The implementation of the language policy for multilingual education: extending the teaching and learning of Isixhosa for communicatative purposes in teacher education

Date
2021-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African schools are increasingly becoming multilingual, with learners coming from linguistically diverse backgrounds. This is more so in the ex-Model C schools (former white schools), where learners come from all walks of life. There is thus a need for teacher education programmes to produce teachers who are able to function in these linguistically diverse classrooms and to equip them with the proper pedagogical skills to function successfully in these linguistic realities. This need is supported by the policies on National Qualifications Framework Act (67/2008): Revised Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ) (DoHE, 2015) and Incremental Introduction of African Languages Policy (IIAL) (DoE, 2014). Preservice teachers are constantly told that classrooms are linguistically diverse, and they need to be ready for these realities but there is not always proper preparation for them to teach under such circumstances. It is therefore important that the teaching and learning environment of the preservice teachers prepares them for these complex and authentic contexts. This preparation means that preservice teachers have to move beyond just speaking a language to being able to use it as a meaning-making tool for teaching and learning. Following from these imperatives, this design-based study aimed at equipping preservice teachers enrolled for the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) Foundation Phase programme at Stellenbosch University to function in linguistically diverse South African classrooms. The review of the literature confirmed that there is a need to equip preservice teachers for South African linguistic realities. However, the literature review portrays very little research in terms of how this can be enacted and realised in authentic environments and the classroom. Thus, this study developed an intensive isiXhosa education module to equip Afrikaans and English speakers in the B.Ed. Foundation Phase with isiXhosa for communicative purposes. Communicative language teaching and sociocultural theory provided the theoretical underpinnings of the study. A design-based research (DBR) methodology was applied because of its usefulness in combining research and practice. Guided by design principles, DBR has the potential to take into consideration how to teach and how to apply what has been taught. The learning environment of DBR is created in a way that supports research to take place and learning environments to emerge. This DBR study followed a four-phase model postulated by Herrington (1997). These four phases spanned two years and two iterations and encompassed different forms of research and intervention. Data was gathered from students through a questionnaire, observations and focus groups. The study finally developed and produced updated design principles that are intended to better the teaching and learning of isiXhosa to preservice teachers in South African universities.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaanse skole is toenemend meertalig, en leerders kom uit diverse taalomgewings. Dít is veral waar van voormalige model C- (oftewel “wit”) skole, waar leerders van alle lewensterreine af kom. Daarom moet onderwysopleidingsprogramme opvoeders oplewer wat in taaldiverse klaskamers kan funksioneer, en hulle toerus met die nodige pedagogiese vaardighede om hierdie taalrealiteite suksesvol te hanteer. Hierdie behoefte word onderstreep deur die hersiene Beleid oor die Minimum Vereistes vir Onderwysopleidingskwalifikasies (“MRTEQ”) ingevolge die Wet op die Nasionale Kwalifikasieraamwerk 67 van 2008 (DHOO, 2015), en die Beleid oor die Inkrementele Bekendstelling van Afrikatale (“IIAL”) (DvO, 2014). Onderwysstudente hoor gedurig dat klaskamers taaldivers is en dat hulle gereed moet wees vir hierdie realiteit. Nietemin word hulle nie altyd behoorlik toegerus om in sulke omstandighede klas te gee nie. Daarom is dit belangrik dat die onderrig-en-leeromgewing van onderwysstudente hulle vir hierdie komplekse en outentieke omstandighede voorberei. Sodanige voorbereiding sou beteken dat onderwysstudente nie net ’n taal moet kan praat nie, maar dit ook as ’n sinskeppingsinstrument vir onderrig en leer moet kan gebruik. In die lig hiervan is ’n ontwerpgebaseerde studie onderneem om onderwysstudente in die program Baccalaureus in die Opvoedkunde (BEd) (Grondslagfase) aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch toe te rus om in taaldiverse Suid-Afrikaanse klaskamers te funksioneer. Bestaande literatuur bevestig die behoefte daaraan om onderwysstudente vir die Suid-Afrikaanse taalrealiteite voor te berei, maar lewer weinig op oor hoe dít in outentieke omgewings en in die klaskamer gedoen en bereik kan word. Daarom het hierdie studie ’n intensiewe Xhosa-onderrigmodule ontwikkel om Afrikaans- en Engelssprekendes in die program BEd (Grondslagfase) met Xhosa-kommunikasievaardighede toe te rus. Die studie is veranker in teorie oor taalonderrig vir kommunikasie, sowel as sosiokulturele teorie. ’n Ontwerpgebaseerde navorsings- (OGN-)metodologie is gebruik omdat dit navorsing en praktyk op ’n nuttige wyse kombineer. OGN kan gebruik word om aan die hand van ontwerpbeginsels te oorweeg hoe onderrig moet plaasvind, sowel as hoe om dit wat onderrig is toe te pas. Die OGN-metodologie bevorder navorsing en die skep van leeromgewings. Hierdie OGN-studie het Herrington (1997) se vierfasemodel gevolg. Die vier fases is twee keer oor twee jaar uitgevoer, en het uit verskillende vorme van navorsing en intervensie bestaan. Data is deur middel van vraelyste, waarneming en fokusgroepe van studente ingesamel. Die eindproduk van die studie is ’n stel bygewerkte ontwerpbeginsels om die onderrig en leer van Xhosa vir onderwysstudente aan Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite te verbeter.
