Abstract
Ph.D. (Didactics)
This study deals with the problems encountered in the teaching of history in black secondary schools . Amongst others it refers to the poor performance in examinations, and the general apathy of pupils towards the subject . It is proposed that empathy should be an integral part of history teaching - from a teaching strategy to evaluation. The study consists of six chapters. Chapter 1 serves as introduction and states the problems and subsequent methodology of the research. Chapter 2 further analyses the reality of history teaching in black secondary schools. Attention is specifically given to how history is taught and textbooks are analysed from an empathic perspective. Chapter 3 contains an exposition and analysis of the concept "empathy". An attempt is made to establish whether an empathic -approach· is feasible in South Africa. Chapter 4 considers the thorny issue of the evaluation of empathy and seeks to integrate the divergent standpoints on evaluation into a theoretical model. In Chapter 5 a trial-run is undertaken in a few secondary schools to qualitatively test this model for the teaching and evaluation of empathy. The final chapter draws the findings together. The central argument is that , aside f rom the present political reality , there is nothing basically wrong with e subject history at school , but that there are several lacunae in the presentation of history . The teaching and learning is generally centred on the teacher , consequently pupils are not really able to experience the past empathically . Therefore it is necessary to strive after empathy-related skills and evaluation techniques . These ills could be useful in the struggle of history to survive as a subject.