Perceptions of lecturers and students on translanguaging teaching and learning at a selected college in Northwest

Abstract

Issues such as high failure rate among non-English speaking students across the globe have led to the emergence of translanguaging teaching strategies. South Africa is also grappling with the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) problem and its implications in teaching and learning. Consequently, many black students in South Africa are performing poorly since English and Afrikaans are the dominant languages of instruction and many schools and colleges do not take into consideration the home language of students in teaching and learning. Therefore, most students in South Africa, particularly blacks, struggle with understanding, comprehension, expression, language development and proficiency. Despite many researchers focusing on English content, syntax, lack of resources, unqualified teachers, re-designing the English syllabi and ways to improve literacy, the problem of failing is still prevalent. This study, which adopted research design of an interpretivist paradigm, through a qualitative research approach, explored the perceptions of lecturers and students on translanguaging pedagogy at a selected TVET College in the North West province. A non-probability sampling procedure in which not all population members have equal chance of participating was adopted. Research data, which was analysed through thematic data analysis was utilised and gathered through multiple sources such as interviews, focus group interviews, observations and document analysis. Major findings revealed that English is the only medium of instruction being used and promoted in the college. Students’ English proficiency is the main barrier to teaching and learning are they do not readily participate in class, are unable to freely engage in dialogue and have difficulties in expressing themselves in English. Their lack of fluency and poor communication affects them in class discussions, during written activities and in assessments. Translanguaging as a teaching and learning strategy has the potential to improve understanding, the comprehension of concepts, development of cognitive ability, greater understanding and development of knowledge which has an effect on academic performance and neutralising dominance of the language of instruction. Maximum understanding and comprehension will mitigate performance differences among students and boosts pass rate. To improve translanguaging, participants suggested that lecturers should monitor and guide students, use inclusive teaching and connect to prior knowledge. The training of lecturers is vital as is the provision of teaching resources, collaboration and commitment and creativity. Recommendations suggest that stakeholders should train lecturers, provide relevant teaching resources, translate English books to native languages, choose the best language of teaching and learning and find creative ways to improve translanguaging.

Dikgang tse di jaaka palo e e kwa godimo ya go palelwa ga baithuti ba ba sa bueng Seesemane mo lefatsheng lotlhe di dirile gore go nne le mekgwa ya go ruta ka go ranolela mo puong e nngwe. Aforika Borwa gape e mekamekana le bothata jwa puo ya go ithuta le go ruta (LoLT) le ditlamorago tsa teng mo go ruteng le go ithuta. Ka jalo, baithuti ba le bantsi ba bantsho mo Aforika Borwa ga ba dire sentle ka gonne Seesemane le Seaforikanse ke dipuo tse di dirisiwang thata mo thutong mme dikolo le dikholetšhe di le dintsi ga di tseye tsia puo ya mo gae ya baithuti fa ba ruta le fa ba ithuta. Ka jalo, bontsi jwa baithuti mo Afrika Borwa, segolobogolo bantsho, ba na le bothata jwa go tlhaloganya, go tlhaloganya, go itlhalosa, go godisa puo le go e itse sentle. Le fa babatlisisi ba le bantsi ba tlhoma mogopolo mo diteng tsa Seesemane, thutapuo, go tlhaela ga didirisiwa, barutabana ba ba sa tshwanelegeng, go rulaganya sesha thulaganyo ya Seesemane le ditsela tsa go tokafatsa go bala le go kwala, bothata jwa go palelwa bo sa ntse bo le teng. Thutopatlisiso e, e e tsereng tsela ya go dira patlisiso ka mokgwa wa go tlhalosa, ka mokgwa wa patlisiso ya boleng, e ne ya tlhatlhoba dikakanyo tsa barutabana le baithuti ka ga thuto ya go ranolela mo puong kwa kholetšheng e e tlhophilweng ya TVET kwa porofenseng ya Bokone Bophirima. Go ne ga dirisiwa mokgwa wa go tsaya sekao o o sa dirisiweng go batlisisa gore a go na le kgonagalo ya gore maloko otlhe a setšhaba a nne le tshono e e lekanang ya go nna le seabe. Tshedimosetso ya patlisiso e e neng ya sekasekwa ka go sekaseka tshedimosetso ya ditlhogo e ne ya dirisiwa mme ya kgobokanngwa go tswa mo metsweding e le mentsi jaaka dipotsolotso, dipotsolotso tsa ditlhopha tse di tsepameng, ditlhatlhobo le tshekatsheko ya ditokomane. Dipatlisiso tse dikgolo di ne tsa bontsha gore Seesemane ke sone fela puo e e dirisiwang le e e rotloediwang kwa kholetšheng. Baithuti ⁇ Go itse Seesemane ke sekgoreletsi se segolo mo go ruteng le go ithuteng ka gonne ga ba kgone go nna le seabe mo tlelaseng, ga ba kgone go buisana ka kgololesego e bile ba na le mathata a go itlhalosa ka Seesemane. Go sa kgone go bua sentle le go sa kgone go buisana sentle go ba ama mo dipuisanong tsa tlelase, mo ditirong tse di kwadilweng le mo ditekong. Go ranolela mo puong e nngwe jaaka mokgwa wa go ruta le go ithuta go na le bokgoni jwa go tokafatsa go tlhaloganya, go tlhaloganya megopolo, go godisa bokgoni jwa go lemoga, go tlhaloganya le go godisa kitso e e nang le ditlamorago mo go direng ga baithuti mo dithutong tsa sekolo le go fokotsa go laolwa ke puo e e dirisiwang go ruta. Go tlhaloganya le go tlhaloganya ka botlalo go tla fokotsa dipharologano tsa bokgoni mo baithuting le go oketsa palo ya ba ba atlegang. Go tokafatsa go ranola dipuo, batsayakarolo ba ne ba akantsha gore batlhatlheledi ba tshwanetse go tlhokomela le go kaela baithuti, ba dirise thuto e e akaretsang botlhe le go golaganya le kitso e e fetileng. Go thapisa batlhatlheledi go botlhokwa fela jaaka go nna le didirisiwa tsa go ruta, go dirisana mmogo le go dira ka natla le go nna le bokgoni jwa go tlhama. Dikakantsho di akantsha gore batsayakarolo ba tshwanetse go katisa barutabana, go tlamela ka didiriswa tse di maleba tsa go ruta, go ranolela dibuka tsa Seesimane mo dipuong tsa tlholego, go tlhopha puo e e gaisang ya go ruta le go ithuta le go bona ditsela tse di tlhamang tsa go tokafatsa go ranolela mo puong e nngwe.

