Abstract
practices or pedagogical orientation. This study investigated how social context influences pedagogical orientations at three township schools in South Africa. The study employed a qualitative case-study design involving three Grade 9 Natural Sciences teachers. Data collection involved pre-lesson interviews; lesson observations using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP); post-lesson interviews; and analysis of documents. Data were analysed using a constant comparative method. Findings revealed that learners’ socio-cultural practices, experiences and beliefs influenced teachers’ pedagogical orientations in two important ways. Firstly, their teaching became more process- and activity-driven. Secondly, teachers’ views about the goals of science teaching changed. Rather than a focus purely on curriculum coverage and exam preparation, building learner confidence, stimulating appreciation for the relevance of science, and motivating learners also became important. Implications drawn for in-service and pre-service teacher development programmes are discussed.