Perspectives in Education

Debunking the myth: Can the university develop resilience in graduates?

Gloria Castrillon — 2025-05-19

There has been an intense focus on the ‘21^st century skills’ and on universities developing graduate attributes through teaching, learning and innovative curricula. One example is resilience, frequently cited as desirable, especially during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. Resilience gained momentum across a number of fields, such as development studies, ecology and education, examining the ability of people, institutions, environments, and societies to ‘bounce back’ from crisis or adversity. Despite its popularity, however, resilience has no shared meaning, with scholars emphasising the looseness, potential vacuousness, and lack of ideological clarity of the concept (van Breda, 2018; Brewer et al., 2019; Zembylas, 2021). This paper examines resilience with specific reference to higher education and interrogates its deployment as a graduate attribute with respect to individual students and higher education curricula. It will be argued that tensions inherent in the South African system are brought to the fore, particularly in the context of current debates on the relevance of resilience for the complexity and change anticipated in the 21^st century. The resulting ambiguity burdens universities, which requires courageousness in the quest for accessibility and self-awareness of precarity as an operational feature (Barnett, 2000: 409). It is argued that universities are trapped by supercomplexity on the one hand, with its “multiplicity of frameworks” and competing demands (Barnett, 2000: 415) and, on the other hand, access to resources and state regulatory and policy requirements. Furthermore, apartheid-defined realities continue to define the present, rendering the future more complex. The rhetoric in South African higher education policy imbues universities with an apparent superpower: to produce graduates with a (continuously shifting and increasing) set of attributes. The development of attributes is a complex process and is dependent and contingent on multiple variables. Among these are the contexts and histories of individual students, which define whether and to what extent graduate attributes are achieved, and a set of outcomes that can neither be determined nor guaranteed. Through the lens of resilience, the paper interrogates whether the development of graduate attributes can be solely the university's task and whether this expectation is justified both in the absence of consideration of students’ agency and in the complex worlds outside the university.

Student-lecturer interactions: Do traditional methods appeal to Generation Z students?

Adriaan Lochner — 2025-05-19

Higher education institutions have various and mostly well-established methods for students to consult with their lecturers. Lecturers have traditionally expected students to make use of face-to-face interaction through after-class consultations and asking questions in class. It is, however, imperative that higher education reflects on whether these traditional consultation methods appeal to today’s students where there is a generational differential between the lecturer and the student who is part of Generation Z. Generational differences include the integration of technology, such as access to the Internet and various other technological platforms for communication on a variety of social media applications. As such, it is important for lecturers to understand why a student might not be comfortable with traditional interaction methods and must take into consideration student feedback in creating opportunities for interaction that considers the needs of all stakeholders. This study, following a qualitative deductive approach, used online questionnaires to obtain students’ perceptions of both the potential shortcomings and advantages of a variety of consultation methods available to them at a residential university in South Africa. This variety included the incorporation of technology into consultation methods in contrast to a traditional consultation. The questionnaire was formulated using Rolfe, Freshwater and Jasper’s (2001) reflection model and grounded in attribution theory, whereby student-lecturer interaction methods were analysed. The findings of the study show that students will engage with a lecturer if they feel the lecturer is approachable and helpful, regardless of the nature of the consultation method. Lecturers can invest in improving their soft skills to enhance being perceived as approachable by students. The findings also highlight that the method of interaction may cause anxiety and that students sometimes feel too overwhelmed to ask the lecturer for help. The students suggested consultation methods that provide a quick turnaround time and are easy to use (for example, being in a WhatsApp group with their lecturer). The findings of this study provide insight that higher education institutions and lecturers can use to improve students’ usage of student-lecturer interaction methods.

Fragmented strivings: A scoping review of inclusivity and internationalisation in higher education policies and practices

