Teachers’ proof or teacher proof?  The influence of performativity on teachers’ practice in South African classrooms

Bernice Badal

doi:10.56285/jltVol58iss2a5910

Bernice Badal University of South Africa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6503-6168

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56285/jltVol58iss2a5910

Keywords: Teacher accountability; performativity; teacher compliance; teacher judgement; teacher voice.

Abstract

Using the meta-theoretical tenets of social constructivism and the conceptual framework of Stephen Ball (2003), this qualitative study investigated teachers’ perceptions and practices in highly regulated reform policy contexts. Data capture involved semi-structured inter¬views and observations conducted over the period of a school year. Findings revealed that accountability and performativity measures that are aligned with the current reform have increased the complexity of teachers’ practices, intensified labour and heightened their need for compliance. The data revealed a dissonance between the perceptions of policy bureaucrats and teachers in relation to the efficacy of statistical goals within the paradigm of performativity However, the main factor that motivated teachers’ compliance and conformity hinged on the creation of a favourable impression and an appeasement of external agents.
The central position of this article, how¬ever, holds that suppressing teachers’ professional judgement leads to the neglect of crucial learning goals such as learner motivation and critical thinking which are crucial aims of schooling. English teachers are best placed to support this type of learning, but it is doubtful whether silenced teachers can raise critical learners.

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Author Biography

Bernice Badal, University of South Africa

Dr Bernice Badal is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English Studies at the University of South Africa. She holds a master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from Stellenbosch University and a PhD in Curriculum, Instructional Design, and Development from the University of Pretoria. Dr Badal teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including the supervision of Master’s and Doctoral students, with a focus on language and literature. With extensive experience in teaching, curriculum development, and language education, she brings a wealth of practical and theoretical insights to her work. Her research interests include teacher voice, gender, agency, and education, reflecting a commitment to exploring critical issues at the intersection of pedagogy and social justice.

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