An Evaluation of a Maths and Science
Intervention in Grade R classes in the Overberg
and West Coast Districts
Western Cape SARAECE Early Years Colloquium
14/8/2013
ANYA MORRIS & LINDA
BIERSTEKER
research@elru.co.za
SEEDS: Weltevrede Primary
Who was involved:
1) Overberg and West Coast Grade R
and preschool practitioners
2) ELRU trainers
3) Partners : the WCED, the local
libraries, school principals and
communities, SANparks, Iziko
museum, and SANBI …..
Outline
 Purpose of the study
 Sample & Measures
 Baseline
 Intervention
 Outcomes
 Implications for practitioner training
Purpose of evaluation & measures
Baseline
July/August 2009
Level of quality of
learning programme
and maths and
science in classes
Qualifications and
preparedness of
practitioners for
teaching maths and
science in Grade R
Degree of support
and amount of
resources available
to practitioners
Mid follow- up June
2011
Level of quality of
learning programme
and maths and
science in classes
Final follow – up
July 2012
Level of quality of
learning programme
and maths and
science in classes
Practitioner and
manager reports on
the impact of the
intervention
Measures
ECERS –R &
ECERS- E
subscales
Interview
Schedules
Site support scale
(developed for WC
DSD Quality Audit)
Final sample
Area
Site
Baseline
Mid follow-up
Final follow-up
(2009)
(2011)
(2012)
Public
Com
Public
Com
Public
Com
Overberg
15
8
6
4
6
4
West
15
13
3
5
5
5
Coast
24% at baseline < Matric; 29% Diploma; 10% no ECD
54% no maths for Grade R training; 83% no science for Grade R
training
Baseline: Maths is…
 Majority said: numbers and/or counting including





number value, recognising number, calculation and
place values.
‘doing sums’
‘understanding concepts like baie, min’
‘ easy in Grade R – sorting practically into colour’
‘all around us, happens in everyday life’
‘a human activity which consists of problem solving,
logic, numbers, shapes. In order to understand the
world you need specific language in maths’
Baseline: Science is…
 Most common (42%) to do with natural things e.g.





planting and growing, animals, life, man and the
environment. 19% referred to ‘experiments’.
Oh science is scary, maybe I do it every day, I don’t
know’
‘Children must know why’
‘Science is something that children need to do with their
hands e.g. paper tearing, finger painting’
‘Why does the flame of a candle die?’
‘ Science is those things we can’t always understand or
see ‘
Helpful and challenging factors for maths and
science teaching: Practitioners said
Helpful
 Equipment
 Own knowledge
 Knowing environment
and who could help you





Challenges
Lack of educator
knowledge
Lack of resources
Children’s lack of
exposure at home
Large classes and
children with disabilities
or at different levels
Science was more
challenging than maths
Training challenges
The learning environment was not
established …..
Intervention strategies
Training:
 Workshops ( ½ day - 5 days)
 Experiential Learning
 Implementation tasks
Outings
Site support visits (3 per year)
Learning seminars
Quality of the Learning Environment: Mean Ratings
ECERS-R Subscales 2009, 2011 and 2012
7.00
6.00
5.00
Space & Furnishing
Language
4.00
Interaction
Programme Structure
3.00
Parents & Staff
2.00
1.00
2009 2011 2012
Overberg (n=8)
2009 2011 2012
West Coast (n=6)
Quality of the Learning Environment: Mean Ratings
ECERS-E Maths Subscale 2009, 2011 and 2012
7.00
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
2009
2011
2012
Overberg (n=8)
2009
2011
West Coast (n=6)
2012
Quality of the Learning Environment: Mean Ratings
ECERS-E Science Subscale 2009, 2011 and 2012
7.00
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
2009
2011
2012
Overberg (n=8)
2009
2011
2012
West Coast (n=6)
Significance of improvements in the subscale ratings
from 2009 - 2012.
Overberg
Subscale
Year and Mean
N=8
Significance
West Coast N=6
Year and Mean
Value
Space and Furnishing
2009: 3.56
2012: 5.48
Interaction
Programme Structure
Maths
Language Development
.021*
.012*
2012: 5.03
.833
2012: 5.26
.073
2009: 3.75
.012*
2012: 5.93
.075
2009: 1.66
.012*
2009: 2.37
2012: 5.62
.028*
2009: 4.02
2009: 1.00
2012: 4.70
2012: 5.45
2009: 5.16
2009: 2.55
2012: 5.76
Science
.035*
2009: 1.77
2012: 5.47
Value
2009: 3.93
2009: 2.80
2012: 5.11
Significance
2012: 4.23
.028*
2009: 3.83
.011*
2012: 4.66
.416
Most significant classroom change (supported by growth in
practitioner knowledge and confidence)

Setting up classroom in activity areas to allow free choices of children
developed their independence, making discipline and participation far easier

Working with small groups of children at a time and learning to “stand back
and let children learn and explore in their own way”.

Learning how to mediate learning, appropriate open questioning techniques
and

The choice of suitable and concrete materials to introduce maths, science and
other activities at the children's level.
 Recycled material as a resource - children’s were “eager to bring contributions
to the tables and had become more environmentally conscious”.
Overall lessons
 Must have a good basic programme in place before maths
and science teaching can really improve.(Interaction, daily
programme, layout scales and items showed big changes)
 Small groups, designed to meet the needs of different
children, allowed for Language and Reasoning facilitation
skills to be developed.
 Subject knowledge (especially science) is essential
 It takes time to internalise change
Overall lessons
 Suitable maths and science activities and equipment formed the basis
for improving those areas of the curriculum. Learning to teach across
the curriculum. These aspects mirror some of the findings in Shaji and
Indoshi’s (2008) Kenyan study.

The role of personal growth in providing the confidence to teach was
emphasised over and over again and this aspect of training
programmes and continuing support structures is critical. This
undoubtedly links to findings elsewhere about teacher attitudes and
efficacy (Brown 2005).
References
 Biersteker, L. (2012) Maths and Science training and support
programme for practitioners in Grade R classes in the Overberg and
West Coast Districts of the Western Cape. Evaluation Report. Cape
Town, ELRU (Unpublished)
 Brown, E. T. (2005) The influence of teachers’ efficacy and beliefs
regarding mathematics instruction in the early childhood classroom.
Journal of early childhood teacher education 26, 239 -257
 Shaji, M. G., & Indoshi, F. C. (2008). Conditions for Implementation of
the Science Curriculum in Early Childhood Development and
Education Centres in Kenya. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood,
9(4), 389. doi:10.2304/ciec.2008.9.4.389