Louri Louw — 2025-05-19

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policy frameworks are enacted to establish and maintain equitable and fair conditions for marginalised students. However, marginalised students, specifically refugees and forced migrants, face multiple obstacles when entering higher education (HE). The ability to overcome many of these hindrances rests in the formation and implementation of inclusive policies and good practices at national and institutional levels. However, since little research has hitherto been conducted on how inclusivity informs HE internationalisation policies and practices globally, an attempt was made to explore this notion. A scoping review was conducted to discover how inclusivity informs internationalisation on a global scale regarding policies and practices, along with a specific focus on how inclusivity informs policies and practices for refugees. A total of 35 studies published between 2018 and 2023 were included in this review. The findings illustrate that the Global North still dominates the conversation with little collaboration across the socio-political divide. In addition, the literature shows that globally, very few countries have effectively adopted policies and practices in terms of inclusivity to accommodate displaced students within mainstream internationalisation. In addition, those countries that have adopted policies often present social and administrative challenges for refugees. Consequently, specific sub-areas of policies and practices needing inclusive reform were identified. Finally, articles that explore how institutions have altered their policies and practices to address inclusivity were reviewed. Results revealed an inconsistent approach to and application of inclusive policies and practices within internationalisation in HE. Research on mainstream internationalisation identified limited literature on policy and practice implementation to address the HE needs of forced migrants. Despite a call for inclusive education, policies and practices in HE remain largely theoretical. This article aims to provide a perspective on these issues by discussing the trends and challenges discovered in the literature and making recommendations to potentially address the transformation of contextual spaces for refugees in HE.

Multiple transitions resulting from remediation and re-entry of first-year undergraduate medical students: expectations and experiences, emotions and recommendations

Nokuthula Tlalajoe-Mokhatla — 2025-05-19

Transitioning from school to tertiary education can be daunting and overwhelming, and neither students nor institutions are necessarily prepared for these transitions. Some students may even experience multiple transitions in their academic programmes. This paper focuses on the multiple transition stages during the first year of the medical programme at the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa. The study aimed to determine first year undergraduate medical students’ perceptions of the multiple transitions involved in the medical programme. The research was designed as an exploratory qualitative study that used focus group discussions to obtain data. Two focus group discussions were held with 17 first-year undergraduates who had undergone multiple transitions in the first year of the medical programme. Multiple transitional stages were investigated: The first was at the start of the first year (January–-June), then six months later (July–December), and then back to the start of the first year for the second time (January–June of the following year). The analysis exposed three main themes, namely (1) expectations and experiences, (2) emotions, and (3) recommendations. These themes are explained by focusing on the participants’ perceptions and following a linear process for the multiple transition stages. Medical students who went through remediation and re-entered the first-year undergraduate programme reported that, during the initial transition, lecturers and senior students did not provide the ‘big picture’ regarding expectations in the medical programme. Instead, the shared expectations did not match their ‘real’ experiences in the programme. Furthermore, students experienced a range of emotions during the multiple transitions. In conclusion, students are accepted into medical schools such as the UFS but are underprepared for the rigours of the programme and are then exposed to multiple transitions. To ease the students’ transition, medical schools must consider designing support strategies that will enable these students to manage these transitions by attending to ‘soft determinants’, such as expectations and experiences, emotions, and contextually applying the students’ recommendations in setting up such strategies.

Tutoring for success: Tutors’ experiences of a tutoring programme in a health sciences faculty

Brendon D. Faroa — 2025-05-19

Student success in South African higher education institutions (HEIs) is poor and universities have not been successful in implementing strategies to improve students’ learning experiences. Tutoring has been identified as an effective strategy to improve student success but is often used inconsistently and without pedagogical justification. The present study formed part of a larger effort to review tutoring practices in a South African university’s health sciences faculty. In this article we illuminate tutors’ in-depth experiences as a component of pursuing student success and improving tutoring practice. A qualitative approach with an explorative research design was utilised and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. This data was analysed thematically, using Braun and Clarke’s six phase process. Four primary themes emerged in the study: (a) disciplinary content-driven engagements, (b) a theory-practice dilemma, (c) time and time-urgent behaviours, and (d) understandings of mentoring and tutoring. We found that tutors’ conceptions of tutoring were varied and that these perspectives impacted how they understood, operationalised their roles in the faculty and demonstrated the need for integrating disciplinary, practical learning with pedagogically guided approaches. Moreover, we identified a promising model of tutoring which seems to best address the challenges faced by the health sciences faculty with regard to tutoring practice. Our research provides support for valuing tutors as key role players in student academic success within the higher education (HE) context.

Pre-service teachers’ views of an ideal teacher for a fast-changing world

Pumzile Lydia Mello — 2025-05-19

This article reports on a study that explored final year preservice teachers’ conceptualisations of an ideal teacher for a fast-changing world. The study was framed by literature on reflective practice. A basic qualitative research design was used to examine how the preservice teachers constructed meaning of the phenomenon under study. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and thorough analysis of the preservice teachers’ research projects on the topic. The findings are that ideal teachers for a fast-changing world must: be adaptable; be digitally literate and fluent; encourage agency in the teaching and learning environment; use innovative teaching methods; and value continuous professional development. The findings lead to the question as to whether teacher education programmes pay sufficient attention to preparing pre-service teachers for the fast-changing world, in the curriculum and through practices taught.

