This study explores the challenges faced by high school science learners when they use English language as a medium of instruction in a South African context. Questionnaires were administered and focus group interviews were conducted with both science learners and science educators. Results indicated that learners are challenged in a number of ways when English is used to teach science especially if English is not their home language. Both learners and educators prefer to be taught and teach science respectively in English though ideally learners would like to be taught in their home languages. To overcome these challenges a home language scientific register should be drawn to cater for all learners’ home language, learners should also be proficient in English or language of science instruction. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology. 2014. / Background The KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing trains students to be professional nurses through the R425 programme. Teaching and evaluation are done in English, although the majority speak isiZulu as their home language. Due to inequalities in the South African schooling system, many English Additional Language (EAL) student nurses have poor English proficiency and struggle academically. There is a need to ensure that those selected for nurse-training are academically successful. Aim of the study The aim of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between English proficiency, determined by the matriculation English results, and first-year nursing academic results. Methodology A quantitative design was used, and comprised of two phases, namely a self-administered questionnaire and a correlation, retrospective record-review. The total population of first-year nurses was 271. The participating sample amounted to 133 consenting nurses, undertaking the R425 programme at KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing campuses. Stratification sampling was used to ensure that approximately half the sample of nurses attended a rural campus and half attended an urban campus. Random sampling was then used to select the urban campuses and the rural campuses from where students were invited to participate. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis as well as regression analysis was applied, using the SPSS version 20.0. Results Matriculation English appears to be positively related to many factors including the socio-economic situation when growing up, attending a rural primary school, library access at primary school and access to computers in primary and high school. English additional language nurses prefer to be taught nursing in English and consider it an advantage. The examination failure rate of first-year nurses was 24%. Nurses’ with higher matriculation English results on entry to nurse-training obtained better academic results in first-year nursing examinations. Recommendations Language should not be a barrier to admission into higher education, however a certain threshold of proficiency in the language of instruction is recommended. Under-resourced schools need to be addressed, especially in rural areas, including the language of instruction at schools. The matriculation results of the home language should also be considered in admission criteria to higher education. Policy formulation on formal academic support and language training, especially during the first-year of nurse-training is required for those struggling academically.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The implementation of a multilingual language policy for Higher Education in South Africa (2002) requires the teaching and learning of different languages as a second or additional language – also the teaching of Afrikaans for specific purposes to students as adult learners. The teaching of Afrikaans for specific purposes to students as adult learners has not received much attention in the South African context, especially research on the learning and teaching of Afrikaans for specific purposes in a university context. This research on Afrikaans as a second language has as framework the theory of Task-Based Language Learning and Teaching. The research focuses on issues relating to complexity in task-based challenges which await students in a multilingual university context and the way in which a task-based teaching syllabus contributes to these needs and challenges. The main focus of this study is to explore the possibilities of a multiperspective approach to the analysis of complexity in the design of a task-based syllabus for university students. The aim of such a multiperspective approach is to research the full spectrum of approaches which is available to research task complexity. The adequacy of the different approaches lies in the architecture of the compositionality and combination of the individual researchers’ frameworks, which each on its’ own has elements of incompleteness regarding the development of students’ interlanguage. There can be argued that the multiperspective approach to complexity in task-based syllabus design is beneficial to task design for an Afrikaans task-based syllabus at university level because each approach promotes the development of an interlanguage. The central purpose of this study is to investigate the nature and properties of communication tasks employed in generic social and academic communication in Afrikaans on a university campus in South Africa within the framework of task-based language learning and teaching, as well as syllabus design. This study analyses the communication tasks in accordance with the needs of second