Implementation of multilingualism in South African higher education : exploring the use of isiXhosa in teaching and learning at Rhodes University
- Authors: Gambushe, Wanga
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Language and education -- South Africa , Multilingual education -- South Africa , Native language and education -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- South Africa , Language policy -- South Africa , Cytology -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa , Xhosa (African people) -- Education (Higher)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3649 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017890
- Description: This study explores the implementation of multilingualism at Rhodes University (RU), by examining the teaching and learning practices of lecturers, demonstrators and students within the Cell Biology module, offered by the Biological Sciences and Botany departments at RU. This examination is in line with RU’s Language Policy (2005/2014), which recognises multilingualism and the development of isiXhosa as an academic/scientific language. The study and the choice for the location of the study within RU was motivated by what seemed to be a pattern of under achievement of LOTE speaking students studying Cell Biology. This pattern necessitated a further inquiry into the language aspect of the teaching and learning of Cell Biology. The goals of this research were to investigate spaces where LOTE students use their home languages and the motivations behind their usage of those languages. Due to the varying proficiencies of LOTE students in their mother tongue, this study sought to investigate the language capabilities of LOTE students in their home languages. The perceptions of the main role players in the Cell Biology module were sought, in order to get an idea of what students, lecturers and demonstrators thought about multilingualism in teaching and learning practices in the Cell Biology module. This study has discovered that there is a disparity in achievement between LOTE and English speaking students, with English students outperforming LOTE students consistently in the period investigated. On the language capabilities of LOTE students in their mother tongue, it was discovered that they have enough linguistic capital for a mother tongue intervention to succeed. There were mixed views about the use of LOTE in HE, but students were mostly in favour of the use of LOTE. A number of recommendations are made as to how multilingualism can be implemented in Cell Biology. In this study I argue that there is a need to use the mother tongue of LOTE students in order to support learning, the mother tongue intervention is supported by scholars such as Paxton (2007, 2009; Madiba 2011, 2012, 2014). The use of the mother tongue to support learning should be a short-term measure while the process of the development of African languages is underway, because languages develop as they are used, and form follows function (Madiba 2008). Ultimately, African languages should be developed and use as academic languages in HE not only in order to fulfil the legislative imperatives such as the Constitution and the Language Policy Higher Education but also to increase access and success among LOTE students.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Gambushe, Wanga
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Language and education -- South Africa , Multilingual education -- South Africa , Native language and education -- South Africa , Education, Higher -- South Africa , Language policy -- South Africa , Cytology -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- South Africa , Xhosa (African people) -- Education (Higher)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3649 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017890
- Description: This study explores the implementation of multilingualism at Rhodes University (RU), by examining the teaching and learning practices of lecturers, demonstrators and students within the Cell Biology module, offered by the Biological Sciences and Botany departments at RU. This examination is in line with RU’s Language Policy (2005/2014), which recognises multilingualism and the development of isiXhosa as an academic/scientific language. The study and the choice for the location of the study within RU was motivated by what seemed to be a pattern of under achievement of LOTE speaking students studying Cell Biology. This pattern necessitated a further inquiry into the language aspect of the teaching and learning of Cell Biology. The goals of this research were to investigate spaces where LOTE students use their home languages and the motivations behind their usage of those languages. Due to the varying proficiencies of LOTE students in their mother tongue, this study sought to investigate the language capabilities of LOTE students in their home languages. The perceptions of the main role players in the Cell Biology module were sought, in order to get an idea of what students, lecturers and demonstrators thought about multilingualism in teaching and learning practices in the Cell Biology module. This study has discovered that there is a disparity in achievement between LOTE and English speaking students, with English students outperforming LOTE students consistently in the period investigated. On the language capabilities of LOTE students in their mother tongue, it was discovered that they have enough linguistic capital for a mother tongue intervention to succeed. There were mixed views about the use of LOTE in HE, but students were mostly in favour of the use of LOTE. A number of recommendations are made as to how multilingualism can be implemented in Cell Biology. In this study I argue that there is a need to use the mother tongue of LOTE students in order to support learning, the mother tongue intervention is supported by scholars such as Paxton (2007, 2009; Madiba 2011, 2012, 2014). The use of the mother tongue to support learning should be a short-term measure while the process of the development of African languages is underway, because languages develop as they are used, and form follows function (Madiba 2008). Ultimately, African languages should be developed and use as academic languages in HE not only in order to fulfil the legislative imperatives such as the Constitution and the Language Policy Higher Education but also to increase access and success among LOTE students.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Investigating the linguistic effectiveness of early reading schemes in isiXhosa: a phonological and orthographical analysis of three isiXhosa Grade 1 graded reader series
- Authors: Katz, Jennifer L
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Education, Elementary -- South Africa , Literacy -- South Africa , Xhosa language -- Readers , Native language and education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92798 , vital:30748
- Description: Literacy in South Africa is in crisis. Inadequate learning and teaching materials, extensive curriculum changes, under-resourced schools and under-qualified teachers are all contributing factors to an alarming situation. Grade 1 African language reading schemes in South Africa are failing to provide young children with the necessary and appropriate practice required to facilitate home language literacy acquisition (NEEDU 2013). A detailed analysis of three isiXhosa Grade 1 graded reader series will show the short-comings of texts translated from English with no cognisance of isiXhosa phonic structures and little appreciation for the agglutinative nature of Nguni languages. Formulating a new, effective approach to the development of African language readers to facilitate reading literacy is urgent and of national importance. The innovative phonics-based methodology, as well as an appropriate instructional level used to develop the Vula Bula Grade 1 isiXhosa readers appears to be a viable blueprint for the development of early readers that can effectively help to ameliorate current deficient literacy levels in African languages. This research thus combines applied linguistics with literacy materials development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Katz, Jennifer L
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Education, Elementary -- South Africa , Literacy -- South Africa , Xhosa language -- Readers , Native language and education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92798 , vital:30748
- Description: Literacy in South Africa is in crisis. Inadequate learning and teaching materials, extensive curriculum changes, under-resourced schools and under-qualified teachers are all contributing factors to an alarming situation. Grade 1 African language reading schemes in South Africa are failing to provide young children with the necessary and appropriate practice required to facilitate home language literacy acquisition (NEEDU 2013). A detailed analysis of three isiXhosa Grade 1 graded reader series will show the short-comings of texts translated from English with no cognisance of isiXhosa phonic structures and little appreciation for the agglutinative nature of Nguni languages. Formulating a new, effective approach to the development of African language readers to facilitate reading literacy is urgent and of national importance. The innovative phonics-based methodology, as well as an appropriate instructional level used to develop the Vula Bula Grade 1 isiXhosa readers appears to be a viable blueprint for the development of early readers that can effectively help to ameliorate current deficient literacy levels in African languages. This research thus combines applied linguistics with literacy materials development.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
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