Mentor teachers’ perspectives on the preparedness of student teachers to teach business studies during teaching practice

Nduduzo Brian Gcabashe — 2025-05-19

Business studies student teachers are expected to showcase different knowledge domains during teaching practice, including their pedagogical and content knowledge. Student teachers teach under the guidance of mentor teachers. Given the crucial role that mentor teachers play, this qualitative study explores the views of mentor teachers on the preparedness of business studies student teachers to teach. Situated learning theory was adopted as the theoretical lens of this study. A systematic random sampling technique selected seventeen e-portfolios submitted by third year student teachers after engaging in teaching practice. Mentor teachers’ reports were analysed using an e-portfolio evaluation tool that the researcher developed. Mentor teachers’ contributions were recorded in the spreadsheet to generate data, and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that some mentor teachers were satisfied with student teachers’ content and pedagogical knowledge. However, there are crucial areas where student teachers need to improve. Based on the findings, this study recommended that teacher educators strengthen their business studies methodology module content and assessments to equip student teachers with classroom management and time management skills.

The (possible) influence of neoliberalism on learner ill-discipline in South African schools

Kevin Teise — 2025-05-19

Neoliberalism absolutises economic and market rationality and foregrounds values that serve the economy's exclusive needs. As a result, it not only alters the aims and objectives of education but also erodes, marginalises and replaces authentic pedagogical and social values with marked values such as individualism, competition, performance, self-interest, self-reliance, accountability, etc. These market values negatively affect school discipline by transforming what it means to be a teacher and a learner. In addition, it also changes the teacher-learner relationships, with both teachers and learners being disengaged from the teaching and learning process. This conceptual paper argues that South Africa's adoption of neoliberal education policies negatively impacted teacher and learner value systems and teacher-learner relationships, resulting in a decay in social values in schools and creating a favourable context for exacerbating ill-discipline in South African schools. It proposes Ubuntu as an ethical and moral framework for restoring teacher-learner relationships and reversing neoliberalism's negative influence on learner discipline in South African schools.

At risk: Age, gender, and socio-economic status in bullying victimisation among South African primary school students

Andrea Juan — 2025-05-19

While there is public and political consensus on the need to safeguard the physical and psychological welfare of students while at school, little is known about which South African students are at risk of exposure to bullying, or the nature and extent of bullying in primary schools. Such data is crucial in informing the development of appropriate school safety programmes. This paper uses self-reported nationally representative data from 11 891 Grade 5 students who participated in the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), to first examine the extent and nature of bullying in South African primary schools nationally and by school socioeconomic status, and then to look at the risk factors associated with being a victim of bullying. The results point to significant age and gender differences, where boys and older students are more likely to be victims of bullying. The paper concludes that policymakers, teachers, and principals must take these factors into consideration when designing interventions to support safe learning environments for students in South African primary schools.

Physical punishment on children as the onset of challenging behaviour in primary schools, South Africa: A systematic review of literature

Julie Shantone Rubbi Nunan — 2025-05-19

Learners’ challenging behaviour is a growing concern in primary schools. Reports reveal that many learners in South African primary schools are presenting with challenging behaviour - disrupting lessons, causing chaos, putting learners’ and teachers’ safety at risk, and interrupting school functionality. To understand this phenomenon, a systematic review of literature spanning three decades was conducted to determine whether physical punishment of children leads to the onset of challenging behaviour in primary schools. The social cognitive theory emphasised how children learn and replicate behaviour, and punished children can quickly adopt punishing behaviours themselves. Thematic analysis of forty-five research sources on the impact of physical punishment on children’s behaviour identified several primary types of challenging behaviours physically punished children displayed in primary schools. The review established a clear link between physically punished children and the manifestation of challenging behaviour in school settings. These results imply that physical punishment of children can be painful, and the types of challenging behaviour displayed in primary school result typically from physical punishment. These results further imply that physical punishment of children can lead to the onset of challenging behaviour in primary schools. Education stakeholders should consider the behaviours presented in this review to improve and change how they view, support and manage misbehaving children. This should encompass school curriculum and policy reform and practice, including the implementation of relevant intervention strategies such as the ‘15 key steps to support misbehaving learners: A teacher's guide to effective intervention’ as recommended by this research.

