The main aim of this study was to understand teachers‟ experiences of teaching Accounting in Grade 12 in the context of curriculum changes. After the interviews were conducted with the teachers, there were gaps that were identified and this section provides some recommendations on those gaps.
The findings revealed that EMS in Grade 9 Department of Educations not provide learners with sufficient background knowledge of Accounting to remember in Grade 12. The recommendation in this study is to split the Financial Literacy part with Business Studies and Economics. Financial Literacy must be taught by Accounting specialists in schools or there must be a separate teacher to teach Financial Literacy. Another recommendation is directed to curriculum designers to split EMS into two learning areas in the GET phase. Lastly, EMS must be taught by FET teachers in Grade 8 and 9 who will deliver the required Accounting background.
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Accounting in Grade 12 has a language barrier for both teachers and learners. The recommendation given i to emphasise the importance of speaking English in and outside the classroom, teachers must correct learners when they are reading and speaking, develop vocabulary of the frequently mostly used concepts in Accounting learning, allowing and encouraging learners to read financial information. Lastly, Accounting teachers must work closely with Language teachers in developing learners‟ language. Accounting teachers must also use spelling tests of Accounting concepts every week to familiarise learners with terms.
Learners must be engaged more in reading during the teaching and learning, and the teacher must only provide an explanation. Findings also revealed unclear teaching strategies to teach Accounting. This study recommended that teachers use a learner-centred approach, with activities to practise; they should also use a facilitating approach and critical thinking approach to allow learners to be part of the lesson. Any constructive teaching strategies that could involve learners more should be used by teachers in teaching Accounting in Grade 12.
Teachers must also deal away with the traditional method of teaching which Department of Educations not provide for active learning.
A lack of resources was also revealed as a challenge for Accounting teachers in Grade 12.
The recommendation encourages teachers to improvise and as Accounting teachers, to fundraise to generate some income to buy calculators. Teachers must also request donations from financial institutions and Non- Profit Organisations with regard to stationery. Lastly, Accounting teachers must ensure that they order correct stationery for teaching Accounting to accommodate the socio-economic issues of the learners. Textbooks must be ordered according to the recent curriculum and requisitions must be done accurately.
Learners‟ commitment, absenteeism, drugs and teenage pregnancy were identified as some of the challenges that were affecting teachers from successfully implementing the CAPS curriculum in Accounting in Grade 12. The following recommendations were made: teachers must meet with learners and parents to discuss the importance of working hard in Accounting, provide strategies to learners on how to best master Accounting in Grade 12 and involve NGOs and communities on the issue of drugs and teenage pregnancy. Parents must also form a partnership with the school where they will understand their roles as parents, and there must be a meeting every month with the teachers to check their learners‟ progress. The importance of doing homework and activities in a subject such as Accounting must be
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emphasized to parents. Regular meetings with the parents to discuss learners conduct and performance can assist the school.
Teachers complained about Departmental Heads in Accounting which were not supportive.
The recommendations made in this study are to train Departmental Heads in Accounting on how to support Accounting teachers besides through moderation. There must be regular meetings in the department and classroom visitations to see where teachers need assistance.
Departmental Heads must make developments known on how to best teach the Accounting changed curriculum in Grade 12. It is the responsibility of the Departmental Heads to check if teachers have enough resources to provide successful implementation of CAPS in Accounting.
The following recommendations were made on the lack of professional development and support from outside agencies for Accounting teachers in this study:
Curriculum designers must involve teachers in designing a curriculum so that they will consider what teachers experience in classroom during the teaching and learning.
Curriculum designers must be the ones in charge of training principals and subject advisors. Principals must be fully trained about the changed curriculum in all subjects to be able to lead the school.
Training should be conducted by the curriculum designers and time must be added on the number of days for the workshops.
Workshops should be on-going and during the workshop, the focus must be on topics that challenge teachers, teaching strategies must be devised.
The Department of Education must provide must support and monitor the implementation of CAPS in Accounting. After implementation, there must be a task team of Accounting specialists and curriculum designers who will monitor how successfully CAPS was implemented in Accounting in Grade 12.
Subject advisors should visit teachers in schools more often to identify where teachers need assistance.
The teacher union (SADTU) should support teachers with resources that are needed to implement the changed curriculum. Support and monitoring on implementation of the changed curriculum must be provided by organising their own training and finding out how other provinces succeeded in the implementation of the changed curriculum.
119 6.6 CONCLUSION
The main aim of this study was to explore teachers‟ experiences of teaching Accounting in Grade 12 against the contexts of curriculum changes. The research in this study revealed that in Accounting, the changed curriculum had both a negative and positive impact in Accounting subject. At first teachers revealed that they were happy about the changed curriculum before it was introduced and they warmly welcomed it. But as the processes of implementation proceeded, teachers encountered several challenges which some managed to overcome while others were left hanging.
Teachers are happy with the Accounting content although they had some challenges in introducing some topics. The assessment structure was well organised and it made teachers in Accounting able to assess learners‟ knowledge. Assessment also helped Accounting teachers to practise Accounting all the time. Resources were user- friendly, very organised and in line with the textbooks used in class. Even though, some teachers complained about insufficient resources to implement the changed curriculum successfully. Teachers revealed that lack of training and inadequate time during the workshops caused them to lose confidence in introducing some topics and finding relevant teaching strategies. The study found that teachers in Accounting are still using the traditional method of teaching which is not effective for quality teaching Accounting. Socio-economic issues such as poverty, lack of parental support, absenteeism and drugs, were identified by teachers as challenges that teachers faced which hindered the successful implementation of CAPS in Accounting. Lastly, teachers revealed that outside agencies other than the teacher‟s union, did provide support to them.
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APPENDIX A: ETHICAL CLEARANCE
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APPENDIX B: Permission letter from the Department of Basic Education
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APPENDIX C: Letter to the principal
Q1280
Anderson road Umlazi
4066
02 July 2018
The principal ___________
___________
___________
___________
Dear sir/ madam
Permission to conduct interviews at your school
My name is Nosihle Veronica Sithole and I am currently doing my Masters in Bachelor of Education at University of KwaZulu-Natal (Edgewood). I am specialising in commerce education and I am teaching at Umbelebele secondary school. I am conducting a research on teachers‟ experiences of teaching Accounting in grade 12 in the context of curriculum changes.
By this letter I humbly request permission to interview one Accounting teacher in grade 12.
The interviews and observations will not be longer than 45 minutes and it will be after school or during the weekend depending on the time which teacher will prefer. Interviews will be tape recorded to make sure that I don‟t miss out on any important information. Interview transcripts will be kept safely by the researcher and the supervisor after the research has been completed the researcher will destroy all the personal information. Participation in this study is voluntary and the participants have the right to withdraw at any time when they feel