Developments in History teaching at secondary school level in Swaziland: lessons from classroom research.

Abstract

History is a complex subject and teaching history is even much more complex than people think. It is more propositional than procedural in nature and involves adductive reasoning, where historical evidence and facts are reconstructed through speculation, imagination and empathy (Nichol, 1984; Booth, 1983). The effective teaching of history is more than the transmission of knowledge, but rather it is a process where students and teachers interact in the classroom as they share ideas, reflect and engage in reasoning. It is through this interaction that thinking and understanding will occur. This paper is a reflection on the developments in the teaching of history at secondary and high school level in Swaziland. The paper is based on research on a new history curriculum introduced in Swaziland in January 2006. In particular, the paper will highlight the research on the implementation of the new history syllabus. The paper will highlight the major challenges facing history teaching in the context of the new curriculum. Implications for the preparation of history teachers in Swaziland will be identified.