QUESTION THREE: PART A
Teacher Centred Pedagogic Style Learner Centred Pedagogic Style
Differences
In a teacher-centred pedagogic In a learner centred pedagogic
classroom, the educator takes centre classroom, the students and teacher
stage has the complete focus. The have an equal focus on student-centred
teacher gives instructions and does learning. The student-teacher
almost all the talking while the students collaboration is common, and here the
remain silent and listen to them. The learners don't play the role of mute
child is encouraged to participate in the spectators, instead they are active
activities, but the teacher-student participants in the process of teaching
collaboration is missing (Rachh, 2023). and learning, where they are guided by
the teacher but are also fully participant
According to Rachh (2023), in a (Rachh, 2023).
teacher-centric approach the children
are hesitant to communicate with the Rachh (2023), states that in a learner-
teachers and at times do not ask centred classroom, communication and
questions. The relationship between the collaboration are developed to make the
students and teachers remains distant learning process easy and effective as
as there is very limited engagement of the student discovers the meaning of
students and teachers in this approach different concepts by collaborating with
therefore the class tends to be boring the teacher. Regular interaction
and sometimes overwhelming for the happens between the teacher and the
students to attend as the classroom students and engagement is high
remains strict and orderly. between teachers and students
therefore the class is not boring as
learners have the freedom to acquire
knowledge at their pace.
Teacher Centred Pedagogic Learner Centred Pedagogic
Approach: Essentialism Approach: Progressivism
Main Characteristics
Essentialism focuses on traditional According to Button (20230,
subjects such as reading, writing, and Progressivism seeks to promote
mathematics. This philosophy aims to in democratic schooling as well as social
still students with the essentials of living, there is a major emphasis is on a
academic knowledge and character learner-centred curriculum and
development (Button,2023). The therefore is based on the learner’s
curriculum is solely focused on the interests, needs, abilities, and
subject and emphasizes separate aspirations. Button (2023), further
organized disciplines as opposed to explains that the selection of study
integrated subjects. The teacher in this material is in line with the expressed
case is considered an authoritative interests and concerns of the learner
figure and gives complete instruction. such as non-formal curriculum activities
According to Button (2023), in and physical training in areas like
essentialism the teacher is also able to games, related hobbies, and other co-
maintain discipline, order and curricular areas. The aim of
control in the classroom, the educator progressivist education is to provide a
teaches the subject in a systematic and learning atmosphere that allows
coherent way, with a focus on the students maximum self-direction and to
essential facts to be learnt reduce teacher domination in learning
process.
Metaphysical Foundations of Metaphysical Foundations of
Essentialism Progressivism
Metaphysical essentialism believes that The metaphysical aspect of
teachers should in still traditional moral progressivism states that individuality,
value such as respect for authority, progress, and change are fundamental
perseverance, consideration for others to education. It believes that students
within the classroom and provide learn best from what they consider most
students with knowledge that they need relevant to their lives and that the
to become upstanding citizens of curriculum is based on the needs,
society (Foundations of Education, experiences, interests, and abilities of
2023). In the essentialist system, students (Foundations of Education,
students are required to master 2023). Progressivist teachers should try
information and basic techniques for making school interesting and useful by
their grade level before they can planning lessons that provoke curiosity
progress to the next grade. The content and invoke active learning. The
gradually moves towards more complex students interact with one another and
skills and detailed knowledge needed develop social skills that can assist
for them to become active members of students to solve problems in the
society (Tan, 2006). Essentialists classroom similar to those they will
believe that classrooms should be encounter in their everyday lives (Tan,
teacher-oriented. The teacher should 2006). Progressivism believes that
serve as an intellectual and moral role education should be an ongoing
model for the students. According to Tan process of growth, not just a preparation
(2006), essentialists hope that when for becoming an adult. An example of
students leave school, they will not only progressivism would be in a classroom
possess basic knowledge and skills, but where students are put in to groups a lot
they will also have disciplined, practical and actively learn through discussion
minds and will be capable of applying (Foundations of Education, 2023).
these lessons learned in school in the
real world.
Epistemological Foundations of Epistemological Foundations of
Essentialism Progressivism
In regard to the epistemological The epistemological belief of
foundation of essentialism, essentialists progressivism is that education should
believe that there is common knowledge focus on the whole child, rather than on
that needs to be transmitted to students the content or the teacher. This
in a systematic, disciplined way. The philosophy stresses that students
emphasis is put on intellectual and should test ideas by active learning and
moral standards that schools should that is rooted in the questions of
teach (Augsburg University, 2006). The learners that arise through experiencing
core of the curriculum is essential the world. (Augsburg University, 2006).
knowledge and skills and academic In progressivism the learner is a
accuracy. Schooling should be practical problem solver and thinker who makes
and prepare students to become meaning through their individual
valuable members of society. It should experiences in the physical and cultural
focus on training students to read, write, world. Teachers need to provide
speak, and compute clearly and experiences so that students can learn
logically, students should be taught hard by doing by ensuring that the curriculum
work, respect for authority, and content is created from student interests
discipline by educators who are there to and questions. The emphasis is on the
help students keep their non- process of how one comes to know and
productiveness in control (Tan, 2006). books are used as tools rather than
authority (Augsburg University 2006).
3.2 RATIONALE
The pedagogic style which is most suited to the senior and FET PHASE in Life
Orientation is progressivism. This philosophy details that learning needs to be
learner centred, it focuses on creating real life experience learning as is needed in a
subject such as Life Orientation, where students are taught life skills that make them
active members of a society.
According to Kohn (2021) a progressive teacher offers new possibilities for students
to consider and in doing this prompts additional questions and opens up new
methods of discovery, the role of the educator is to prepare the groundwork for
students to more effectively learn with and from each other rather than if they were
left to their own devices, this helps them to create a caring cooperative community,
providing guidance and teaching the skills that promote constructive collaboration
and assist them in actively engaging with each other and society.
