Dorimana, Aline

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

Teacher-student interactions for enhanced learning in upper secondary mathematics classroom

By Dorimana, Aline

Interactive teaching practices in mathematics classrooms are encouraged to meet the learning potential. However, how it is applied in the classroom is still challenging. This paper uses evidence gathered from a large research project to contribute to the understanding of teacher-student interactions. It followed an interventional approach with two teachers and 82 students of two grade 11 classes from one school of Kayonza District in Rwanda. Data were collected through observations, video recordings, and field notes. Results revealed that there is a variety of ways to facilitate and keep interactive learning. These include asking purposeful questions and giving feedback. The quality of teacher facilitation (52%) and students' engagement (60%) were moderately high. However, there was little guidance from teachers in the problem-solving process and the classroom discourse. It is argued that the role of instructional language in communication hinders the quality of teacher-student interactions. This leads us to advise an exploration of language supportive pedagogy in the Rwandan context. © 2022, Institute of Advanced Engineering and Science. All rights reserved.

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Silence and silencing in the classroom: Rwandan girls’ epistemic exclusion in English medium basic education

By Dorimana, Aline

This paper develops the notion of epistemic exclusion as a way of exploring the different types of silence and silencing that happen in English medium Rwandan classrooms. By focusing on classroom observationsof teachers’ pedagogic practices and the ways in which girls interact in the classrooms, we demonstrate how experiences of epistemic exclusion intersect with other mechanisms of marginalisation, in this case related to gendered norms and expected behaviours. Through thematic analysis of dual classroom observation schedules and video transcriptions from 32 Primary Six and Secondary Three lessons in four government schools, we have identified examples where learners’ engagement in the co-construction of language and subject knowledge was limited by classroom practices. Silence, and silencing, of girls was particularly observed in Secondary Three where reluctance to speak in class and respond to teachers’ questions, combined with lack of confidence as evidenced through body language, deprived girls from participating in spontaneous classroom talk. Conclusions discuss how silencing limits girls’ epistemic inclusion. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

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