Teaching English First Additional Language to grades 10 and 11 progressed learners to enhance communication proficiency

Abstract

Through learner progression in South African primary and lower secondary public schools, many learners proceed to the Further Education and Training (FET) Phase without proficiency in English First Additional Language (EFAL), the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). Compelled by this challenge, this multiple-case study aimed to explore the lived experiences of grades 10 and 11 teachers in teaching progressed learners to enhance communication proficiency in EFAL. The study was informed by a qualitative research approach, embedded in a constructivist paradigm, guided by Vygotsky (1978) social development theory. Observations and one-on-one, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from a sample frame of five grades 10 and 11 EFAL teachers in selected rural secondary schools and thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Findings revealed that in this era where learner diversity requires differentiated teaching that appeals to the needs of diverse learners, teachers hold on to the past training one-size-fits-all teaching methods. Consequently, teachers experience challenges related to lack of exposure to teach complex grades of able and progressed learners together. Among others, recommendations are made to policy makers that the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for EFAL be aligned with the needs of diverse learners. The EFAL teachers should also engage in a culture of reading and lifelong learning to empower themselves professionally in order to overcome challenges in the inclusive teaching of able and progressed learners who have barriers to learning the language.

Ka leano la ho fetisa baithuti leha ba sa atleha likolong tsa mathomo, le tse mahareng Africa Boroa, baithuti ba bangata ba fetela mokhahlelong oa thuto e phahameng ntle le bokhoni ba puo ea mantlha ea Senyesemane, puo ea ho ithuta le ho ruta. Ka ho susumetsoa ke qholotso ena, lipatlisiso tsena li entsoe ho hlahloba boiphihlelo ba mesuoe ea sehlopha sa leshome le leshome le motso o mong, ho ntlafatsa tsebo ea ho ruta ka Senyesemane. Boithuto bona bo ile ba etsoa ka lipatlisiso tsa boleng tse kenelletsang tataiso le khopolo ea ntšetso-pele ea sechaba ea Vygotsky (1978). Litebello le puisano tse hlophisitsoeng le mosuoe kapa mosuoetsana ka mong, li sebelisitsoe ho bokella lintlha ka ho qotsa le ho batlisisa ho mesuoe e mehlano ea puo ea mantlha likolong eleng Senyesemane. Ho khethiloe lihlopha tse bohareng le hlahlobo ea mantlha e sebelisitsoe ho shebisisa liphuputso. Se senotsoeng ke liphuputso tsena ke hore nakong eona ena eo barutoana ba hlokang thuto e ikhethang, e ipapisitseng le litlhoko tsa boiphihlelo ba bona, mesuoe e bonahala e tsitlalletse mokhoeng oa khale oa ho ruta, o nkang joalokaha eka barutuoa bohle bana le boinahano le boiphihlelo bo tšoanang. Ka lebaka leo, mesuoe e tobana le bothata ba ho ruta ka boiphihlelo baithuti ba atlehileng le ba fetisitsoeng ha ba kopa-kopane ka litsebo tse arohaneng. Mehato e nkiloeng ka boithuto bona e kenyeletsa ho eletsa baetsi ba manene-thuto hore Tokomane ea Leano la Lenane-thuto ea puo ea Senyesemane ea pele e lokele ho arabela litlhoko tsa baithuti ka bokhoni ba bona bo fapaneng, ‘me mesuoe e lokela ho ikoetlisa ho-ea-ho-ile e le ho ichorisa le ho itlhahlella thutong ea senyesemane e kenyelelitseng baithuti bohle le ba fetisitsoeng ba e-na le bothata ba puo ena.

Ngokuqhubela phambili kwabafundi kwzikolo zikarhulumente eziziiprayimari nezizezantsi ezikarhurumente, abafundi abaninzi baya kwinqanaba leMfundo ePhakamileyo noQeqesho ngaphandle kobuchule besiNgesi uLwimi lokuQala oLongezelelweyo, ulwimi lokufunda nokufundisa. Benyanzelwe ngulo mngeni, esi sifundo sinamacala amaninzi sijilise ekuhloleni amava aphilayo ootitshala beBanga le-10 nele-11 ekufundiseni abaqhubela phambili abafundi ukomeleza ubuchule bonxibelelwano kulwimi olongezelelweyo lesiNgesi. Olu phononongo lwalwaziswe ngendlela yophando olusemgangathweni, olungeniswe kwiparadise yabafundi, ekhokelwa yithiyori yophuhliso lwentlalo yaseVygotsky. Ukuqwalaselwa, udliwanondlebe olwenziwe ngamnye ngamnye eyakhelweyo, nohlalutyo lwamaxwebhu kwasetyenziswa ukuqokelela idatha kwisakhelo sesampula yootitshala abaLwimi abahlanu abakwiBanga leShumi elinanye ku-11 kwizikolo eziziisekondari ezikhethiweyo, kwaye nohlalutyo lobugcisa lwalusetyenziselwa ukuhlalutya idatha. Iziphumo zophando zibonisa ukuba ngeli xesha apho ukwahluka kwabafundi kufuna ukufundiswa okwahlukileyo okubonakalisa iimfuno zabafundi abahlukeneyo, ootitshala babambelela kuqeqesho lwangaphambili ngokweendlela zokufundiisa. Ngenxa yoko, ootitshala bafumana imiceli mingeni enxulumene nokungafikeli ekufundiseni amabanga anobunzima abafundi abakwaziyo nokuqhubela phambili kunye. Phakathi kokunye, izindululo zenziwa kubaqulunqi bomgaqo-nkqubo zokuba iNkcazo yoMgago-nkqubo woVavanyo lweKharityhulamu yolwimi lwesiNgesi oLongezelelweyo mayihambelane neemfuno zabafundi abahlukeneyo, kwaye ootitshala kufuneka bazixhobise kangangoko ukufunda ukuze bazixhobisele ukukwazi ukufundisa abantwana ngokwale mfundo iqukayo.