Occupation-related anxiety symptoms among teachers in Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa

Kebogile Mokwena — 2025-05-19

Background: As the prevalence of mental disorders continues to increase, the workplace has been identified as one of the key sources of mental disorders. Over and above anxiety triggers that emerge from the teaching profession itself, societal and behavioural challenges among young people often extend to the school environment, which increases demands on teachers who have to manage such behaviours to make the classroom a place to operate. However, there are limited studies on the mental health status of teachers. Purpose of the study: The purpose was to screen for anxiety symptoms and identify risk factors among teachers in three school districts of Tshwane Municipality.

Methodology: The study used a cross-sectional design survey and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) tool to screen for anxiety among teachers in the three districts. A questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, which was analysed descriptively. The Pearson chi-square association test was applied to explore the development of anxiety symptoms and a range of sociodemographic variables, using a p-value of 0.05. The eight variables significantly associated with anxiety development were included in a multivariate logistic regression model.

Results: The sample of 387, consisting of 97 males and 290 females, was drawn from 13 high and three primary schools. The number of teachers per school ranged from 4 to 45, with a mean of 19.45. The majority (n=220, 57.44%) were employed in high schools, and the mean period in the teaching profession was 13.4 years. The majority (56%) were married. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 47.55% (n=184). Six variables that were significantly associated with the development of anxiety symptoms were directly linked to the teaching environment.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of anxiety symptoms is directly linked to the teaching environment, which highlights the need to improve the working

The role of career development, technostress, and organisational commitment in shaping the work performance of elementary school teachers: Insights from Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (SEM-PLS) analysis

Ipong Dekawati — 2025-05-19

This study examines the complex relationship between career development, technostress, and organisational commitment in influencing the performance of school teachers in Aria Kemuning, West Java, Indonesia. The main objective of this study is to identify how the three constructs individually and interactively contribute to teacher performance in the context of an increasingly digital and demanding educational environment. A quantitative approach was used by a survey method of 162 respondents selected through the proportionate stratified random sampling technique. Data was analysed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the direct effects and mediation between variables. The results of the study show that career development and organisational commitment have a significant positive effect on work performance, while technostress has a negative influence. Interestingly, organisational commitment partially mediates the relationship between career development and technostress on teacher performance. This indicates that career development initiatives can directly improve performance, but the effect will be more optimal if they are accompanied by a strong organisational commitment. In contrast, technostress can lower performance, but its negative impact can be reduced through increased organisational commitment. The authenticity of this study lies in an integrated analysis of the psychological, organisational, and technological dimensions in the teaching profession, using SEMPLS in the context of developing countries. The study provides new insights for schools and education policymakers to simultaneously address digital pressures and career satisfaction in order to optimise teacher effectiveness. The theoretical contributions and practical strategies offered are also useful in the management of human resources in the education sector

School principals’ understanding of managing public-private partnerships related to information and communication technology in under-resourced public secondary schools

Rachael Adebola Olusegun — 2025-05-19

This study investigated principals’ perceptions of their responsibilities in managing technology infrastructure in underresourced public secondary schools within the Tshwane West district, using a public-private partnership (PPP) approach. 2017,the Telkom Foundation initiated the ‘Connected Schools Project’ 2017, which introduced advanced tech-enabled resources and support to enhance technology-driven education in select underresourced public secondary schools in Gauteng’s Tshwane West district. This study explores how school principals interpret their roles in managing this infrastructure and executing these responsibilities within a PPP setting. Public-private partnerships are cooperative ventures between government entities and private sector organisations designed to achieve specific goals that serve the public interest (Robertson, et al., 2012). In the education sector, PPPs involve collaboration between state institutions and private entities to undertake various initiatives to improve education. For this research, PPPs specifically refer to the collaboration between the Telkom Foundation, a private entity and four public secondary schools in Gauteng.

This study was grounded in the interpretivist paradigm and adopted a qualitative research approach with a case study design, utilising individual interviews for data collection. The research was conducted across four under-resourced public secondary schools in the Tshwane West education district of Gauteng Province, as well as at the Telkom Foundation office complex and the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) district office. The participants included each school’s principal, the information and communication technology (ICT) coordinator, a Telkom Foundation representative, and a GDE district official responsible for facilitating the partnership, totalling ten participants. Data analysis used an inductive approach to interpret the interview responses. The findings indicated that the principals understood their responsibilities in managing ICT infrastructure within a PPP framework. In doing so, they established effective management structures that streamlined ICT infrastructure oversight. These innovative structures offer a replicable model for principals seeking to effectively manage ICT resources in schools.

