Developing Isindebele scientific language register for natural sciences and its classroom applications in Siyabuswa 2 circuit, South Africa

Abstract

South Africa is a multilingual country with 11 official languages recognised by constitution. Out of the eleven official languages nine are Indigenous languages: isiNdebele; seTswana; sePedi; seSotho; tshiVenda; siSwati; isiZulu, xiTsonga and isiXhosa. English and Afrikaans are the only two that not only enjoys the status of being regarded as official languages but also regarded as the medium of instructions in South African schools. These two languages are also the only ones that have scientific language registers for Natural Sciences. With South African government aiming to shift the status quo and introducing the use of indigenous languages as a medium of instructions in South African schools (Writer, 2020). This is a boundless opportunity for black African learners as they will also be learning content subjects in their mother tongue just like their counterparts. With this proposed enormous change, the big question is do we have adequate resources (such as scientific languages registers for Natural Sciences and other science subject) written in indigenous languages to advance this initiative? The answer is no. Hence, this was the purpose of this study to add a resource which will advance this initiative. Hence the isiNdebele scientific language register for Natural Sciences was developed, but only focusing on Matter and Material in the senior phase. When isiNdebele scientific language register was developed, the researcher was made aware that there are limited scientific terms in isiNdebele. Hence, the researcher involved different stakeholder’s such as the chairperson of isiNdebele Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB), authors of isiNdebele textbooks, isiNdebele teachers, isiNdebele Curriculum Implementors (CI)’s and senior citizens around her village. The role of these stakeholder’s in the development of this register was to assist in developing scientific terms or finding equivalent terms where the researcher failed to do so. Their recommendations and contributions greatly assisted in the development of this register. This is a qualitative interpretative case study. Which was guided by the following research questions: What are the opportunities and challenges in the development of the IsiNdebele Natural Sciences scientific register and its application? What are the stakeholder’s perceptions about the use of isiNdebele as the language of learning and vi teaching Natural Sciences? How did the developed isiNdebele Natural Sciences scientific language register shape learner’s classroom interactions and discourses? Observations, semi-structured interviews and a diary were used to collect data from teachers, learners and parents. Purposive sampling was used to ensure that relevant data was collected. The collected data was analysed thematically. This study was informed by the social constructivism theory wherein amongst other aspects language is the most critical tool for communication and thought as it develops through social interaction. Language is further referred to as a medium through which meaningful learning takes place. The findings of this study reveal that the launching of isiNdebele bilingual dictionary in 2006 attest to the steadiness of the development of this language, as it was the last one to launch a dictionary compared to other indigenous languages. Further to that the lack of scientific terms in this language negatively influences the stakeholder’s perceptions on the use of this language to teach Natural Sciences. Moreover, this would have been a hindrance to the government’s enormous transition which is giving African learners a chance to learn all the subjects in their mother tongue. However, the use of the developed isiNdebele scientific language register for Natural Sciences has shown that it can positively shape classroom interactions and discourses which is key for meaningful learning that leads to better performance in the subject. This study therefore, recommends the development of scientific language registers for Natural Sciences at school level focusing on other science topics beside Matter and Material.