language learners of Afrikaans in the context of campus communication. For the purpose of the research, a needs analysis was conducted through the use of a questionnaire and interviews with university students. This needs analysis shows that students whose first language is not Afrikaans, have the need to acquire communicative skills in Afrikaans to communicate effectively with fellow students and lecturers at the university. As a result of the needs analysis ten student-student-dialogues and ten student-lecturer-dialogues were constructed to simulate campus communication. The study researches the various cognitive and linguistic taskelements.The purpose of this research is to to examine the cognitive and structural properties in a task design which address the communication needs of students and lecturers for learning generic Afrikaans for communicating on campus. A framework for the analysis of complexity in the development of a task-based syllabus for a teaching and learning program for the teaching and learning of Afrikaans as a second language in the multilingual university context of a South African university campus will be proposed. The study examines the different components of tasks and the components of designing a syllabus, and how they influence the teaching and learning of the second language. This study analyses various complexity properties of the twenty Afrikaans dialogues in order to determine criteria for syllabus designers on how tasks can be graded and sequenced within a task-based language learning and teaching syllabus for second language learners of Afrikaans. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die implementering van ’n meertalige taalbeleid vir Hoër Onderwys in Suid-Afrika (2002) vereis die leer en onderrig van verskillende tale as ’n tweede of addisionele taal – ook wat die onderrig van Afrikaans vir spesifieke doeleindes aan studente as volwasse leerders betref. Hierdie onderrig van Afrikaans vir spesifieke doeleindes aan volwassenes het nog nie veel aandag binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks ontvang nie, veral wat betref navorsing oor die leer en onderrig van Afrikaans vir spesifieke doeleindes binne ’n universiteitskonteks. Die navorsing wat vir hierdie proefskrif onderneem is, val binne die teorie van taakgebaseerde leer en onderrig. Dit fokus op die aspekte wat verband hou met taakgebaseerde kompleksiteitsuitdagings wat vir studente binne ’n meertalige universiteitskonteks voorlê en die wyse waarop ’n taakgebaseerde leer- en onderrigprogram voldoen aan hierdie behoeftes en uitdagings. Die sentrale fokus van hierdie proefskrif behels ’n ondersoek na die moontlikheid van ’n multiperspektiefbenadering tot die analise van kompleksiteit by die ontwerp van ’n Afrikaanse taakgebaseerde sillabus op universiteitsvlak. Die doel van so ’n multiperspektiefbenadering is om die volle spektrum van oorwegings wat ter sprake is in taakkompleksiteit te ondersoek. Die toereikendheid van dié spesifieke benadering lê in die argitektuur van die samehang en kombinasie van die verskillende navorsers se raamwerke wat elk op sigself tekens van onvolledigheid toon ten opsigte van die optimale ontwikkeling van die studente se intertaal. Daar word betoog dat dat hierdie multiperspektiefbenadering tot kompleksiteit in taakgebaseerde sillabusontwerp voordelig is ten opsigte van sillabusontwerp vir Afrikaans op universiteitsvlak aangesien intertaalontwikkeling optimaal binne elk van die benaderings verantwoord kan word. Die sentrale fokuspunt van die proefskrif is om ondersoek in te stel na die aard en eienskappe van kommunikasietake wat gevind word in generies sosiale en akademiese kommunikasietake in Afrikaans by ’n universiteitskampus in Suid-Afrika. Dit vind plaas binne die konteks van hedendaagse tweedetaalteorieë oor taakgebaseerde taalleer en -onderrig, sowel as sillabusontwerp. Hierdie studie analiseer die kommunikasietake aan die hand van die behoeftes van tweedetaalstudente van Afrikaans binne die konteks van kampuskommunikasie. Dié behoeftes is bepaal na aanleiding van behoefte-analises wat onder universiteitstudente onderneem is. Die behoefte-analises toon dat studente wie se eerste taal nie Afrikaans is nie, die behoefte het om Afrikaans te verwerf ten einde suksesvol te kan kommunikeer met medestudente en dosente. Na aanleiding van die behoefte-analises is tien student-student-dialoë en tien student-dosent-dialoë gekonstrueer wat verteenwoordigende kampuskommunikasie simuleer. Die doelwit van hierdie studie is om die verskeie kenmerke van take wat verband hou met kognitiewe en linguistiese kompleksiteit in ’n taakgebaseerde ontwerp te ondersoek. Die doel hiervan is om onder meer ’n raamwerk vir die analisering van kompleksiteit in ’n taakgebaseerde sillabus vir leer en onderrig van generiese Afrikaans vir kampuskommunikasie voor te stel. Saam met die ondersoek na kognitiewe en linguistiese kompleksiteit, ondersoek die proefskrif die kenmerke van sillabusontwerp om te bepaal hoe dit die leer en onderrig van Afrikaans as ’n tweede taal beïnvloed. Die insigte wat sodoende oor die kompleksiteit van die take verkry word, skep verskeie moontlikhede vir die ontwikkeling van take binne die konteks van ’n universiteitskampus met betrekking tot die leer van Afrikaans as ’n tweede taal. Voorts verskaf die studie ook ontledings met betrekking tot die kompleksiteitskenmerke van die twintig dialoë in Afrikaans sodat kriteria vir sillabusontwerpers geskep kan word waarvolgens hulle take binne die taakgebaseerde leer en onderrig kan gradeer en orden om ’n sillabus vir tweedetaalstudente van Afrikaans te ontwerp.