Challenges in implementing the South African accounting curriculum: A qualitative exploration

Xolisile Adelaide Msomi — 2025-05-19

The accounting curriculum at the school level remains a pertinent
pedagogical component in enhancing the throughput and success of learners, which can inevitably contribute to the growth of the field within the country. However, challenges still hinder the successful implementation of the accounting curriculum. This paper explored teachers’ challenges in implementing the accounting curriculum in South African secondary schools, focusing primarily on the Umlazi district of KwaZulu-Natal. Seventeen accounting teachers and five principals from seventeen respective schools were interviewed using a qualitative case study approach. The study found that accounting curriculum implementation in the township school faced several significant challenges. The new curriculum was seen as disorganised, making it difficult for teachers to deliver the content effectively. In addition, teachers lacked the necessary skills and training to teach the new curriculum effectively. Inadequate resources and limited access to technology further exacerbated these issues. Language barriers also pose a challenge, as complex English in textbooks makes it difficult for many non- English speaking learners to understand the subject matter. The study recommends re-training and re-skilling teachers per the new curriculum and improved alignment between secondary schools and the Department of Higher Education to facilitate a smoother student transition. In addition, better teacher supervisory support, resources and technology are needed, along with updated textbooks. The CAPS curriculum review further suggested that accounting should be a standalone subject in Grades 8 and 9.

Investigating crisis resilience pedagogy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Grade 10 business studies classrooms

Mbali Mabaso — 2025-05-19

This study investigated the conceptual learning of the Business Studies Curriculum Recovery Plan (BSCRP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Crisis resilience pedagogy requires teachers to incorporate resilience and flexible strategies to enable learners to cope with unexpected events (Chow, et al., 2020). Informed by qualitative research methodology, data were collected from document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. Thirteen participants, including teachers, departmental heads, principals, subject advisors, and curriculum designers, were purposively chosen for the study. Crisis resiliencepedagogy attributes adaptability, creativity, connectivity, diversity, and endurance were evident to different degrees. Redesigning the DBE website, trimming the curriculum, and amending instructional materials showed adaptability. Video, podcasts, interactive quizzes, and monitoring Google Forms demonstrated creativity. Connectivity between learners, parents, teachers, principals, and subject advisors was enabled through WhatsApp groups. Microsoft Teams and Zoom were used for meetings. Text, voice, and videobased instruction were employed to meet the diverse needs of the learners. Participants indicated hardships in continuing work duties amidst trauma and bemoaned insufficient and inadequate psychological support during the pandemic. This study extends the crisis resilience pedagogy model by including what learners did and should be doing.

The effect of artificial intelligence as a peer-to- peer support tool on engagement, grades and pass rates peer-to-peer

Mark Wilson-Trollip — 2025-05-19

The study examines artificial intelligence’s (AI) role in peer-topeer learning and its impact on student engagement, academic performance, and pass rates. The research provided insights into how AI influences student engagement and grades through a mixed-methods approach. The research methodology adopted an interpretivist approach that includes aspects of positivism. The design employs induction using qualitative and quantitative methods. The case study operates at a longitudinal time range to study temporal performance developments. The primary data collection uses analysis of external data. The findings indicate a slight improvement in grades (3-5%), lacking statistical significance (p > 0.05) and a significant level of engagement (95%). This statistic raises questions about the relationship between increased engagement and tangible academic outcomes. Students show enhanced engagement through AI-driven personalised learning pathways and continuous feedback systems. Through predictive AI systems, institutions can immediately identify students facing performance-related challenges. AI peer-to-peer support must become accessible to every student without restricting it to only at-risk students. AI application policies in universities must follow mechanisms that allow adjustment for various student peerlearning environments. Partnership with AI developers remains crucial to integrate technology momentum with teaching targets. All AI peer-support policies need to include ethical criteria to maintain responsible deployment. The results suggest that while AI platforms can complement traditional peer support services, further research is necessary to understand their long-term effects on academic performance and retention. Bottom of Form

Academic social loafing among Summer Debre Markos university students, Ethiopia: Effect of intervention

