The teaching quality of mathematics lessons in South African schools

This study focuses on the quantification of the quality of mathematics teaching in 38 randomly selected sixth grade classrooms in the province of Gauteng, South Africa. The teaching quality is measured by coding videotaped lessons in three different components: mathematical proficiency, level of cognitive demand, and observed teacher knowledge. Results suggest that the majority of mathematics lessons in this province focus on procedural skills even when the intended lesson focused on conceptual understanding. In addition, most of the learners engaged only in low-level tasks and teachers demonstrated a lack of knowledge about how to integrate the content with effective pedagogical techniques.