Literature helps us understand and make sense of the world around us. It is a part of education, which broadens one’s mind about how to understand, transfer knowledge and provide meaningful and authentic learning. Thus, this article aims to highlight how some elements of isiXhosa children’s poetry can be used to help pre-service teachers to teach and integrate mathematics and life skills with literacy in Foundation Phase (FP). This approach of using poems for integration strengthens concepts and skills in more than one subject area. The theoretical framework that informed the article is integrative learning. The data in this article were generated through non-participant classroom observations and non-structured interviews with the participants of the study and the researchers adopted the interpretative phenomenological analysis method for data analysis. This article was prompted by findings of lack of understanding of integrative teaching and learning and lack of teaching resources in isiXhosa to enhance integrative teaching and learning in FP intervention undertaken with 25 first year isiXhosa-speaking FP students.
Education that helps students to connect ideas across and within subject domains encourages creativity and innovation (Harlen
South African FP teachers have to teach a life skills curriculum, which integrates many traditional subjects and includes science and the technological process. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for this subject area in FP aims to strengthen learner awareness of social relationships, technological processes and elementary science (DBE
The purpose of the article is to highlight the use of isiXhosa children’s poems as a tool to integrate language, mathematics and life skills in FP: Grade R-3. The article addresses the following questions: (1) what is integrative teaching and learning? (2) What role can isiXhosa children’s poetry play in integrative teaching and learning?
This article examines and highlights the advantages of using isiXhosa children’s poetry as a tool to enhance teaching and learning by integrating language, mathematics and life skills in FP, and the theory that informs this article is integrative learning theory. Integrative learning theory is a theory that describes a movement towards integrated lessons, thus helping learners to make connections within subjects. Elliot (
These integrated learning experiences provide students with multiple opportunities to reinforce and demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a range of contexts.
Kok and Van Schoor (2015:96) looked at how science concepts can be learnt by way of integrated science-technology-society (STS) approach. They used children’s literature and technology to teach science concepts in a life skills programme in FP. The authors of the study used short stories and technology to teach a life skills lesson in an FP class. The short story used in this study was role-played and videos were produced. The theme of the story highlighted the outcomes of the lesson. This activity is evidence of three integrated learnings: language, life skills and technology.
Langhorst, Ehlert and Fritz (
Schafer and Wilmot (
Nompula (
The purpose of this article is to add to knowledge regarding integration of learning areas by demonstrating how isiXhosa children’s poetry can be used as a tool to integrate language, life skills and mathematics.
This study was a case study focusing on the practice of pre-service teachers participating in the FP programme at a particular university of technology. Zainal (
Data generated in this study were collected using non-participant classroom observations and one-on-one non-structured interviews with the participants of the study.
One of the researchers accompanied one of the evaluators for FP during practice teaching and the focus was on subject matter and integrative teaching and learning. The researcher played the role of a non-participant observer while gathering data.
In non-participant observation, objectivity or neutrality can be maintained. The observer in this type of observation gives a detached and unbiased view about the group (Choudhury,
The one-on-one interview in this study played the role of a reflection tool for the lessons observed. Most interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) studies have been conducted through the use of a semi-structured interview. This form of interview allows the researcher and participants to engage in a dialogue in which initial questions are modified in light of the participants’ responses and the investigator is able to probe interesting and important areas that arise (Jonathan, Smith & Osborne
A purposive sample of 25 first year pre-service teachers was used in this study. These were students at a particular university of technology in the Western Cape studying Bachelor of Education in FP. They are isiXhosa-speaking students and were placed in isiXhosa-medium schools. There were 10 pre-service teachers in Grade R, five in Grade 1, seven in Grade 2 and three in Grade 3. IPA studies are conducted on small sample sizes. Detailed case-by-case analysis of individual transcripts takes a long time, and the aim of the case study is to say something in detail about the perceptions and understandings of this particular group rather than prematurely make more general claims (Jonathan et al.
The researchers of the study adopted the IPA method of data analysis. IPA concedes that research is a dynamic process and acknowledges that personal worlds of both the researcher and the participants influence the generation of data (Smith, Flowers & Larkin
They further stated that IPA has a theoretical commitment to the person as a cognitive, linguistic, affective and physical being and assumes a chain of connection between people’s talk and their thinking and emotional state.
It also recognises that the quality of data depends on participants’ ability to describe and communicate their thoughts, feelings and experiences clearly to the researcher. Larkin et al. (
Data generated were analysed and compared and categorised into themes. IPA participants and the researcher were isiXhosa-speaking people and communicated very clearly about the data generated.
The participants of the study highlighted two themes:
poor understanding of what integrative teaching and learning is
lack of resources in isiXhosa to integrate language, life skills and mathematics.
From the non-participant observations of all the lessons and one-on-one interviews, it was evident that all the participants had a poor understanding of what integrative teaching and learning is. There was little or no integration in their lessons. Schafer and Wilmot (
Teachers narrowly adhere to the national curriculum requirements. We have observed how children in Grade R spent more time completing worksheets than expressing their understanding through drawing and painting, which we argue, can be an avenue of mathematical learning.
