[ Pratiques pédagogiques des enseignants de 6eme primaire de Bunia en mathématiques ]
BELA Legono1, Mukiekie Tshite2, Kimbuani Mabella3, and Kamba Eyanganunga4
1 Chef de Travaux, Faculté de Psychologie et des Sciences de l’Education, Université de Kisangani, RD Congo
2 Doctorant en Pédagogie, Université de Kisangani, RD Congo
3 Doctorant en Pédagogie, Université de Kisangani, RD Congo
4 Doctorant en Pédagogie, Université de Kisangani, RD Congo
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This study describes and analyses the teaching practices of Grade 6 primary school mathematics teachers in Bunia, within a school context characterised by overcrowded classrooms, often inadequate initial training, and poor results in mathematics despite the introduction of free schooling. Drawing on the pedagogical effectiveness model of Creemers and Kyriakides (2010) and the principles of explicit instruction of Rosenshine and Stevens (1986), the article examines the extent to which teachers in 17 schools in Bunia (69 teachers, 23 Year 6 classes, 2023–2024 academic year) employ key practices such as daily review, clear objectives, step-by-step presentation, checking for understanding, feedback and individual practice. Data were collected using a standardised observation grid (α = 0.92) and subjected to descriptive statistics and the chi-square test to compare the frequencies of use of the various practices. The results show that Grade 6 teachers in Bunia excel in the clarity and structure of their lessons: they clearly define objectives, avoid digressions, present content in successive stages, and support difficult concepts with numerous detailed explanations and a wide range of practical examples. The majority also regularly check pupils’ understanding by asking oral questions and correcting mistakes, which is consistent with explicit and sequential teaching. Furthermore, feedback and error correction are frequent, with teachers encouraging pupils, giving them clues, correcting incorrect answers and sometimes re-teaching the same material. Conversely, practices involving the revision and checking of daily work are rarely implemented: a large proportion of teachers do not systematically check homework, do not ask short questions at the start of the lesson, nor do they use various forms of revision (peer correction, group work, written summaries, etc.). Similarly, supervised individual practice remains rare, with few established routines, brief interactions with pupils and limited opportunities for differentiated practice, even for difficult content. In conclusion, although 6 Grade primary school teachers in Bunia demonstrate proficiency in clarity, structured presentation and feedback, their practices remain inadequate in terms of daily revision, differentiation and ongoing individual practice. The authors attribute these shortcomings to a combination of structural constraints (overcrowded classes, limited teacher training, and lack of resources) and propose, in response, continuing professional development schemes and lesson plan templates to strengthen explicit and differentiated teaching of mathematics in Grade 6.
Author Keywords: DR Congo, explicit teaching, mathematics teaching, teaching effectiveness, teaching practices.
BELA Legono1, Mukiekie Tshite2, Kimbuani Mabella3, and Kamba Eyanganunga4
1 Chef de Travaux, Faculté de Psychologie et des Sciences de l’Education, Université de Kisangani, RD Congo
2 Doctorant en Pédagogie, Université de Kisangani, RD Congo
3 Doctorant en Pédagogie, Université de Kisangani, RD Congo
4 Doctorant en Pédagogie, Université de Kisangani, RD Congo
Original language: French
Copyright © 2026 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
This study describes and analyses the teaching practices of Grade 6 primary school mathematics teachers in Bunia, within a school context characterised by overcrowded classrooms, often inadequate initial training, and poor results in mathematics despite the introduction of free schooling. Drawing on the pedagogical effectiveness model of Creemers and Kyriakides (2010) and the principles of explicit instruction of Rosenshine and Stevens (1986), the article examines the extent to which teachers in 17 schools in Bunia (69 teachers, 23 Year 6 classes, 2023–2024 academic year) employ key practices such as daily review, clear objectives, step-by-step presentation, checking for understanding, feedback and individual practice. Data were collected using a standardised observation grid (α = 0.92) and subjected to descriptive statistics and the chi-square test to compare the frequencies of use of the various practices. The results show that Grade 6 teachers in Bunia excel in the clarity and structure of their lessons: they clearly define objectives, avoid digressions, present content in successive stages, and support difficult concepts with numerous detailed explanations and a wide range of practical examples. The majority also regularly check pupils’ understanding by asking oral questions and correcting mistakes, which is consistent with explicit and sequential teaching. Furthermore, feedback and error correction are frequent, with teachers encouraging pupils, giving them clues, correcting incorrect answers and sometimes re-teaching the same material. Conversely, practices involving the revision and checking of daily work are rarely implemented: a large proportion of teachers do not systematically check homework, do not ask short questions at the start of the lesson, nor do they use various forms of revision (peer correction, group work, written summaries, etc.). Similarly, supervised individual practice remains rare, with few established routines, brief interactions with pupils and limited opportunities for differentiated practice, even for difficult content. In conclusion, although 6 Grade primary school teachers in Bunia demonstrate proficiency in clarity, structured presentation and feedback, their practices remain inadequate in terms of daily revision, differentiation and ongoing individual practice. The authors attribute these shortcomings to a combination of structural constraints (overcrowded classes, limited teacher training, and lack of resources) and propose, in response, continuing professional development schemes and lesson plan templates to strengthen explicit and differentiated teaching of mathematics in Grade 6.
Author Keywords: DR Congo, explicit teaching, mathematics teaching, teaching effectiveness, teaching practices.
Abstract: (french)
Cette étude analyse les pratiques pédagogiques des enseignants de 6ᵉ année primaire en mathématiques à Bunia, dans un contexte de classes surchargées, de formation limitée et de faibles performances des élèves. En s’appuyant sur les modèles de Creemers et Kyriakides (2010) et de Rosenshine et Stevens (1986), elle examine l’usage de pratiques clés (révision, clarté des objectifs, progression par étapes, vérification de la compréhension, rétroaction et pratique individuelle) auprès de 69 enseignants dans 17 écoles (année 2023-2024). Les données, collectées via une grille d’observation standardisée (α = 0,92), sont analysées à l’aide de statistiques descriptives et du test du χ². Les résultats montrent que les enseignants se distinguent par la clarté et la structuration des leçons : objectifs précis, progression par étapes et explications détaillées avec exemples. La vérification de la compréhension et la rétroaction sont fréquentes. En revanche, la révision régulière, la vérification du travail journalier et la pratique individuelle supervisée restent limitées. En conclusion, malgré une bonne maîtrise de l’enseignement explicite, des insuffisances persistent en matière de révision, de différenciation et de pratique continue, en raison notamment des contraintes structurelles. L’étude recommande le renforcement de la formation continue et l’adoption d’outils pédagogiques adaptés.
Author Keywords: efficacité pédagogique, enseignement explicite, enseignement des mathématiques, pratiques pédagogiques, RD Congo.