Kelemu Zelalem Berhanu — 2025-05-19

Over the past few decades, there has been a growing emphasis on the appropriateness of group-based activities in student learning. Therefore, this study aimed to provide practical evidence or activities for reducing social loafing with the performance implications of teamwork in students. The planning, intervening, assessing, and reflecting steps of the action research design were used in this study. Cognitive and constructivist theoretical frameworks were adhered to in this investigation. Eighty summer students from Debre Markos University in Ethiopia participated in the study. Interviews, survey exams, and classroom observations were utilised to get the information participants needed. As a result, before intervention, most students had not engaged in group projects effectively. Additionally, students’ survey test scores for the group work were statistically significant on both the pre-test and post-test. Students’ collaboration scores on the pre-test and post-test showed no gender differences. Based on these findings, the instructor or researcher implemented several tasks or activities to maximise the effectiveness of teamwork. These included forming cohesive and small teams, establishing specific demands and outcomes, providing a peer evaluation opportunity, outlining the importance of the task, assigning dividing assignments, and evaluating the process and output of the group’s performance. The researcher suggested that other instructors apply these interventions to improve team effectiveness.

Unfreedoms of isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans Grade 10 classrooms: A capability perspective

Chantelle August-Mowers — 2025-05-19

This study explored the unfreedom of Grade 10 isiXhosa learners, highlighting the complex language, teaching, and assessment dynamics in Afrikaans classrooms. The study draws on them Capability Approach (CA) of Sen (1999) to assess the unfreedoms of learners in Afrikaans Grade 10 classrooms. It underscores the experiences of isiXhosa learners and the limitations imposed on them. Unfreedoms in CA are those hindrances to people’s or institutions’ capacity or ability to achieve. Although multilingualism is acknowledged globally and in South Africa as an inevitable reality, the limitations for isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans classrooms contradict the opportunities and possibilities in a limited educational space. A qualitative approach and case study design were used, and two Grade 10 classes were used to illustrate the case. The study conducted individual, focused group interviews and questionnaires to explore the experiences and views of isiXhosa learners placed in Grade 10 Afrikaans classrooms. The study revealed unfreedoms (limitations for isiXhosa learners enrolled in Afrikaans classrooms and the contributing factors that compound these unfreedoms to the learners’ ability to achieve educational objectives. Factors such as teachers’ frustrations with isiXhosa learners, lack of support, and teachers’ negative attitudes towards accommodating isiXhosa learners in the classroom were highlighted. Not limited to parental perceptions about the Afrikaans language as a language of opportunity, further constraints the learner’s enrolment choice. The lack of available space in public schools also forces parents to enrol students where there is available space, even if it means putting isiXhosa learners in Afrikaans home language classrooms to achieve access to education. The research recommends a translanguaging intervention model as it presents a promising avenue to address underperformance.

A systematic literature review of the latest instructional models for teaching English writing

Herdi Herdi — 2025-05-19

Considering the universality of writing struggles faced by both the students and teachers, it is an unexpected observation to find that there are most likely only a dozen or so systematic reviews on the topic. Among these reviews, none so far have focused on identifying and discussing English writing instructional models. This paper systematically reviewed original research papers on English writing instructional models that were published from 2020 to 2024. Using tools such as Publish and Perish, R Studio and NVivo to review the eligible 86 studies, this study identified 60 instructional models for teaching English writing, 25 of them having been newly developed and proposed in the last five years. The names of every instruction or teaching models that were identified are organized based on ten commonalities that several models share: template-based (6), genre-specific (6), discussion-based (8), ICT-based (10), feedback-based (3), focused on lesson plan (10), integration (5), insight (3), collaboration (6), and country-specific (3). A novelty of this systematic review is that it focused on discussing the writing instructional models and presented them by themes that make them easily comparable and easy-to-use for teachers who are aiming to change and improve the way they teach English writing.

Censorship in literature education: Background and guidelines to facilitate the discussion of controversial youth literature

Judith Elizabeth Vos — 2025-05-19

Youth literature can be regarded as an important educational tool. However, controversial issues in youth literature become more prominent and the different opinions (internationally and individually) on such issues place the focus more on censorship. This article aims to provide an overview and analysis of the discourse on censorship in literature. Language teachers remain the most dominant role players in schools to make the correct text choices in promoting reading. Our study proposes a critical pedagogical approach to controversial issues in youth literature. We offer guidelines that language teachers can use in the classroom to facilitate the discussion of controversial issues in youth literature in a self-directed manner with learners.

Editorial

Jan Nieuwenhuis — 2025-05-19

The current issue is a unique collection of articles covering school and higher education, and can be divided into three broad themes: higher education, teaching and learning and teacher professional development.