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This presentation is work-in-progress where the objective is to explore instructional leadership as an effective approach to improving and supporting the quality of accounting education at the secondary school level.

Ultimately to determine its impact on improving learner performance as measured by the matric results .

Not much literature exists in accounting education at a secondary school level in S.A.

The curriculum has become more complex since 2008 involving: additional topics new assessment strategies H/G & S/G merged into ordinary grade

The discipline now requires a higher level of understanding for teaching and learning.

Background

The teaching and learning of accounting in many high schools still involve doing accounting as a technical process and lack engaging with the subjects content knowledge on a higher order level.

By this I mean developing critical thinkers and independent thinkers through analysing business information for decision-making and problem solving

BackgroundPoor classroom practice in many underperforming

accounting classrooms show:• Teachers do not know the subject matter or how to

teach it• Content coverage is inadequate• Teachers are not given sufficient guidance on

what and how to teach beyond the curriculum guideline documents

• Learners adopt a surface approach to learning probably stemming from a surface approach to teaching

Background

Furthermore limitations also exist in the leadership role.

Leadership of the curriculum expects the leader to be a master of the subject. (Taylor, 2007)

“the management of teaching & learning concepts in South African schools is adversely affected by a weak grasp of the curriculum and particularly of the New National curriculum statement” (Taylor, 2008).

An (EMS) HOD can be one of any of the specialist areas. Hence a number of EMS HODS are not Accounting specialists.

Theories that inform this study

Instructional leadership as set out by Hallinger, 1983; Hallinger & Murphy’s model, 1985;Murphy’s model, 1990; Webers model, 1996.

A comprehensive perspective of this leadership style has been determined from a few appealing models and frameworks that were relevant for this study from the international literature as well as the restriction of a few local studies (Ali & Botha, 2006; Bush & Glover, 2009; Bush, et al., 2010)

Several components suit the nature of this study that appear to be necessary for the Accounting HOD to influence classroom practice and positively influence learner performance

Curriculum Leadership

Taylor, 2008 - to improve results, curriculum leadership and teacher knowledge are some of the many important factors that separate successful S.A. schools from the less successful. This suggests that teachers need stronger content knowledge and knowledge of how to teach their subject and HODs must ensure this is done through sound curriculum leadership.

Hence the notion of internal accountability systems carried out by the HOD is necessary to achieve good results.

Curriculum Leadership

Studies done of middle managers in South Africa, suggest that teaching and learning can improve extensively if ‘HODS spend much more time in supervising the teaching and learning activities that occur daily in their subject or learning area.’ (Ali & Botha, 2006)

This study recognises that an Accounting HOD that values teaching and learning as the central task of one’s job description can ultimately improve learner performance.

Program of WorkFour schools in GDE (district 14) were selected as a

comparative study based on their matric Accounting results since 2008 to determine the level of or lack of instructional leadership amongst Accounting HODs.

Each Accounting HOD will complete a questionaire and the HOD, principal and Accounting teachers will be interviewed to determine if instructional leadership exists and if so, the extent of it.

ChallengesTo investigate whether it is important to have an

accounting specialist as an HOD and if not can instructional leadership be of value and strength required by the educators.

To ensure this study is a highly supportive approach and not of a critical nature.

The benefits of Instructional leadership in leading Accounting

The Department of Education’s initiatives (2010) are by way of providing for extra support in key subjects through extra lessons through secondary school improvement programmes to improve classroom practice and boost the pass rates.

However this study argues that providing extra support to

middle managers as instructional leaders may also have a direct influence on classroom practice and school management in South Africa has been an area that has been neglected thus far in considering the training and development needs of schools managers.(Hoadley, Christie & Ward. 2009)

The benefits of Instructional leadership in leading Accounting

Harris, 2001 - the department is an important ‘missing link’ in school improvement theory and practice and takes the view of school improvement as internally generated and internally driven. Furthermore the department level within secondary schools is an underutilized but important means of mobilizing and sustaining school improvement.

This research aims to make a contribution and should lay valuable foundations for further more ambitious research studies in addressing the vast limitations that exist in the teaching, learning and leadership of accounting at the FET band of public secondary schooling in Gauteng and South Africa at large.

SAICA A Competency Framework for Entry-Level CAs

•The new South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) accounting curriculum is: •Compatible with the new School curriculum•Requires wider skills and knowledge •Involves better teaching and learning methods

Tertiary level Accounting Experience demonstrates that

•The tutorial system can transform accountancy teaching and learning, but:

•Instructional leadership at the middle management level (course co-ordinators of Accounting) is the key to good tutoring – and student success!