TIMMS 2015 Grade 9 National Report

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Understanding mathematics and science achievement amongst Grade 9 learners in South Africa The 2015 TIMMS Grade 9 study was administered in August 2015 by a team of researchers at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). This was the fifth time that South Africa has participated in TIMMS since 1995. In addition to the learner assessment data, the study also collected contextual information from learners, teachers and school principals, making it possible to explore the factors that are related to Grade 9 mathematics and science achievement. This report was written to provide some perspective about how the results of international assessments can be used to provide meaningful national insights. Sections of the report bring together the main findings based on descriptive, inferential and psychometric analysis of the data. The report concludes with recommendations of how the results relate to policy and practice for improving educational quality.

11. Teachers and classroom instruction
11.1 Teacher interaction
11.2 Teacher vacancies
11.3 Teacher absenteeism and arriving late

Acknowledgements
List of figures
List of tables
List of acronyms
Executive summary

PART A: MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

1. Introduction
1.1. Why mathematics and science are so important in the South African context?
1.2 National educational policies and practices

2. Analytical approach

3. Trends in TIMMS results
3.1 Trends in performance percentiles
3.2 Change in performance from 2003 to 2015
3.3 Provincial performance
3.4 Performance by school type

Section summary

PART B: LEARNERS AND THE HOME ENVIRONMENT

4. A profile of Grade 9 learners in 2015
4.1 Gender, age and achievement
4.2 Language of learning and teaching (LoLT)

5. Home resources

6. Socioeconomic status (SES)
6.1 Socioeconomic status (SES) asset quintiles
6.2 Parental education
6.3 Learner attitudes about mathematics and science
6.4 Learner academic aspirations

Section summary

PART C: SUPPORT FOR LEARNING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL

7. Homework and homework checking
8. Extra lessons

Section summary

PART D: A COMPARISON OF THE SCHOOLING ENVIRONMENT

9. School resources
9.1. Textbook provision
9.2 Computer resources
9.3 Library and laboratory facilities
9.4 School meals

10. School climate
10.1 An overview of school climate across South African schools
10.2 Emphasis placed on academic success
10.3 Challenges facing teachers
10.4 School discipline

11. Teachers and classroom instruction
11.1 Teacher interaction
11.2 Teacher vacancies
11.3 Teacher absenteeism and arriving late

Section summary

PART E: THE SCHOOL’S INFLUENCE ON MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT

12. School effectiveness in South Africa
12.1 Why focus on school effectiveness in South African educational policy?
12.2 Which questions are to be addressed for the TIMSS 2015 Grade 9 study?
12.3 What method was used to answer the research questions?
12.4 What do these results mean?

Section summary

PART F: SCIENCE CURRICULUM INSIGHTS FROM NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
BENCHMARKS

13. Science curriculum and national benchmarks
13.1 International science curriculum analysis

13.2 National science curriculum analysis
13.3 Developing national benchmarks and proficiency label descriptors

Section summary

PART G: KEY FINDINGS, POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Policy recommendations for different role players

APPENDIX A: SUMMARY OF RESULTS: TIMSS 2015
APPENDIX B: TIMSS 2015 DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
APPENDIX C: SUMMARY OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM
APPENDIX D: SUMMARY OF SOUTH AFRICA’S SCIENCE CURRICULUM
References
Index