TEACHING AND LEARNING PHILOSOPHIES THAT SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS USE TO DEVELOP CRITICAL-THINKING SKILLS IN LEARNERS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Learners' success and acquisition of critical skills depend on the philosophy of teaching and learning that teachers practise in classrooms.Critical thinking allows individuals to become more independent, creative and effective problem-solvers; skills that are essential for success in any field.The purpose of the paper is to examine how secondary school teachers use teaching and learning philosophies in classrooms to develop critical thinking skills in learners.The study used a qualitative research approach and a multiple case-study design to understand the participants' perspectives.The study population consisted of 43 Grades 10-12 secondary school teachers within a circuit of the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) District in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.The sample size consisted of 12 teachers.Purposive sampling was used to select the participants based on set criteria.The researchers used semi-structured and focus group interviews to collect data from participants.The study used thematic analysis methods to analyse data.The findings revealed that teachers used progressivism and social constructivism as teaching and learning philosophies to develop critical thinking skills in learners.The authors conclude that teachers who practise relevant philosophies of teaching and learning in the classroom help develop the learners' intellectual and perceptive capacity within the educational systems.The finding implies that when teachers applied the principles of the social constructivist and progressive theories, they created positive learning outcomes and academic success for their learners.