Teaching For Engagement: A Practice to Foster Lessons in the Central Senatorial District of Cross River State, Nigeria

Teaching for engagement is an innovative strategy that places the learner at the fore of education. It is an approach which promotes active learning among children in primary schools. A multi-site case study was undertaken to explore the ways teachers conducted teaching for engagement to affect classroom lessons in three state primary schools located in Abi, Ikom and Boki Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Cross River State, Nigeria. Three (3) research questions were posed for the study. Six (6) teachers were selected from three primary schools across these LGAs for the study. Based on the social inclusion theory data was analyzed thematically. Findings were based on stated research questions and indicate that practitioner’s choice of instructional strategy and promotion of learner voice affect engagement at lesson; huge workload on teachers and poor knowledge of pedagogy hinder engagement. It was recommended that emphasis should be on learner-centredness during classroom instruction, and that competent teachers have to be recruited to work in primary schools within the context.