Progressivists believe that individuality, progress, and change are fundamental to
one's education also believe that people learn best from what they consider most
relevant to their lives, therefore the curriculum of progressivism is centered around
needs, experiences, interests, and abilities of students (Harvey, 2012). Education
should focus on the student, rather than on the content or the teacher. It should also
emphasize on group activity and group problem solving so that the students learn
through cooperative learning strategies such as group work or jigsaw. Harvey (2012),
further states that to check that learning is happening, teachers need to observe the
thoughts and questions of students and provide feedback to their questions as well
as ask questions which students can answer. This philosophy stresses that learning
is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing the world.
According to Barnes (2013), a learner centred classroom operates on collaboration,
learning, technology integration, and plenty of conversation between students and
teachers about learning, this can be done by replacing homework with engaging in-
class activities. With engaging activities and ongoing projects that are driven by
interactive web tools, students participate and are more actively engaged and
involved in class. Games are a great source of engagement between the educator
and students as there is back and forth communication.
There will be a need for essentialism in the classroom as school is a place where
students are taught basic skills that they need to master in order to prepare them for
working in society. This includes the three R’s (reading, writing, arithmetic) and some
of the humanities as is done in the philosophy of essentialism. For example, students
in the FET phase are preparing to leave school to either enter tertiary institutions or
the world of work, they need to be prepared with skills that will assist them in
becoming active members of society such as learning how to create a curriculum
vitae as is needed with any career. The skills taught and focused on is essentialism
will prepare them for this.
The IIE Lesson Plan Template
STUDENT INFORMATION
STUDENT NAME MIRRAL REDDY
STUDENT NUMBER ST10070204
QUALIFICATION PGCE SENIOR AND FET PHASE
YEAR OF STUDY PGCE 2
LESSON INFORMATION
A. Lesson Details
GRADE Grade 9
SUBJECT (CAPS)
TOPIC
DATE OF LESSON
NUMBER OF LEARNERS
DURATION OF LESSON
B. Caps-Specific Focus
CAPS SPECIFIC FOCUS (link here) State your CAPS specific focus here…
REFERENCES Insert your CAPS reference here…
Eg: Department of Basic Education (2011). Curriculum
and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), Grades 4-6
Mathematics. Retrieved…. from
http://www.thutong.doe.gov.za. p.
C. Summary of the content to cover
Briefly describe ‘what’ content you need to cover. This will inform the lesson objectives and
choice of teaching strategy.
D. Lesson Objectives
List the objectives for this specific lesson below. Use the verbs from Blooms Taxonomy to frame
your objectives.
1. By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to…
2. By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to…
3. By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to…
4. By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to…
E. Curriculum Integration (if relevant)
Briefly describe how this lesson integrates content, skills or knowledge from other areas of the
curriculum (if relevant).
F. Rationale for Lesson Design
Consider the following questions and write a paragraph that responds to these questions in the
space provided below:
1. How does the knowledge of this topic inform choices for learning design?
• What is the main idea/s and most important things to know about this topic?
• What ways of thinking and doing are important for learning this topic?
• How do these inform the design of learning tasks and sequencing of lesson steps?
2. How do learners and their diversities inform choices for lesson design?
• How have you considered the learning support needs in this class?
• How have I ensured that all learners may participate and learn?
3. How do opportunities in this context inform choices for lesson design?
• What possibilities and constraints have I considered?
G. Teaching and learning strategies
Select the teaching strategies you will Justify your choice/s of teaching strategy/s below
employ that are suitable for each phase of by explaining the strategy (with references) and
your lesson, for your content and context. how this strategy will be used in this specific
Note: You can select more than one strategy for lesson plan.
each phase. Delete if more than one strategy is
not required in each phase.
Introduction:
Select here
Teaching and Learning Phase:
Select here
Conclusion:
Select here
H. Lesson Phases
Phases Write, in detail, every element/step of your lesson for each phase.Include Resources
time on task for each phase.
Required
Lesson Hook Strategies to Launch Learning
INTRODUCTORY PHASE
Lesson introductions
Consider carefully, your plan to excite learners and draw them into the
topic.
Use your lesson rationale to guide how you plan to meet the objectives.
TEACHING & LEARNING
PHASE
22 Powerful Closure Activities
CLOSURE PHASE
Describe your plan to draw the lesson to a consolidated close.
ASSESSMENT Document any assessment activity that could be assessment of learning, for learning or as
learning.
3.4 Strengths and Weaknesses of Progressivism to edit
The strength of progressivism is that in promotes inclusion in the classroom, it
encourages teachers to create lessons or use strategies that work to learners
advantages, creating critical thinkers and allowing learners to acquire the skills that
are needed to progress and excel in their later years of education (Boyd, 2021). It
promotes democracy which is of utmost importance to the South African setting
(Higgs & Smith, 2017). The mathematics lesson that was conducted worked well as
it catered for the different ability groups, the teacher was able to create differentiation
working with learners strengths and weaknesses. The activities were skilfully set to
assist learners to work from one stage to the next where they were able to build on
their knowledge one step at a time, the teacher used progressivism to scaffold their
learning whilst creating an inclusive lesson (Landsberg, 2018).
The weakness about progressivism is that it focuses on child-centred learning and
disregards a perennialism approach which has to be asserted at times to ensure
classroom management is instilled (Dr Maheshwari, 2011). The teacher would need
to use or instil discipline measures such as rules as learners were engaged in group
work, rules need to be established in order to ensure that each learners has a
chance to participate and are able to voice their opinion, the teacher would also need
to ensure that learners worked quietly whilst talking softly to one another (Excell &
Linington, 2015).
