Executive summary
The aim of this study was to gain an overview of how teachers teach literacy,
numeracy and language (LNL) in New Zealand, by observing 15 literacy, language
and numeracy teachers from tertiary institutions, community organisations, workplaces
and private training establishments.
The teachers were observed for an average of 167 minutes over two sessions;
they were also interviewed after the first observation session. The sample included
1:1 teachers, as well as those who teach in small groups and classes. Data from
the observations was recorded on specially designed data sheets; notes were
taken by the observers and both the sessions and interviews were recorded wherever
possible.
Main findings (these are discussed in fuller detail in Sections
5 and 6 of the report)
Teacher status and background
- teachers were predominantly female, aged 40+ years and Pakeha
- they held a wide range of qualifications, including school teaching qualifications,
but only a small number held LNL-specific or adult education qualifications
- there were wide variations in the amount of teaching they did per week
and the time they spent on preparation
- they had been able to attend variable amounts of professional development
over the previous year
- some of their teaching positions had less than ideal conditions.
Physical environment and teaching resources
- there were wide variation in the physical environment and teacher resources
available, from good to much less than ideal
- computers were widely available, but were mainly used for word-processing
rather than computer-aided teaching
Generic teaching
- all teachers had created positive, supportive learning environment and
they had a high level of commitment to the welfare of their learners
- teachers talked much more than learners(up to 60% of the time), even in
classes
- questioning plays a very prominent role in the teaching process; however,
teachers mostly asked ‘closed’ questions and did not use questions
as scaffolds for further teaching
- there was some evidence of teaching meta-cognitive skills and limited amounts
of sustained discussion or debate