Post- Pandemic: Teachers' reflections of implementing an extensive reading intervention amid Covid-19

Abstract

Teaching reading is a complex act, and is made more challenging if the teaching environment is very complicated as it was in many contexts during the Covid-19 pandemic. This unfavourable context, required teachers to engage in regular reflections to make critical decisions about how to respond to the pandemic and its regulations so as to improve their practice. Post pandemic, the current study captures the reflections of two in-service Foundation Phase who were asked to reflect on their experience of implementing an extensive reading programme with 7-10 years old learners amid COVID-19 lockdown in a township in South Africa. This qualitative, interpretative study used data generation methods of self-reflective journals and focus group discussions to document experiences of two participating teachers. Analysis of the reflections show that COVID-19 regulations negatively impacted the successful implementation of the programme. However, teachers were overwhelmingly positive about the benefits of implementing the programme during this time, as they became reflexive and reflective in their practice. Findings imply that challenges in implementation should not be regarded as obstacles of weakness but as new opportunities of knowledge. Recommendations for implementing reading programmes post COVID - 19 are provided based on the data collected.