Abstract:

Rural South African schools face significant challenges in delivering quality physical science education, affecting novice physical science teachers and learner performance. This systematic review examines how the teaching challenges experienced by novice physical science teachers impact learners in rural high schools. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using databases like Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for studies published between 2014 and 2024. Ten relevant studies were identified and analysed thematically. The review highlights four main challenges: language barriers hindering clear communication, resource scarcity limiting practical experiments, overcrowded classrooms impeding individualized attention, and inadequate content knowledge undermining teachers' confidence. These challenges directly affect classroom efficacy—the ability to teach effectively and manage the classroom—leading to poor learner performance in physical sciences. The findings suggest that existing literature and interventions often emphasize professional development over immediate classroom needs, potentially undermining efforts to improve learner outcomes. The study underscores the need for targeted support for novice physical science teachers in rural contexts. Recommendations include providing language support, resources, classroom management training, and enhancing content knowledge. Despite limitations like limited specific data and contextual variations, the study offers valuable insights into improving teaching effectiveness and calls for future research to prioritize classroom efficacy in rural education settings.

Keywords:

Novice teachers, Physical Sciences, teaching challenges, rural schools, learner performance.