INingizimu Afrika live lelinetilwimi letinyenti kantsi letisemtsetfweni tingu-11 letihlonishwa ngokwentsetfo sisekelo. Kuleti letilishumi nanye letisishaga lolunye temdzabu, ngunati: isiNdebele; isiTswana; i-sePedi; isiSuthu; tshiVenda; isiSwati; isiZulu, xiTsonga nesiXhosa. Lulwinmi lwesiNgisi nesiBhunu ngutona todvwa letingajabulelwa ngoba titsatfwa njengetilimi letisemtsetfweni phindze tibuye titsatfwe njengetilimi tokufundzisa ezikolweni taseNingizimu Afrika. Leti letimbili ngitona kuphela etinerejista yolimi lwesayensi yeMvelo. Njengoba hulumende waseNingizimu Afrika uhlosa kushintsha simo lesikhona kanye nokwetfulwa kusetshentiswa kwetilimi tomdzabu njengendlela yokufundzisa etikoleni taseNingizimu Afrika. Leli litfuba lelingenakulinganiswa kubafundzi labamnyama base-Afrika njengoba batobe bafunda tifundvo leticuketfwe ngelulwimi lwabo lwebele njengozakwabo. Ngalolu shintsho lolukhulu loluhlongotwayo, umbuto lomkhulu utsi ngabe sinetinsita letanele (njengemarejista etilimi tesayensi yeNatural Sciences naletinye tifundo tesayensi) letibhalwe ngetilimi temdzabu kute siqhubekisele phambili leluhlelo? Imphendvulo itsi cha. Ngako-ke, lena bekuyinhloso yolu cwaningo lokungeta tinsita tokuqhubekisela phambili loluhlelo. Ngako-ke irejista yelulwimi lwesayensi yesiNdebele yeSayensi yeteMvelo yasungulwa, kodvwa igcile kuphela kuMatter ne Material esigabeni lesikhulu. Lapho irejista yelulwimi lwesayensi yesiNdebele yasungulwa. Umcwaningi watiswa kutsi lamagama esayensi alinganiselwe esiNdebeleni. Ngako-ke, umcwaningi ubandzakanya ngokubabamba-iqhaza abehlukene abafana nongusihlalo webhodi leSiNdebele Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB), lababhali betincwadzi tesiNdebele, bothishela besiNdebele, labeSiNdebele Curriculum Implementors (CI) kanye nabantfu labadzala endzaweni yangakubo. liqhaza lalaba lababambe-liqhaza ekutfutfukisweni kwaleli rejista kwaba ukusita ekutfutfukiseni lamagama esayensi noma ekutfoleni lamagama lafanayo lapho umcwaningi ehlulekile kwenta loko. Tincumo kanye nemagalelo abo kusite kakhulu ekutfutfukiseni kuleli rejista. Lolu lucwaningo lwekucala lokutolika. Lobeholwa yimibuto yocwaningo lelilandzelako: Yimaphi ematfuba netintselelo ekutfutfukisweni kwerejista yesayensi yeSiNdebele yeSayensi yeMvelo kanye nokusetshentiswa kwayo? Itsini imibono yababambe iqcaza ngokusetjentiswa kwesiNdebele njengolwimi lokufundza nokufundzisa iSayensi yeteMvelo? Irejista yetilwimi lwesayensi yesiNdebele yeSayensi yeMvelo etfutfukisiwe ikulolonge kanjani ukusebentelana netinkulumo tebafundi ekilasini? Kubhekwa, izingcoco letingahletiwe kanye nedayari kusetshentiswe ukucoca idatha kubothishela, labafundzi nebatali. Ukusampula lokuhlosiwe kwasetsjentiswa kute kuqinisekiswe kutsi idatha lefanele icociwe. Idatha ecociwe yahlaziywa ngokwetilimu. Lolucwaningo lwakhiwe yithiyori ye-social constructivism lapho phakatsi kwetinye tici telulwimi loluyitfuluti lelibaluleke kakhulu ekuxhumaneni nasekucabangeni njengoba lutfutfuka ngokuxhumana kwemiphakatsi. Lulwimi luphindze lubitwe ngokutsi yindlela yokufundza lokuphusile lokwentekayo. Lemiphumela yalolucwaningo iveta kutsi kwetfulwa kwesichazamavi setilimi letimbili tesiNdebele nga-2006 kufakazela kusimama kokutfutfuka kwalolu limi njengoba kwaba ngesokugcina ukwetfulwa kwesichazamavi uma kucatsaniswa naletinye tilimi temdzabu. Ngalokunye kuntuleka kwemagama esayensi kulolulimi kuba nomtselela omubi emibonweni yabatsintsekayo ngokusetshentiswa kwalolu limi ukufundzisa iSayensi yeNdalo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, loku bekutoba sitsiyo ekugucukweni lolukhulu lwahulumende loluniketa bafundzi base-Afrika litfuba lokufundza tonke tifundo ngelulwimi lwabo lwemdzabu. Noko, kusetshentiswa kwerejista yelulwimi lwesayensi yesiNdebele etfutfukisiwe yeSayensi yeteMvelo kubonise kutsi kungabumba kahle kusebentelana ekilasini kanye netinkulumo letiyisihlutfulelo sokufundza lokuphusile lokuholela ekwenteni kancono esifundweni. Ngako-ke lolu cwaningo luncoma ukutfutfukiswa kwamarejista olimi esayensi Yesayensi Yetemvelo ezingeni lesikolwa kugcilwe kwetinye tihloko tesayensi ngaphandle kwe-Matter ne Material.

