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Visual literacy is defined as competencies that enable an individual to understand, interpret, use, generate, and evaluate visual images or messages. The role of visual literacy in teaching mathematics is to enhance learners' understanding of complex concepts, accommodate their needs, promote their logical and critical thinking, and develop their communication skills. To develop learners' visual literacy, teachers need to use meaningful teaching styles and strategies in mentoring and guiding their learners, giving them sufficient opportunities to engage in meaningful tasks. This study therefore aimed to answer the research questions regarding what mathematics teachers' understanding of the role of visual literacy in mathematics teaching is; and how their instruction in terms of teaching styles and strategies facilitated the development of visual literacy. A two-part conceptual framework was used: the first part focuses on teachers' styles and strategies and the second part on the integration of different visual media with text during instruction. This article reports on an explorative case study conducted with three Form 2 (second year of secondary school) mathematics teachers who were required to facilitate visual literacy in their classrooms. The data were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews and a deductive analysis approach was implemented. The study revealed that a teacher-centred teaching style and direct instruction as teaching strategy dominated all three teachers' instruction. Information was provided to the learners in the form of demonstrations through the use of still media, and oral explanations, with inadequate opportunities for learners to engage in encoding and decoding visual information. We make the recommendation that teacher training programmes should focus on how teachers can use various teaching strategies in a learnerand teacher-centred style, but also how visual media can be made and effectively used by both the teacher and learners to develop their visual literacy.

Mathematical literacy (ML) is a compulsory subject in South Africa for those learners who choose not to do mathematics to Grade 12 level. ML is designed to enable a learner to become a self-managing person by providing opportunities to analyse and solve real-life problems through the mathematisation of contextual situations. The subject thus lends itself to modelling situations in which a mathematical problem involves a process of transferring between the mathematics and reality. This article reports on an explorative case study conducted with four ML teachers who were required to facilitate mathematisation in modelling situations in their classrooms. Schukajlow's three categories of mathematical problems were applied to identify the types of problems the ML teachers used. The strategies used by the teachers in facilitating the mathematisation process were analysed using a framework in which a real-life problem is explored, a model is formulated and analysed and the result of its application is interpreted and validated in terms of the context. This study focuses on the horizontal mathematisation that lies between context presentation and model formulation. Classroom observations were used to collect the data and a deductive analysis approach was implemented. The study revealed that some teachers find it difficult to go beyond intra-mathematical problems and that the modelling process in general, and the function and direction of mathematisation in particular, are not well understood. The resistance to the use of real-life contexts in the ML classroom was based on disinterest in the context itself or an inability to relate to the real-life situation. We make the recommendation that the process of mathematisation in a modelling situation must be taught systematically and deliberately in pre-service mathematics teacher training programmes.

In this case study, Mathematical Literacy teachers were interviewed and observed in the classroom in order to provide insight into the way this subject, relatively new in South African schools, is handled. The focus of this research was the instructional practice of these teachers specifically in terms of their mathematical knowledge regarding the subject and its learners. The idea that this subject is inferior to other subjects in general, but to mathematics in particular, was alluded to by some participants, alongside of the notion that it was infra dig to teach it. The study revealed that a working knowledge of mathematics as well as teaching-and-learning skills are necessary for this subject to achieve what it was meant to do when it was introduced into South African high schools in 2006.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced education to shift from face-to-face to online instruction, resulting in various technological, pedagogical, and social challenges. Oral hearing-impaired (HI) learners experienced difficulty participating in synchronous online lessons due to hearing devices not picking up sounds, slow typing speed, unfamiliarity with online devices, and emotional side effects. This study aimed to investigate the influence of COVID-19 on mathematics teachers' inclusive practices for HI learners. Using a case study design, data in the form of semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analysis were collected from two high school mathematics teachers before and during emergency remote teaching (ERT). The South African Department of Basic Education's guidelines for responding to learner diversity in the classroom and the design step in Whittle et al.'s (2020) ERT environment framework guided the analysis. The study found that teachers need adequate training and support when teaching HI learners. During the pandemic, HI learners were neglected as teachers focused on making videos and there was a lack of inclusive practices. Schools have a responsibility to provide technical training and support for teachers. Future research is needed to determine how the pandemic and the lack of inclusive practices affect HI learners' progression in mathematics, leading to a framework to guide inclusive mathematics teaching during future pandemics and ERT scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this case study, Mathematical Literacy teachers were interviewed and observed in the classroom in order to provide insight into the way this subject, relatively new in South African schools, is handled. The focus of this research was the instructional practice of these teachers specifically in terms of their mathematical knowledge regarding the subject and its learners. The idea that this subject is inferior to other subjects in general, but to mathematics in particular, was alluded to by some participants, alongside of the notion that it was infra dig to teach it. The study revealed that a working knowledge of mathematics as well as teaching-and-learning skills are necessary for this subject to achieve what it was meant to do when it was introduced into South African high schools in 2006. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]