Work-integrated learning within the reading literacy component of foundation phase teacher preparation programmes

Abstract

<span>Research confirms that the quality of instruction learners experience day-to-day matters for learner achievement more than any other school-based factor. Yet teachers beginning their careers across a range of contexts routinely report that they are unprepared to enact high-quality instruction on day one. Thus, the quality and content of pre-service teacher preparation programmes features prominently in learner success. Research reveals that purposeful coordination between teacher preparation programmes and the school districts with which they partner, tightly aligned curricula and field experiences, and extensive clinical practice can improve teacher preparedness (Darling-Hammond & Bransford 2007). The purpose of this article was to conduct a survey among selected universities offering Bachelor of Education (BEd) foundation phase programmes, to determine the role of work-integrated learning (WIL) in facilitating the preparedness of pre-service teachers to teach reading literacy. The results indicate that there is an urgent need to focus on the following aspects as they relate to WIL and its integration with reading literacy-specific content: the purpose of WIL as it relates to reading literacy; the degree of integration between coursework, specifically reading literacy and practice-based experiences (i.e. practice teaching); the relationship and partnerships between university lecturers and teachers and district officials; and the training of teachers to support the pre-service teachers.</span>

Understanding the nature of learning and opportunities to learn created by work-integrated learning: A perspective in vocational education

“…The findings of this study indicate that the nature of learning going on at the workplace as experienced by TVET college business studies students reflect all the important characteristics of WIL documented in literature. These characteristics, as found in this study and corroborated by literature and earlier studies, include integration of theory into practice (Abdul Hamid, Islam & Abd Manaf, 2014); interconnectedness between theory and practice (Melender, Jonsén, Sandvik, Hilli & Salmu, 2012); preparatory role of college learning for experiential learning (Jackson, 2015); deeper learning (Cheong, Yahya, Shen & Yen, 2014) and exposure of students to multiple contexts or realities of the world (Barends & Nel, 2017). A comparative study of the WIL placement in the Marketing and Human Resources Management fields further confirms the findings of this study that WIL gives students the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge acquired in the classroom (Govender & Wait, 2017).…”

Elephant in the room: Placing of Technical and Vocational Training College students for work-integrated learning in Eastern Cape Province

“…Literature review Work-integrated Integrated Learning (WIL) has always been a distinguishing feature that makes technical graduates stand out from university graduates. Barends and Nel (2017) defined WIL as a comprehensive phrase used to describe a collection of teachings that combine academic and hands-on learning. Hlubi (2018) acknowledges that although WIL has many benefits, it poses challenges for students, employers, and colleges.…”

Supporting Natural Science Pre-Service Teachers during Work-Integrated Learning: A Case of a Lesson Study Approach

“…The work-integrated learning experience (WIL) is an experiential and practical learning process, whereby pre-service teachers partake in an authentic teaching process that enables them to learn in and from their own teaching practice (Johnston, 2011). This approach allows pre-service teachers to gain a hands-on experience of the teaching profession (Barends & Nel, 2017). During this period, pre-service teachers are placed at schools and teacher educators are tasked to evaluate and assess the quality of their lesson presentations (DHET, 2015).…”