Izinkinga ezinjengezinga eliphezulu lokwehluleka phakathi kwabafundi abangakhulumi isiNgisi emhlabeni wonke ziye zaholela ekuveleni kwamasu okufundisa okuhumusha izilimi. INingizimu Afrika iphinde ibhekane nenkinga yolimi lokufunda nokufundisa (LoLT) kanye nemithelela yalo ekufundiseni nasekufundeni. Ngenxa yalokho, abafundi abaningi abamnyama eNingizimu Afrika benza kabi ngoba isiNgisi nesiBhunu yizona zilimi eziyinhloko zokufundisa futhi izikole eziningi namakolishi awacabangi ngolimi lwasekhaya lwabafundi ekufundiseni nasekufundeni. Ngakho-ke, iningi labafundi eNingizimu Afrika, ikakhulukazi abamnyama, linenkinga yokuqonda, ukuqonda, ukuveza imizwa, ukuthuthukisa ulimi kanye nokulwenza kahle. Naphezu kokuba abacwaningi abaningi begxile kokuqukethwe kwesiNgisi, ukwakheka kwamagama, ukuntuleka kwezinsiza, othisha abangaqeqeshiwe, ukuhlela kabusha uhlelo lwezifundo lwesiNgisi nezindlela zokuthuthukisa ukufunda nokubhala, inkinga yokwehluleka isekhona. Lolu cwaningo, olwalusebenzisa umklamo wocwaningo wepharadigm yokuhumusha, ngokusebenzisa indlela yocwaningo esezingeni eliphakeme, luhlolisise imibono yabafundisi kanye nabafundi ngokufundisa okuhunyushwa ngezilimi ezikhethiwe e-TVET College esifundazweni saseNorth West. Kwenziwa inqubo yokuthatha amasampula okungeyona eye-probability lapho kungebona bonke abantu abanamathuba alinganayo okuzibandakanya. Imininingwane yocwaningo, eyahlaziywa ngokuhlaziywa kwedatha yendaba yasetshenziswa futhi yaqoqwa ngemithombo eminingi efana nezingxoxo, izingxoxo zamaqembu okugxila, ukubonwa kanye nokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo. Imiphumela emikhulu yembula ukuthi isiNgisi ukuphela kwesimiso sokufundisa esisetshenziswayo nesikhuthazwayo ekolishi. Abafundi ⁇ Ukwazi isiNgisi kuyisithiyo esikhulu ekufundiseni nasekufundeni ngoba abahlanganyeli kalula ekilasini, abakwazi ukuhlanganyela ngokukhululekile engxoxweni futhi banobunzima ekuzivezeni ngesiNgisi. Ukuntuleka kokukhuluma kahle nokukhulumisana kabi kuyabathinta ezingxoxweni zasekilasini, ngesikhathi semisebenzi ebhaliwe nasekuhloleni. Ukuhumusha izilimi njengendlela yokufundisa nokufunda kunamandla okuthuthukisa ukuqonda, ukuqonda imiqondo, ukuthuthukiswa kwamakhono okuqonda, ukuqonda okukhulu nokuthuthukiswa kolwazi okunomthelela ekusebenzeni kwezifundo nokunciphisa ukubusa kolimi lokufundisa. Ukuqonda nokuqonda okukhulu kuzonciphisa umehluko wokusebenza phakathi kwabafundi futhi kukhulise izinga lokuphumelela. Ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukuhumusha izilimi, ababambiqhaza basikisela ukuthi abafundisi kufanele baqaphe futhi baqondise abafundi, basebenzise ukufundisa okubandakanya wonke umuntu futhi baxhumane nolwazi lwangaphambilini. Ukuqeqeshwa kwabafundisi kubalulekile njengoba kunjalo nokunikezwa kwemithombo yokufundisa, ukubambisana nokuzinikela kanye nobuciko. Izincomo zithi abathintekayo kufanele baqeqeshe abafundisi, banikeze izinsiza zokufundisa ezifanele, bahumushe izincwadi zesiNgisi ezilimini zomdabu, bakhethe ulimi olufanele lokufundisa nokufunda futhi bathole izindlela zokudala zokuthuthukisa ukuhumusha.