Strategies of coping with effective teaching and learning in large classes in Secondary Schools in Kampala District
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Date
2009
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Publisher
Online Submission
Abstract
This study examines strategies of coping with teaching and learning in large classes in secondary schools in
Kampala district. With the rapid technological, economic and social growth being realized in Uganda, demand for
education is increasing every other day. Education is an investment needed for rapid social change. The need for
education, as a vehicle for economic growth, has consequently led to increased student enrolment in both
government and private secondary schools countrywide. However to the educationist, the increasing numbers of
students has led to large classes, which are not easy to teach effectively. Teaching and learning becomes a
problem where instructional materials are few and classroom space is limited and the teacher can hardly follow up
on the performance of each and every student. In order to provide the strategies for coping with large classes, the
researcher examined teachers’ understanding of the problems of teaching and learning in large classes, and
establishing the teaching strategies teachers handling large classes have adopted to promote effective teaching
and learning.
A crossectional survey research study was conducted on teachers, students and head teachers in 20 selected
government and private secondary schools in Kampala district. The focus was senior one and two students
because these are some of the classes where the UPE bulge is concentrated and they can easily be accessed
since they still have time before being examined by UNEB. The content scope of this study was concerned with
teachers’ understanding of the problems of teaching large classes and coping mechanisms adopted.
Then, findings indicated that teachers understand the problems of effective teaching and learning in large classes.
In order to cope with teaching and learning in large classes, there is need to provide more instructional materials
like text books in subjects like math and English. During the teaching of these subjects, the numbers overwhelm the
capacity to provide each and every student with enough learning aids and there are just few materials used by
teachers. However, sharing of instructional materials in large classes is associated with numerous problems. The
teacher cannot wholly ensure that each and every body in the class has followed the working and explanations
properly as given in the textbooks and students tend to fight for the few materials. Even if student numbers might be
increasing, academic performance can be attained if schools have adequate supply of textbooks, teaching guides,
and other teaching media, which can help students, learn effectively.
Academic performance is influenced by the availability of various instructional materials, implying that all students
will get a chance to follow closely the lesson series without hard time. Schools should struggle to ensure the
provision of these materials, which is often done through PTA and government contributions. On the strategies of
coping with teaching in large classes, effective teaching requires use of student-centered methods like giving
assignments, examinations and home work, sharing of instructional materials, constructing more classrooms, and
encouraging student-centered methods. These remedies will help policy makers tackle the problems of USE and
UPE schools.
Description
Keywords
Teaching, Learning, Secondary Schools
Citation
Sekiwu, D. (2009). Strategies of Coping with Effective Teaching and Learning in Large Classes in Secondary Schools in Kampala District. Online Submission.