**5.5 Learner-centred strategies utilised in the learning and teaching of NS concepts**

Sub-research questions for the study sought to establish the learner-centred strategies utilised in the learning and teaching of NS concepts. Findings from interviews revealed the strategy of using students at the centre when teaching is an innovative idea. According to CAPS, the involvement of students in a lesson is important for optimising learning. Students should play an important role by engaging in the main idea instead of having a teacher assist them during the learning process. In South Africa, according to the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, 2014, students should be taught how to read independently and avoid inculcating knowledge without knowing the meaning of the text. This prepares the students to be diligent readers without anyone supervising them. This is to further the goal of the South African curriculum to enable the students to learn and do classroom activities and focus on education as emphasised by CAPS. A different teaching approach put forward by [20] claims that inquiry-based science allows teachers to be more creative while also enhancing pupils' ability to understand science concepts and procedures. In addition, teachers assume that students now have a much better understanding of the topic if they engage in code switching.
