In improving teaching and learning environment in Tanzania since 1990s the main emphasis is on use of participatory teaching methods. This is a shift from traditional teacher centred pedagogy to participatory teaching methods (Meena, 2004) where learners create meaning of what they learn through active participation in the teaching and learning process (Emsheimer & Mtana, 2004). This thinking is based on the constructivist learning theories developed by Piaget (1970), Vygotsky (1978) and Bruner (1996). Most of the teachers in the primary schools have been oriented to teaching practices based on traditional teaching approaches where learners’ participation is very limited. The use of traditional methods where the one who gets get and the one who misses miss is triggered by a number of factors, for example large class sizes, instructional materials, teacher qualification, quality of the learner, school management, environment surrounding the school and school culture (Rajabu, 2000; Osaki, 2000; Nakabugo, Albert & Maani, 2006; Barrett, 2007). Since constructivism implies that knowledge is constructed by the individual, it has prompted the development of teaching/learning situations which stress and encourage participation of learners in the teaching and learning process. This implies a shift of emphasis from teaching to learning. Since the turn towards learner centered approaches to learning is a new thing which requires teachers to change their practices, it is important to find out what views they have about the newly introduced approach to learning taking into consideration of the school environments in which they work. This paper therefore will explore teachers’ views on the use of participatory teaching methods and the challenges which face teachers in the primary schools in attempting to cope with the pedagogical change process taking place in the schools. The paper attempts to answer the following research questions. • What are the primary school teachers’ views on the use of participatory teaching and learning methods? • What challenges do teachers get in using participatory teaching and learning methods? The paper will cover the following perspectives which are, training of teachers in Tanzania, quality teaching and learning, participatory teaching and learning methods; challenges facing teachers in adopting the participatory teaching and learning approaches.

In understanding the views of teachers on the use participatory approach to learning, the researcher uses qualitative research taking phenomenology as a point of departure. The selection of subjects is in line with Patton (1990) and Maykut and Morehouse (1994) who claims that sampling in qualitative research is purposive as seeks information-rich cases. The subjects for the study are the teachers with rich experience in teaching in primary school, at least not less than five years of teaching. The research instruments to be used are interview as they help to access facts about a phenomenon in question (Silverman, 2001); an open ended questionnaire because sometimes people are not interested on talking some matters, therefore a written questionnaire can help the researcher to capture the missing information from the interview; and observation where the researcher will be acquainted with the actual classroom teaching and learning situation. Subjects of the study will be ten primary school teachers in a primary school in Morogoro Municipality who will purposefully be selected. The collected data will be analysed using the qualitative data analysis procedures.

From the study, the following outcomes are expected: • Different teachers’ views on the use of participatory teaching methods will be found. • Different challenges which teachers face in using participatory teaching methods will be identified • The findings of the study will contribute to the planning and organization of in-service programs for primary school teachers to improve the quality of teaching. • To suggest ways in which teachers can make learners participate in the teaching and learning process more effectively.