Giftedness in numeracy skills in young children is a phenomenon that is not always visible and easily identifiable. However, these numeracy skills should be recognised in the early years of pre-school education for adequate enrichment on curriculum and pedagogy in teaching young children. Numeracy skills in young children at pre-schools involves the ability to apply mathematical concepts in all areas of life, understanding numbers, counting, solving number problems, measuring, sorting, noticing patterns, adding and subtracting numbers. This study investigated predictors that should be readily visible to notice in preschool children, who possess giftedness in numeracy skills. In order to establish these predictors, a questionnaire was administered to a random sample of one hundred (100) pre-school teachers from twenty (20) pre-schools in Gaborone. The questionnaire consisted of twenty five (25) items on four Likert scale (Strongly Disagree SD; Disagree D; Agree A; Strongly Agree SA). The pre-school teachers' responses were analysed using factor analysis (available on SPSS Computer package). The principle factor analysis with iteration and varimax rotation method was used to identify the main predictors of giftedness in numeracy skills of young children, and ten (10) factors emerged as predictors of numeracy giftedness in young children, which should have implications on the curriculum and pedagogy in teaching pre-school young children numeracy concepts.
ABSTRACT----The training of teachers in institutions of higher learning emphasises on the knowledge of the subject matter and pedagogical skills or teaching methodologies. These are cognitive skills a teacher should possess for effective teaching in the educational system. But recently non-cognitive skills have been identified or suggested as also having an impact on learning outcomes. This research study examined the effect of teachers' non-cognitive skills on students' achievements in the educational system as perceived by students. A questionnaire was developed and administered to a sample of three hundred (300) 2016 fresh undergraduate students at BA ISAGO University, who had just finished from different Senior Secondary Schools in Botswana. The undergraduate students' responses were subjected to Factor analysis. From the factor analysis, six (6) factors emerged with eigen values greater than one as the most important non-cognitive skills that Botswana teachers should possess which were as follows; Perseverance, Accommodating, Efficiency, Caring, Consideration and motivational skills that were perceived as teachers should possess for effective academic achievements by students. The undergraduate students' responses were also tested for significance with respect to gender and school location of students. Recommendations were made for the Botswana educational system and also implications for teacher training programmes in Botswana.
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