Instructional Strategies for Effectively Teaching Mathematics in Grade 1 Classrooms in Rumanyo: A Kavango East Region Case

Fluency in the dominant language of learning, teaching, and evaluation is a critical issue for inclusivity and equity. The present study sought to establish instructional strategies that may be devised by the Rumanyo teachers to effectively teach mathematics for Grade 1 learners in the medium of Rumanyo as a mother tongue in the Namibian context. This study used a mixed-methods research approach and a constructivist theoretical framework. A mixed-method research design was chosen because it is necessary to demonstrate the validity and reliability of the quantitative components when using mixed methods, as well as the integration of qualitative and quantitative findings across the entire study. The sample size was chosen on purpose. In the Kavango East Region (KER), the sample comprises of ten teachers, five management personnel, and three advising teachers. Based on the following standards, purposeful sampling was used: Only Grade 1 teachers with at least one year of teaching experience, graduate from any colleges, the University of Namibia, and other institutions, teachers enrolled in the University of Namibia’s Diploma in Junior Primary Education (DJPE) programme who are teaching in Rumanyo, principals or head of department (HOD) at a school, and teachers undergoing In-Service Educational Training (INSET) and advisory board members. These instructors and advisory educators were chosen because it was believed that they would have information regarding how the mother tongue affects maths performance. A classroom observation checklist and the focus group interview guide were used to collect data. While quantitative data were provided in tables and graphs and employed descriptive analysis to analyse the data, qualitative data were presented verbatim and in themes and were subjected to content analysis. The findings reveal that teaching aids like stones, bottle tops, and any kind of seeds like mahangu seeds, beans, and ground nuts help my students in counting and solving addition and subtraction sums. The study recommends that further study is sought to establish hindering factors of teaching mathematics in the medium of Rumanyo and develop a framework to enhance mathematics instruction in the medium of Rumanyo. Also, an App titled “Shinyanga” should be developed in the language of Rumanyo by adapting it from the existing App of the Oshindonga dialect with the goal of linking Rumanyo-speaking youngsters to their language by allowing them to listen to historic Rumanyo folklore, songs, and poems. As a result, they would be able to supplement their language skills.