XHOSA ABSTRACT: Izikolo zaseMzantsi Afrika ziyakhula kakhulu ukuba nabafundi abathetha iilwimi ezahlukeneyo, nabasuka kumakhaya ehlukeneyo. Oku kwenzeka kakhulu kwizikolo ebezisa kwaziwa ngokuba zi-Model C (ebezikade zizezabantu abamhlophe), nalapho abafundi bevela mbombo zone zomhlaba. Injongo yokuhlohla ootitshala kukuba baphume bekwazi ukusebenza kumagumbi anelwimi ezininzi kwaye baphuhliswe basebenzise iindlela nezakhono ezahlukeneyo zokufundisa ngempumelelo apho kukhi iilwimi ezininzi. Otitshala abaqeqeshelwe ukufundisa ezikolweni baxelelwa rhoqo ukuba amagumbi okufundela aneelwimi ezininzi kwaye kufuneka bakulungele ukufundisa phantsi kweemeko ezinjalo, kodwa akukho ndlela icacileyo neyiyo yokubalungiselela iimeko ezinjalo. Kubalulekile ukuba iimeko zokufunda nokufundisa ootitshala abakuqeqesho zibalungiselele ukufundisa phantsi kweemeko ezintsonkothileyo nezinyanisekileyo. Oku kuthetha ukuba kufuneka bangene nzulu ekuthetheni nje ulwimi kodwa balusebenzise njengesixhobo sokwakha nokwenza intsingiselo xa kufundiswa. Olu phando lwe-Design-Based lujolise ekuxhobiseni ootitshala abalolongwayo ukuba basebenze kumagumbi okufundela aneelwimi ezahlukeneyo eMzantsi Afrika. Ukujongwa nokuhlalutywa kophando kuqinisekisa ukuba kukho imfuneko yokuxhobisa ootitshala abaqeqeshwayo bayakwazi ukusebenza kwiimeko zeelwimi ezininzi zaseMzantsi Afrika. Ingcingane ibonisa ukuba luncinane uphando olubonisa ukuba oku kungenziwa njani kumagumbi okufundela. Kungoko olu phando luphuhlisa imodyuli enzulu ngemfundo yesiXhosa ukuxhobisa abantetho isisiAfrikansi nesiNgesi ukusebenzisa iXhosa ngeenjongo zokunxibelelana. Uphando olusekwe kuyilo (i-DBR) lusetyenzisiwe kolu phononongo ngenxa yokuba lunceda ekuhlanganiseni uphando nokwenza. Ngokukhokelwa yimigaqo yoyilo i-DBR kukho amandla okunika ingqalelo kwindlela yokufundisa nendlela yokusebenzisa oko ukufundisiweyo. Imeko yokufunda ye-DBR yenziwa ngendlela exhasa uphando ukuba lwenzeke kunye neemeko zokufunda ukuze zivele. Olu phando lusekwe kuyilo lwe-DBR lulandele imodeli enezigaba ezine ngokubhentsiswa nguHerrington (1997), kwaye iyindlela eyiyo yokujongana nemingeni kubafundi abalolongelwa ubutitshala kwisidanga seB.Ed., kwiSigaba esiSiseko. Zonke ezi zigaba zilandele iindlela ezahlukeneyo zokuphanda ezisetyenziswe kwesi sifundo, ekugqibeleni kwaphuhliswa kwaveliswa imigaqo eza kwenza kubengcono ukufundisa nokufunda ulwimi lwesiXhosa kootitshala abaqeqeshelwa ukufundisa kwiiDyunivesithi zoMzantsi Afrika.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Teachers -- Training of, Multilingual education, Language policy, Xhosa language, Communication in education, UCTD
Citation