Challenges Affecting the Teaching and Learning of Integrated Science in Rural Junior High Schools in Ghana

Abstract

The study investigated challenges affecting the teaching and learning of Integrated Science in rural Junior High Schools (JHSs) in the Effutu Municipality in the central region of Ghana. A qualitative approach was employed. Purposive sampling was employed to select six rural JHSs from the municipality. A closed-structured interview was used to collect data from head teachers, teachers, and pupils, and then analyzed. The study revealed that inadequate instructional materials and poor proficiency of pupils in the English language affected the teaching and learning of Integrated Science. The study concluded that if these challenges were addressed, teaching and learning of Integrated Science would be improved in rural JHSs. It is recommended that Integrated Science teachers should be trained to improvise instructional material using materials in the environment to teach the subject. This would help pupils to conceptualize scientific concepts as they interact with the materials. Again, pupils should be encouraged to build their English vocabulary to express and make informed contributions to the teaching and learning of integrated science.

Teaching in English across the Curriculum: A Lived Experiences of the Novice Teachers in A Selected Rural Fet Schools in South Africa

“…The role of an educator is to empower learners with knowledge using language as a medium of instruction. The preferred language of teaching and learning across the curriculum in English, and it takes time to develop this language in rural schools (Quansah, Sakyi-Hagan & Essiam, 2019).…”

“…However, the unfortunate fact is that both FET novices The participants recognized the importance of effective information comprehension during the teaching of all subjects across the curriculum. The lack of this crucial competence jeopardizes inexperienced teachers' ability to deliver successful lessons (Evans & Nthulana, 2018;Quansah, Sakyi-Hagan & Essiam, 2019). Jordaan, Welman, and Stephen (2004) make the case that weak comprehension of any subject matter hinders second-language speakers, a claim that is borne out when inexperienced teachers begin asking serious questions to test learners' level of understanding before the lesson is facilitated.…”

“…In another study conducted in Rwanda on the impact of using English to teach across the curriculum, Sibomana (2020) posits that learners in rural high schools learn meaningfully with English as a medium of instruction, but could understand better with their indigenous languages. Seemingly, Quansah, Sakyi-Hagan, Essiam (2019) in their longitudinal study conducted in Ghana, teachers revealed that though learners are taught in English as the lingua franca for the country, the learners can still understand better in their local languages.…”

Teaching Method as a Critical Issue in Science Education in Ghana

“…There are currently critical issues in science education all over the world, prompting many researchers to contribute to this discourse. These issues are divided into five categories: teacher factors, student factors, curriculum factors, school factors, societal factors, and national/policy factors (Adu-Gyamfi, 2014;Parker et al, 2018;Quansah et al, 2019). According to Parker et al (2018), one of the main contributors to such challenges in Ghana is teachers' inadequate subject knowledge background which affects how the teacher develops pedagogical content knowledge, in addition to self-confidence and attitudes while instructing topics on Integrated Science.…”

“…The above challenges were identified to influence teachers' selection of appropriate teaching methods, students' performance and interest in science and students' participation in science lessons. Quansah et al (2019) identified similar challenges and proposed that Integrated Science teachers should be trained to improve instructional materials by using readily available materials in the environment to teach the course. It is important to recognize that using improvised materials to teach effectively can address methodological issues.…”