in classroom or
under adult guidance or with interaction among other learners. This practice
has proven to enhance long term memory storage as pupils were reflecting
community activities through the background knowledge to new learning
situations. This has shown the power of exposing children to new world of
learning that may benefit most children especially in maximizing their subject
content vocabulary.
2.3 Contributions of literacy rich classroom environment
A
research study done by Justice
& Kaderavek (2004) indicated that,
there were an increased awareness on the part of children about literacy rich
classroom environment that can also be noticed to both teachers and parents.
The improved later reading achievement was one of the basic evidence noticed by
teachers and parents in preschools where there was a literacy rich classroom
environment in the United States of America. In addition to that, the literacy
rich environment had the strong power of dealing with academic problems that
hindered children’s achievement and participation was increased also, the
interaction, engagement, motivation and enjoyment in general pre-school and
lower primary school was noticed.
2.4 Teacher’s and pupil’s views about literacy rich classroom environment
CEA
(2012, p 15) pointed out that there were various factors that influenced the
improvement of children in their academic achievement. In this view, learning
environment still, has the power to make children perform better in schools.
Literature indicates that school learning environment including rich classroom
environment increases children performance in various subjects as it contribute
to learning by focusing on essential elements including the strong relationship
between teaching and learning. A school that has mutual trust and respect to
children also made them to participate and be supported by relationship between
teaching and learning.
2.5 Factors to sustain literacy rich classroom environment
According
to Justice
& Kaderavek, (2004) the making of
literacy rich classroom environment need a team that collaborate in creating
physical space, collective energy of people in making physical activities such
as building partitions, painting the rooms and general decorations. The team
engages in the creative and functional contribution and designing of things
such as objects, identifying resources and possible Samaritan organizations
that may donate materials to support the community contributions in the area
towards making literacy rich environment that better contribute to cognitive
aspect of children’s learning. The
maximization of these possibilities ensures support for children’s literacy
skills development and literacy rich classroom environment sustainability.
Much
of studies carried out in Tanzania about literacy since 1990 were concerned
with adult literacy or functional literacy where the investigation about
effects of literacy programme was done (UNESCO, 1990; TenMet, 2009;
Bhalalusesa). Other studies associated with literacy assessment was done by
Haki Elimu,(2008) which revealed that one out of four students failed to read
paragraph of Kiswahili words in secondary school, study by UWEZO, (2010) much
of pupils leave primary school with inadequate literacy skills and one of five
pupils at grade 7 leave primary level with inadequate reading skills. However,
the URT, (2009) has shown that, there was a decrease in number of repeaters in
schools from 439,307 (2005) to 198,812 in (2009) and that, Tanzania was the
lowest literacy level in primary school among SAQMEC nations (Mrutu,
Ponera, & Nkumbi, 2005).
Current
researches started to indicate literacy skills as their concern (Ngorosho,
2011; & UWEZO, 2012 ). The role of
environment and the quality of learning was discussed, but failed to recognize
the influence of school environment in supporting literacy development. Morrow
(1990); Lybolt & Gottfried, (2003) recognized home learning environment in
supporting literacy development to many children. Moreover, UNESCO, (2005); Abagi
& Sifuna, 2006) recognizes the contribution of
formal learning environment to students at upper level but failed to recognize
the influence of literacy rich classroom environment on learning of pupils at
pre-and lower primary school especially in rural areas. The only literature
which dealt with literacy skills in rural Tanzania was that of Kumburu
& others, (2011) but none of literatures above came
out with literacy rich classroom environment in classroom setting. It is therefore my insight as a researcher to
investigate the influence of literacy rich environment by focusing literacy
skills at foundational level in pre and lower primary class I&II.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.0 INTRODUCTION
This
research was conducted using case study approach. In this respect, the study
employed qualitative research design because it was seeking to explore the
influence of literacy rich classroom environment on children learning. It was necessary
to carry out qualitative research due to the fact that the qualitative research
allowed multiple methods of gathering of data during the research process from
many different sources. The extension of methods allowed the relevance of data
collected for triangulation purposes that ensures the trustworthiness of
collected data and its verification. According to Kothari (2010) one among
other factors that forces a researcher to use such kind of design is the
flexibility of the design to allow the contemplation of numerous phenomenon. Wiersma
& Jurs (2005, p. 201), insisted also that qualitative research is a
suitable design because it gives insights of those who have rich information
about the issue being investigated. Those insights are to be confirmed so as to
acquire accurate information about the case study. This is achieved through
multiple methods. It was a case study because would present insights which may
not be provided by other designs, to get what takes place in literacy rich
classroom environment as a small piece of study that may maintain worthiness
(Yin, 1994, Hamel et al., 1993, Eaton, 1992, Gomm, 2000, Perry, 1998, and
Saunders et al., 2000).The
case study involved one school because of limited time to undertake the study,
and it was one of the school with literacy rich environment allocated in rural
area with students who comes from low economic status compared to sub urban
schools with the same characteristics.
