Exploring teachers’ interventions in enhancing grade one school readiness

Date of Award

12-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Supervisor/Advisor

Dr. Nipael Mrutu

Second Supervisor/Advisor

Dr. Abdalla Mohamed

Department

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Abstract

This study investigates first-grade teacher’s intervention to support learners in grade one who are not yet ready for school. It was undertaken to give a clear insight into the intervention that grade-one teachers do to assist learners for a smooth transition in grade one. In addition it looked at the challenges that affect teacher education practices. Most research studies examined readiness by focusing on the skills which children should have before going to school. Limited studies investigated ‘readiness’ by examining the role of teachers in handling children in grade one especially those who were not ready emotionally, cognitively and behaviorally. Some teachers may not have the competencies that allow them to deal with a sensitive stage in children’s learning such as grade one, taking in consideration that the first impression of school affects the children not only in grade one but for many years to come. However, only a few researchers have highlighted teacher’s in-school intervention explaining strategies that teachers follow to fill in the gap between ready and unready students. This research is a case study carried out with twenty-one first grade teachers in Salamieh town in Syria. I used a mixed methods qualitative and quantitative approach to explore how teachers, in grade one, support learners and what intervention they adapt to help them bridge the gap between the ready and the unready students. The study found that teachers pay more attention to the cognitive side during their instructions and ignore the emotional and behavioral sides. In addition, I found that although teachers know the importance of good classroom management, positive discipline, and active learning strategies yet they do not apply it in their classrooms.

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