Afurika Tshipembe ndi shango line hu ambiwa nyambo dza fumi-nthihi dzine dzo themendelwa nga ndayotewa ya shango. Kha idzo nyambo dza fumi-nthihi, dza tahe ndi dza sialala/tshirema: Tshindevhele; Tshitswana; Tshibeli; Tshisuthu; Tshivenda; Tshiswati; Tshizulu, Tshitsonga na Tshithoza. Luambo lwa Tshiisimane na Tshivhuru ndi dzone nyambo dzo themendelwaho u vha dza vhudavhidzani na u funza zwikoloni zwa Afurika Tshipembe. Hedzi nyambo mbili, ndi dzone dzi dzothe dzo nwaliswaho kha luambo lwa u divha saintsi ya mupo. Muvhuso wa Afurika Tshipembe wo pika u tshintsha na u disa u shumiswa ha nyambo dza sialala/tshirema sa dzone nyambo dza vhudavhidzani na u funza zwikoloni. Hezwi zwi do fha tshikhala tshihulu vhana vha vharema sa musi vha tshi dovha vha khou guda dzithero dzavho nga luambo lwavho lwa damuni. Musi ho dzinginyiwa iyi tshanduko khulu ngaurali, mbudziso khulwane ndi ya uri ri na zwishumiswa zwo linganelaho naa zwine zwo nwaliwa nga nyambo dza sialala/tshirema u bveledza uyu muhumbulo? Phindulo ndi hai. Hone-ha, iyi ngudo tshipikwa tshayo tshihulwane ndi u kuvhanganya zwishumiswa zwine zwa do bveledza u funza vhana nga nyambo dza damuni. Fhedzi-ha luambo lwa tshindevhele ndi lwone lwo bveledzwaho kha saintsi ya mupo, fhedzi kha fhungo na masila kha murole wa sumbe u swika kha wa tahe. Musi saintsi ya Tshindevhele itshi bveledzwa. Rathoduluso o do wana uri maipfi a tshisaintsi ha ngo dala kha ulu luambo lwa Tshindevhele. Fhedzi-ha, rathoduluso o da ya a kwamana na vhathu vhoyaho nga u fhambana mudzulatshidulo wa isiNdebele Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB), vhanwali vha dzibugu dza Tshindevhele, vhadededzi vha Tshindevhele, vhabveledzi vha silabasi na vhadzulapo vhahulwane vha vhupo hune a dzula khaho. Mushumo muhulwane wa havho vhathu wo vha u thusedza u wana maipfi e mutodulusi a balelwa u a wana. Themendele na u dzhenelela havho zwo thusedza u bveledzisa regisitara ya tshisaintsi ya Tshindevhele. Iyi ndi ngudo I si ya lisalambalo. Ine yo tutuwedzwa nga mbudziso dzi tevhelaho: Ndi zwifhio zwifhinga/zwikhala na zwikhakhisi kha u bveledza regisitara ya saintsi ya mupo ya Tshindivhele na khumbelo dza hone? Avha vhono kwamea kha u bveledza thero, vhari mini nga ha u shumisiwa ha luambo lwa Tshindevhele kha u guda na u funza ngalwo saintsi ya mupo? Iyi regisitara ya luambo lwa tshisaintsi lwa Tshindevhele kha saintsi ya mupo I do tutuwedza hani vhudavhidzani nga ngomu kilasini? U lavhelesa, nyambedzano, na dayari zwo shumiswa u kuvhanganya mawanwa u bva kha vhadededzi, vhagudiswa na vhabebi. Mutodulusi oto nanga vhane vha tea u vha tshipida tsha mawanwa haya. Mawanwa o senguluswa uya nga thoho ya thoduluso. Heyi ngudo yo tutuwedzwa nga ngudo dza khonsitiravisithizimu ine i dzhiela ntha vhudavhidzani. Luambo lu laedza sa tshithu tsha vhukati hune u guda zwa bvelela hone. Mawana o bvukulula uri kha vhutambo ha u tana thalusa maipfi ya Tshindevhele nga nwaha wa gidi-mbili rathi (2006) kha u bveledza ulu luambo, lwo vha lwone luambo lwa u fhedzisela u bveledza thalusa maipfi kha dzinwe nyambo dza tshirema. U Konda u wanala ha maipfi a tshisaintsi kha ulu luambo zwi na masiandoitwa kha vho no kwamea u dzudzanya uri luambo ulu lu kone u funziwa kha saintsi ya mupo. Hezwi, zwi do ita uri muvhuso u kone u dzhenelela kha uri vhana vha vharema vha kone u guda dzi thero kha nyambo dzavho dza damuni. Fhedzi-ha, u shumisa tshisaintsi tsha Tshindevhele u funza saintsi ya mupo zwo sumbedza uvha na vhudavhidzani havhudi zwine huvha na ngudo ya mathakheni kha thero. Iyi ngundo I khou themendela u bveledziwa ha dzi regisitara dza tshisaintsi tsha saintsi ya mupo zwikoloni kha dzinwe thoho dza saints inga u angaredza.