3.1 DATA COLLECTION METHODS
The study
was done using multiple methods when collecting data because it was vital step
in deciding what needs to be taken (Eileen, 2000, p 9).It
was significant to use multiple methods or triangulation for validity of
information.
(i)
General Observation
This study employed general
observation from the field as it is planned. The observation was done to cover
various elements such as resources, organization of environment, children
involvement in learning, and teacher’s engagement in literacy rich classroom
environment during the teaching period. However, observation technique was not
limited to formal setting only but also in an informal setting outside the
classroom. This tool mainly allowed the researcher to gather evidence on the
natural setting of literacy classroom, easy collection of information and
verifying the truths of various issues relating to the study (Kothari, 2010, p
97).
(ii)
Photographs
With the participant’s permission,
photographs were taken from the field during the observation of literacy
classroom environment; evidence from classroom activities done by both teachers
and children inside and outside the classroom environment was taken. The
photographs was to be used by the research for a detailed study of the
environment and activities but are not used in the presentation of findings.
(iii)
Semi-structured
interview
Semi-structured
interview was used to collect information from literacy teachers and school
management committee (SMC) who were involved in the study because it gave a
great freedom of expression among participants and allow asking of question
interaction, participation and collaboration process throughout the study (Kothari,
2004).
(iv)
Focus
Group Discussion
The
approach was used by the researcher to collect further information from
children during formal session in pre classroom were twelve pupils participated
likewise in class I&II.
3.2 DATA ANALYSIS METHODS
Data from presented from the finding
across chapters are both in quantitative and qualitative descriptions. In this
regard, they have been analyzed, interpreted and presented descriptively
without the use of statistical package. Other information is presented in
chapter four in the form of tables, pictures, n drawings and later described in
a narrative form (Eileen, 2000).
3.3 RESEARCH SITE
In this section, I have discussed the following
issues:
3.3.1 Research site
This research was carried out in Nachingwea district
council, southern part of Tanzania as I am under SESEA sponsorship; I conducted
my research in peripheral and coastal regions of Tanzania where there are
projects under the sponsorship of SESEA. The location of the school under
investigation is a rural area which is about eight kilometers long from
Nachingwea sub urban authority westward. The people living in the area are
peasants growing Sesame and Cashew nuts as their cash crop while also
cultivating maize, cassava, millet and rice for subsistence. The area is
sparsely populated. The villagers face many challenges including lack of safe
and sufficient water, lack of electricity and poor infrastructure, dusty roads
with no reliable transport to district headquarters. This kind of context is
similar to many other areas in Tanzania and East Africa at large. It was
therefore of interest to investigate the influence of literacy rich classroom
environment in this context by focusing rural primary school as the information
may be useful to other similar contexts.
In addition, I was personally interested because I
am a ward education coordinator in Nachingwea sub urban ward, and had the
opportunity to see few rich classroom environments with SESEA coordinators whom
I worked with. This inspired me to acknowledge the roles of LTs, SMC, and
pupil’s in supporting early literacy.
3.3.2 School profile
Daweni primary is a mixed government school located
in Nachingwea rural wards. It offers primary school certificate on the
completion of students after sitting PSLE. The school has 200 boys and 164
girls making the total number of 364 pupils from pre classroom to class seven
in 2015.
