The South African Language in Education Policy (LiEP) of 1997 and the Department of Education National Curriculum Statement (2002) require that learners‘ mother tongue is maintained and developed and used as a language of learning and teaching (LOLT) for the first three years of the Foundation Phase. English is recommended as the (LOLT) from Grade 4 upwards. This sudden change presents enormous language challenges especially in Grade 4 as teachers and their learners negotiate transition from isiZulu as first language (L1) to English as LOLT. This study investigates language challenges that Grade 4 learners and their teachers encounter in three South African mainstream schools as they negotiate transition from isiZulu to English as Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) and the implication of these challenges on language policy development. The study adopted a qualitative-interpretative methodology. Six Grade 4 teachers were purposively selected from three mainstream schools in KwaZulu-Natal for interviews three of which were observed and interviewed after the classroom observations. Data was generated through pre-observation interviews, video-recorded lesson observations, and post-observation interviews. The data collected was analysed and interpreted using an open coding in order to answer the study‘s critical questions. The findings revealed that serious language challenges occur whilst teaching Grade 4 learners in English as a FAL due to learners‘ limited knowledge of grammar and vocabulary in the LOLT. The study also revealed limited understanding ability, (s)low articulation, poor performance and participation, and psychological distress emanating from learners‘ social problems as part of the challenges. The study further showed that teachers frequently switched to the mother tongue to ensure sufficient meaningful communication in their classrooms. Additionally, the study revealed teachers‘ exclusion in policy formulation and development process and lack of adequate training which exacerbates teachers‘ ignorance of the policy contents leading to the teachers‘ indiscriminate use of code-switching. These worsen learners‘ language difficulties, thus under-develop the learners, and create unequal opportunities for effective learning by all learners through English as LOLT. They widen the gap and hinder education when teachers are not able to negotiate the transition from the foundation phase to Grade 4. Teachers were convinced that the study by EFAL learners of English in the Foundation Phase would go a long way in alleviating the language and learning challenges encountered by learners in Grade 4 and thus improve the quality of communication and interaction that needs to take place in the classroom between the learners and their teachers as they negotiate transition to English as LOLT. The study recommends a review of language policy that will integrate quality in the learning of English in the Foundation Phase, in addition to learning the mother tongue throughout high school education. It also recommends an increased participation of teachers in policy-making processes and intensification of teacher professional development in language teaching in relation to the language in education policy. / Thesis (M.Ed)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

The study was motivated by the 2002 Language Policy for Higher Education (LPHE) that was promulgated by the Department of Education (DoE) in response to its concerns over the alarmingly high failure, dropout and retention rates of particularly black South African students. The LPHE has identified English-medium instruction as the possible main factor in denying the majority of black students’ access to and success in higher education. However, the LPHE is yet to be fully implemented in the country partly due to the fact that sociolinguistic studies among black-African-language speakers indicate that there is a strong preference for English over black African languages in all formal sectors of society, including academia. This preference for English is, in part, a result of the lack of development and the under-resourcing of black African languages in education. Also, black South Africans, while they desire quality mother tongue instruction (MTI), strongly wish to improve their English proficiency. Following on these indications, this study developed and piloted dual language instruction (DLI) (isiZulu-English) teaching and learning course material on academic literacy and communication skills. The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which participation in the DLI pilot course might contribute towards ‘attitude change’ as regards the use of isiZulu as a teaching and learning resource alongside English in higher education. The investigation, which took place at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, was undertaken among isiZulu-speaking students and their lecturers, all of whom were involved in an Academic Literacy and Communication Skills course for engineers at foundation level. In order to collect data the study adopted an embedded mixed-method research approach in that while it mainly made use of three questionnaires that were administered to The study was motivated by the 2002 Language Policy for Higher Education (LPHE) that was promulgated by the Department of Education (DoE) in response to its concerns over the alarmingly high failure, dropout and retention rates of particularly black South African students. The LPHE has identified English-medium instruction as the possible main factor in denying the majority of black students’ access to and success in higher education. However, the LPHE is yet to be fully implemented in the country partly due to the fact that sociolinguistic studies among black-African-language speakers indicate that there is a strong preference for English over black African languages in all formal sectors of society, including academia. This preference for English is, in part, a result of the lack of development and the under-resourcing of black African languages in education. Also, black South Africans, while they desire quality mother tongue instruction (MTI), strongly wish to improve their English proficiency. Following on these indications, this study developed and piloted dual language instruction (DLI) (isiZulu-English) teaching and learning course material on academic literacy and communication skills. The purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which participation in the DLI pilot course might contribute towards ‘attitude change’ as regards the use of isiZulu as a teaching and learning resource alongside English in higher education. The investigation, which took place at Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, was undertaken among isiZulu-speaking students and their lecturers, all of whom were involved in an Academic Literacy course for engineers at foundation level. In order to collect data the study adopted an embedded mixed-method research approach in that while it mainly made use of three questionnaires that were administered to students there were also focus group interviews to supplement quantitative data. In addition, the data analyses were comparatively undertaken across different times of the study and between different groups of participants (students and lecturers). The purpose in the comparative analyses of all the data collected was to discover whether or not there were areas of convergence and/or divergence in the garnered opinions concerning attitudes to bi-/multilingual education. The important finding of this study was that the majority of students indicated from the onset that they preferred to use their primary language as a learning resource while they also valued the role of English in education. This was taken as an indication of positive attitudes to bilingual education. As a result, the use of the DLI pilot course contributed to a minimal attitude change in that after its use there were a few students who for the first time acknowledged the positive role of isiZulu in education. The majority of lecturers also approved of the use and/or the role of L1 in education and indicated support for its use in content subjects. However, the longitudinal investigation of attitudes amongst students in their final year of study revealed a shift in attitude in that the majority identified English as the only language of education. The thesis concluded by suggesting that it is attitudes based on personal experience rather than on preconceived ideas that should inform our decisions on language education policy implementation. It was then recommended that Higher education institutions that are in areas where the student population remains predominantly black in terms of demographics should lead in the implementation of multilingual education policies. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This project sets out to outline the problems that are encountered by teachers in most black schools in South Africa, with regard to the language of instruction. In an attempt to cope with these problems teachers exercise their discretion, which often leads to them making policy. The language policy in education gives the learners a right to receive education in the official language or languages of their choice. The current situation in South Africa does not allow for the exercise of such a right. Black schools in rural areas, therefore, continue to choose English as the medium of instruction, although in actual practice Zulu becomes the main language that is used to get the lesson across the learners. Such a practice has both negative and positive effects on learners who attend these schools. To understand what actually happens in black schools with regard to policy implementation, I conducted interviews in two rural primary and one secondary schools near Pietermaritzburg. Information was elicited from teachers of Grade 1 to 10, members of the schools' governing bodies, as well as learners. It became evident from my study that the choice of mother tongue instruction will not be made in the near future despite the difficulties that are faced by the schools in teaching in the medium of English. The reasons for such a kind of situation are that the blacks have negative attitudes towards their languages, and the status of these languages lag far beyond that of English In brief, English is still the important language in education, government, economy and administration. There is no way the good language policy of 1996 will take root if nothing is done to change the present course of events. The black schools will continue to battle with teaching in English and in the process produce learners of poor quality. The study recommends that the government should undertake campaigns to improve and develop African languages such that they become the languages of instruction in schools and tertiary education institutions. The stakeholders in education could also cooperate in ensuring that the chosen medium of instruction is adhered to. This would minimise the problems that lead to partial or non implementation of the policy. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, 2003.