Harlen et al. (
The participants of the study were introduced in assignments to foster such connections and understanding; for example, they were given composition papers in a language lesson that focuses on topics from biology, economics or history; mathematics assignments that apply mathematical tools to important issues and require written analysis to explain the implications and limitations of the mathematical treatment; or art history presentations that demonstrate connections between selected paintings and novels. Students examined a scientific, historical, social problem in depth and distilled its meaning or significance in a metaphor or work of art (e.g. historical monument). All these activities or examples were taught to the participants and it was expected of them to do the same in their FP classroom; however, most of the time the implementation of the integrative learning was not effective.
For example, Student A was teaching a literacy lesson (a poem) to a Grade 2 class; she used a poem about different types of pets which is a life skills theme. She ended up teaching about different types of pets and there was no evidence of a language lesson, for example explaining metaphors, idioms or vocabulary. When she was interviewed for a reflection of her lesson, she could not understand that she taught a life skills lesson instead of a language lesson. In the lesson (language lesson), the student read and recited the poem with the learners. She further discussed about different pets, for example where they live, what they eat and what sounds they make. She did not cover any aspect of language. She further explained that the use of isiXhosa as a language of teaching and learning made her confident that she was teaching a language lesson.
Student B had a lesson where she read a story that had a theme of teaching learners about safety on the road. She went on to teach about how to cross the road and what one must not do when crossing the road, instead of teaching language skills, for example asking questions about what occurred to test listening skills, looking for new vocabulary or awareness of phonics. The student thought because she was using isiXhosa as a medium of instruction, while teaching about pets she had given a language lesson, but in actual fact she gave a life skills lesson in isiXhosa during a language lesson.
One of the challenges identified was a lack of resources in isiXhosa to implement integrative teaching and learning. The researcher observed that participants were using irrelevant teaching resources to enhance the integrative teaching and learning. Firstly, they were irrelevant because they were in English; thus, they were asked to create isiXhosa resources. In FP, all the subjects are taught in the mother tongue except English in Grades 1–3. Secondly, the themes of the songs, poems or stories were not relevant to what they were teaching, for example they would sing ‘twinkle little star’ for a lesson on different modes of transport.
After practice teaching the researchers came up with an intervention to assist participants in creating their own teaching resources. Their own teaching resources were to be written in isiXhosa. They could create flash cards and posters but for this article the focus was isiXhosa children’s poems that have themes that integrate with other learning areas.
Participants as part of their course work were asked to create children’s poems that show evidence of integrated content with specific themes in mathematics for Grade R-3.
In this project, the researchers not only worked with a variety of literacy skills, such as reading, analysing a poem focusing on repetition, illustration, similes, personification and the theme, but also wanted the participants to successfully navigate the demand of other learning areas such as mathematics and life skills.
Characteristics of children’s poetry were explained: that they are short, simple, with pictures, personification, repetition and similes, not forgetting the theme which is the important feature that shows the integration. The pre-service teachers were told that these children’s poems will be used as tools to integrate life skills and mathematics. ‘Children’s literature can provide a starting point for integrating social issues within science, technology and an opportunity to turn everyday events found in the storybooks into meaningful curricular activities for young learners’ (Freeman, Feeney & Moravcik
Participants in this study struggled and the researchers intervened and went through creative writing with them, where they created children’s poems with participants and analysed them to highlight and demonstrate the integrative teaching and learning.
The following poems (see
A Life Skills lesson shows shapes as true friends. As much as they are different from one another. The smiles indicates happiness and tolerance. Lastly, in a Mathematic lessons it is about shape awareness.
Different coloursed balloons are used to make the illustration fun because young children learn through play. The insertion of the planet also adds fun for young children.
Shows us a little puppy that is playing as mentioned in the poem. Also showing the puppy looking a bit angry as it is hungry.
Different seasons of the year.
Different modes of transport.
The poem is about five shapes, namely square, circle, triangle, rectangle and oval. It tells a story about the shapes being friends and loving each other in spite of their differences. The title
The teacher can use this poem in teaching these learning areas at any stage of the lesson, for example, to introduce or conclude the lesson.
The poem is about colours. They tell a story about themselves and what things are similar to them. The title
One more aspect of language found in this poem is simile that is indicated by
The poem is about my pet. It is about my dog. It talks about what a dog looks like. It explains how it behaves. The illustration for this poem shows a dog with the same colour explained in the poem and the way it behaves.
The poem is about four seasons of the year: summer, winter, spring and autumn. The poem briefly explains what occurs during these seasons. The illustration for this poem shows different events and activities that occur during various seasons.
The theme of the poem is about different seasons and what occurs during these seasons. In the first stanza, there is
The theme of the poem is about different types of transport and where they move. In stanzas 1and 2, there is
In conclusion, the research showed that children’s poetry is good to use to integrate literacy, mathematics and life skills in FP: Grade R-3. Children’s poetry enhances the learning experiences and life skills of children in all their classes. It facilitates transitions, allowing the class to move from one activity to the other. The findings of the research conducted revealed that poetry is important in children’s lives and education and it integrates language, mathematics and life skills. Through the lens of integrative teaching and learning using children’s poetry, the kind of knowledge embedded in isiXhosa poetry is explored. Children’s poetry is a very rich perennial reservoir through which FP learners could be taught mathematics and life skills.
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships which may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
N.G. was responsible for conceptualisation, methodology, search and compilation of findings as well as write-up of the article. N.S. was responsible for some interpretation of findings as well as write-up of the discussion section of the article.