(i)
Teachers
The school has six teachers. One female teacher and
five male teachers with teaching certificate qualification. All literacy
teachers had their necessary pre teaching qualification required in government
school.
(ii)
Classroom
and teacher’s office.
The school has seven classrooms: pre class and class
one was a shared classroom meaning that there was a shortage of one classroom.
On the side of teachers, there were scarcity of teacher’s office and a room for
storage.
(iii)
School
Library
There was no school library, books were stored in
boxes and in a single shelf allocated in the classroom which was used as
teacher’s office.
(iv)
Pupil’s
and school toilets.
There were four latrines for male pupils and four
latrines for female pupils while there was no even a single latrine for
teachers. This was a hard situation facing teachers in the area.
3.3.3 Number of streams vs. class size.
There was an average of about 52 pupils when divided
by number of available classrooms. This implies that the number of pupils
exceeded the required amount of 40 pupils per room by ETP of 1995.
3.4 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURES
3.4.1 Purposeful selection
This
technique was employed to select participants (teachers, parents and children)
who were included in the study due to the following reasons; the area of the
study was under Aga Khan –SESEA project implementation where pre and lower
primary classrooms were under a literacy enrichment project with materials
aimed at improving literacy in lower level classes using new approaches to
literacy teaching such as Read to learn (RtL). The selection of teachers,
parents and children from pre and lower primary school classes was influenced
by the pre selection of pre and lower school classes. Two literacy classroom
teachers were selected as participants in the research (Maxwell,
2005, p 88).Two parents from the school
management committee working in academic committee and four children from each
of three classes( pre-classroom, class I, and II) were involved making a total
of 18 participants.
3.4.2 Size of Participants
S/N
|
PARTICIPANTS
|
NO
|
UNIT
|
01
|
Literacy
teachers and head teacher
|
04
|
SCHOOL
|
02
|
Parents
(f & m)
|
02
|
SMC
members
|
03
|
Children
|
12
|
Pre
& lower primary
|
04
|
TOTAL
PARTICIPANTS
|
18
|
The total number of participants was 18. There was no non
participant in the area. All participants participated fully by 100%.
3.5 ETHICAL ISSUES
3.5.1 Informed consent
Before
conducting the research, permission was obtained from Aga Khan University, IED,
EA ethical review committee. Furthermore, the permission was obtained from the
Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MOEVT) before requesting
permission from Regional Administrative Secretary(RAS) office in Lindi region
and finally at District Administrative Secretary and District Education Officer
in Nachingwea district where the permission letter was directed to the
researcher to go to the field and collect data. The school head, LTs, pupils
and parents were contacted and asked for consent through each group consent
forms. During data collection, consent to take photographs was obtained from
participants and school authority. These were included in later chapters in the
report of the research where needed. Participants were assured of protection
against any harm and confidentiality of the information provided to the
researcher will be used for study reports and within ethical boundaries (Miles
& Huberman, 1994, p 289).
3.5.2 Confidentiality
During
the research finding, all the information obtained from the field was kept
secretly. Under no circumstances the information obtained is exposed to other
people except for the purpose of the research. In the observation schedule and
the semi structured interview sheets, no names of participants or school was
displayed. However, the participants agreed to be photographed so long as the
photographs would be used ethically for report and related needs without undue
repercussion.
3.5.3 Anonymity
The
school included in the study was given pseudonym (Daweni primary school)
however, the participants agreed to be photographed during various activities
but these photographs are only for the researcher and not for public display.
3.5.3 Reciprocity
This research report will be given to Daweni
School. Teachers, parents and pupils can be beneficiaries of this report about
the influence of literacy rich classroom environment to assist them understand
the contribution, and the ways to sustain the rich environment while using the
conclusion and recommendations made by the researcher after the completion of
the study.
3.5.4 No harm to participants
The
research results and recommendation will be disseminated with careful ethical
and logical presentation in the sense that there will be no harm on the part of
the researcher to participants.
3.5.5 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Due to limited time only four teachers
in one school were included in the study. These were three literacy teachers
and a head teacher. This number was accurate and adequate on the part of
literacy teachers.
There was no scarcity of resources during data collection. The collection of
data was not affected so the validity and rigor of the research
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