EXPLORING TEACHERS UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONCEPTION OF INDIGENOUS GAMES IN TEACHING MARKET STRUCTURES IN THABO-MOFUTSANYANE EDUCATION DISTRICT, FREE STATE, SOUTH AFRICA

Habasisa Molise; Moketla Mamabolo; Ngwako Modiba

doi:10.31435/ijite.3(55).2026.5014

Authors

Habasisa Molise University of Limpopo, South Africa
Moketla Mamabolo University of Limpopo, South Africa
Ngwako Modiba University of Limpopo, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijite.3(55).2026.5014

Keywords:

Indigenous Games, Market Structures, Economics Education, Social Constructivist Theory, Rural Schooling, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

Abstract

This article examines how teachers conceptualise indigenous games (IG) when using them to teach market structures in secondary school Economics classrooms. Drawing on Social Constructivist Theory, the article argues that indigenous games are not merely recreational activities but culturally grounded pedagogical tools that can support learners’ understanding of abstract economic concepts such as competition, firm behaviour, interdependence, and strategic decision-making. Six Grade 11 Economics teachers were purposively selected from three secondary schools, three males and females respectively. Using an interpretive qualitative case study design, data were generated through semi-structured interviews in three rural secondary schools in the Thabo-Mofutsanyane Education District, Free State, South Africa. Thematic analysis revealed that teachers’ conceptions of indigenous games clustered around three interrelated ideas: indigenous games as African cultural heritage, as informal yet structured learning tools, and as locally sourced educational resources suitable for under-resourced contexts. The findings suggest that teachers’ understanding of indigenous games shapes how effectively these games are translated into meaningful curriculum mediation, particularly within the CAPS Economics framework.

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