**3. Methods and materials**

For the purposes of this investigation, the authors followed a qualitative approach entrenched by a case study design. This is a research approach applied for generating an in-depth understanding for some compound issues affecting reallife situations. Authors used this type of design in order to have an understanding of recent social distancing trajectories affecting the previous normal running of schools [17]. Truths pertaining human behavior as authors studied the real-world circumstances that unfolded were put together [18]. An inclusive understanding pertaining to teacher perspectives on language development on the view that grouping of learners was no longer a practice, henceforth social distancing code of practice, was followed. For the context of this study, investigation was based on

administering semistructured interviews to 10 purposefully selected teachers from three different primary schools in one district of the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa [19, 20]. Authors decided to embark on selecting participants in a purposive manner as this sampling technique allows researchers to rely on own judgment when nominating population members to participate. Henceforth, we decided to identify teachers from the surrounding locations where high COVID-19 death tolls had been reported by statistics [11]. Further than that, purposive sampling was a method that suited us well, hence the limited number of our participants who served as primary data sources by virtue of the case study designed ingraining this investigation. Participants nominated were teachers who offered English language as a medium reinforcing the utmost percentage of subjects enrolled in these particular schools.

As perceived by research, semistructured interviews as a data-collection instrument permitted the authors full engagement with all participants, more so that chances to explore more on crucial emerging themes seemed eminent [21]. Open-ended interview questions revolved around viewpoints of teachers on the subject of learner proficiency reading levels as directed by the abolishing of engaging on reading as groups, despite the previously reported improved readership in learners when such reading exercises used to be tackled in daily learner groupings. Despite the interview schedule containing open-ended questions, authors were at liberty to throw follow-up questions in instances where further clarities were deemed necessary. As a way of observing the current social distancing procedures, as well as avoiding grouping all participants in one common venue, interviews were conducted in a one-on-one fashion. Authors arranged meetings for each single participant at a single time. The interaction or engagements between the authors and participants started in September 2021 and at a later stage got terminated beginning December 2021 as both the interviewers and the interviewees became entangled in the processes of administering examinations in their varying work stations. As the interview schedule was administered, authors took some recordings, which were later replayed again and again. These recordings were taken in a different number of visits and days, for an interval ranging between 15 and 20 minutes for each individual participant. This method helped authors to be able to transcribe all responses from all participants, avoiding not to disregard any single response. Similar or relevant responses were grouped together and thereby coded by the authors as a way of formulating themes [17–22].
