Observing how Nigerian teachers actually teach

Innovative pupil-teacher classroom interaction can improve the quality of teaching and learning, even when learning resources and teacher training are limited. However, analysis of lessons in Nigerian primary schools shows interaction is one way – heavy emphasis on teacher explanation, recitation and rote learning – with little attention to securing pupil understanding.

A paper from La Trobe University, inAustralia, and Newcastle University, in the UK, reports the results of interviews,questionnaires and video analysis of lessons given by a sample of teachers in ten Nigerian states. Educationalists analyse classroom discussion through theinitiation-response-feedback (IRF) model. The teacher typically asks aquestion, a student attempts to answer and the teacher follows up with anevaluation of the response.

In Nigeria thethird part of the IRF process is generally missing. A teacher-centred, lecture-driven teaching methodplaces pupils in a passive role and limits their learning to memorising factsand reciting them back. Teachers prompt a choral response and encourageritualised recalling of information. Teachers do not follow-up individualanswers, probe for further comments or encourage pupils to extend theircontributions.

Continuation of the colonial policy of teaching through the medium of English has amajor impact. Despite official policies stipulating the use of English in upperprimary classrooms, teachers often switch to a local language because of thedisparity between the teachers’ and pupils’ proficiency in English. It is mucheasier for pupils to give short prompted answers in English than to formulate amore complex response.

Analysis of teachers’ speaking found that:

• There was a mid-sentencerise in intonation used to cue pupils to repeat or complete a phrase or word.
• Pseudo-checks of pupilunderstanding, a form of ritualised participation, allowed only the possibilityof an affirmative response.
• Over 92 percent of responseswere three words or less.
• Boys were twice as likely tobe asked a question as girls.
• There were hardly any thought-provokingquestions with multiple response options.
• Pupil questions wereextremely rare: there were none in any of  the science lessons observed.

When asked, most teachers said group work is important and that theyregularly use it. However, observations showed that only one teacher gavepupils the opportunity to support each other by workingcollaboratively on a problem.

Traditional in-service training (INSET) is top-down.Effective INSET only happens if teachers are pushed to reflect upon theirbeliefs and classroom discussion practices and to explore alternatives. Educationplanners in Nigeria, and elsewhere in Africa, must challenge monologue teaching,entrenched teacher beliefs and classroom practices by:

• reducing the gap in IRF –the absence of an explicit teacher follow-up
• understanding that completionofphrases, repetition of words and choral affirmation of ‘understanding’ preventpupils from engaging in more creative thinking and exploring differentfunctions of language
• exploring the scope for usingAfrican languages as the medium of teaching and learning alongside the formercolonial language
• providing teachers withopportunities to think through new ideas, try out new practices and get feedbackfrom a more expert practitioner
• encouraging headteachers to see themselves as promoters of changing teaching methods,not just managers.