The relationship between teaching practices and students' achievement in mathematics in Lesotho

Research has found that teaching practices are a critical factor in promoting student achievement in mathematics and may therefore explain a substantial portion of the variance in student learning and achievement. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between student achievement in mathematics and teachers’ teaching practices in the Maseru District in Lesotho, Southern Africa. A self-report instrument - Mathematics Teaching Opinionate Scale (MaTOS) - was used to collect data from 40 Form C (Grade 10) mathematics teachers about their teaching practices. This paper outlines correlations found between specific teaching practices (formal presentation, teacher-guided discussion, group work and homework) and student achievement in mathematics. Possible implications of these correlations are discussed and recommendations for further research are put forward

Student-centred learning: a small-scale study of a peer-learning experience in undergraduate translation classes

This paper examines student responses to a small-scale pilot of peer learning in undergraduate translation classes. It examines the possible benefits and risks of a learner-centred approach and explores these through feedback from two groups of undergraduate modern language students attending translation classes over a semester at a UK university. With the first group, peer learning was implemented over a six-week period in the second half of the semester; with the second group, only a single 'one-off' peer-learning session was delivered. Feedback from the former group suggests a largely positive experience, while much more resistance and uncertainty are evident in feedback from the latter group. The paper explores possible reasons for successes and pitfalls in peer learning, and recommends some strategies for implementing a learner-centred model as an effective alternative to more traditional forms of translation teaching