Development of historical literacy through textual materials and teachers’ classroom practice in secondary schools: evidence from official documents and focus groups

This study investigates the development of historical literacy among secondary school teachers, which is presumed to affect student performance. Critical discourse analysis was deployed in reviewing official documents and examining the adequacy of textual materials, facilitated by a set of tools adapted from Michigan University USA. Focus group discussions were conducted to investigate teachers’ conceptual understanding, classroom practice and assessment literacy. Purposive sampling was used to select secondary schools in the Dodoma and Morogoro regions from which respondents were drawn. Research findings suggest the existence of gaps in official documents and textual materials with regard to the integration of key components of historical literacy, namely content, inquiry, language literacy, citizenship and identity. Limited or no emphasis is placed on inquiry, language literacy, citizenship or identity. Teachers’ disciplinary and assessment literacy is low; consequently, teaching and learning are predominantly content based. These findings imply the need for a focused review of the subject and appropriate professional development of teachers.