The focus of the research reported on in this dissertation is an evaluation of the Language in Learning and Teaching project (LILT), in terms of its ability to facilitate English language development in schools where both educators and learners are second language speakers and where the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) is English. The research involved two main phases. During the first phase I established evaluation criteria from the literature review, from another project the English Language Education Trust, (ELET) and from my own experience and feedback from the end-users (Le. teachers) and the observation of workshops. In the second phase I evaluated the LILT materials against the criteria developed in the literature review, analysed the feedback from end-users in the form of a questionnaire and made recommendations. In this dissertation the following terms will be used interchangeably: teacher, educator, facilitator and tutor because in the quoted passages, the term teacher is largely used. However, in Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) the terms educator, facilitator and tutor are used. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

This study aims at eliciting opinions and beliefs of isiXhosa-speaking students to revealtheir attitudes toward various languages of learning and teaching (LOLT) issues at RhodesUniversity, and to determine the influence of a number of variables (such as age, gender,schooling background, level of study and field of study) on these attitudes. Another aim of the study is to compare the findings of this research to the recent findings on isiXhosaspeaking students’ language attitudes at the University of the Western Cape (Dyers 1999) and the University of Fort Hare (Dalvit 2004). Qualitative and quantitative methods were used: data was gathered using a survey that employed a questionnaire and interviews (individual and focus group). The questionnaire data is analysed through using percentage scores as well as mean values coupled with Chi-square tests, while the interviews are analysed qualitatively to further confirm the results of the quantitative analysis. Results are also compared with other recent surveys at South African universities. The results reveal that respondents had a generally positive attitude toward English as LOLT, based mainly on instrumental motivations. More importantly, there was a positive attitude toward the use of isiXhosa alongside English. The motivations for the use of isiXhosa were both instrumental and integrative in nature. The majority of respondents who supported a bilingual arrangement did not, however, believe that a fully-fledged bilingual policy would be practical, mainly because of the multilingual nature of Rhodes University. They felt, however, that providing English and isiXhosa exam question-papers, bilingual tutor support and isiXhosa definitions of discipline-specific technical terms would facilitate learning. Most of the variables mentioned above had an influence on the relevant language attitudes, often confirming the findings of other studies. For instance, schooling background greatly influenced the language attitudes of respondents. Those from previously advantaged English-only schools showed very positive attitudes toward an English-only policy, while most respondents from formerly disadvantaged DET bilingual schools were favourably disposed toward a bilingual policy of English and isiXhosa at Rhodes University. A comparison of the findings of this study with those of recent findings on isiXhosa students’ language attitudes at other universities reveals that respondents at the University of Fort Hare were most favourable toward a bilingual policy, those at the University of the Western Cape were to some extent favourable toward a bilingual arrangement, while respondents at Rhodes University were least favourable toward a bilingual policy.

At present, there is an emphasis in South African education on promoting multicultural classrooms in schools. This thesis examines the classroom culture of a South African English-medium school, where the majority of the learners are Second Language English learners. It first describes, in the form of a case-study, how two teachers have constructed the culture of their foundation phase classrooms. It then considers why the two teachers have constructed their classrooms in such ways by exploring their knowledge and understanding of, and attitudes towards, multiculturalism, second language acquisition and multilingualism. The study also briefly considers whether teacher training has sufficiently prepared these teachers for the challenges of a multicultural classroom. The data is discussed in terms of education and second language acquisition theory and South African education and language policies. The results of this study indicate that for the most part the classroom culture is distinctly Western and that the teachers have two fundamental assumptions that underpin their action and classroom construction. The first is that a lack of exposure to English is the primary cause of language problems for L2 learners and the second is that the L1 does not need to be maintained or promoted in the school environment because learners are sufficiently exposed to their L1 in the home. The thesis concludes that shortcomings in training and information encourages these two assumptions to take root and that more in-service training that focuses specifically on the nature of second language acquisition and multiculturalism is necessary.

This study explores what happens in a reading class where grade 3 learners from specific cultural and ethnic backgrounds are taught to read in a language other than their mother-tongue. The research takes place at a primary school in the Eastern Cape, South Africa where English is the Medium of Instruction (MOI).The report on the findings of this research reveals that the teaching strategies and reading theories of the teacher, the literacy backgrounds of the learners, as well as the language preferences of the parents, are some of the contextual factors that impact on reading. One of the major findings in the study constitutes the debilitating effects of the learners' socio- economic circumstances on their reading performances in the classroom. The socio-political factors that impact on the learners, the teacher, and the school as a social unit, proved to be the factors that are remnants of the Apartheid segregation polices as well as the educational policies of the present government, especially, those pertaining to mother-tongue Instruction. Although it is difficult to generalize from a small-scale study like this, its benefits lie in the evidence that confirms the influence of specific contextual factors on reading proficiencies, the evidence that identifies poor and effective teaching practices and the evidence that elucidate the implications of non-mother tongue instruction. This research may thus serve to raise the consciousness of practitioners in reading instruction, parents and policy makers. / KMBT_363 / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

A mini-dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Magister Educationis (M Ed) at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / This mini-dissertation describes the difficulties faced by educators who teach Natural Science in Grade 6 using isiXhosa mother tongue instruction. The researcher has investigated how educators dealt with Natural Science terminology when they were teaching Grade 6. The sample consisted of 10 educators from 10 schools in Gugulethu who were teaching Grade 6 Natural Science. The researcher used a focus group interview of 10 educators from 10 schools in Gugulethu. The researcher unpacked the issues of teaching Natural Science in mother tongue instruction, as it was the policy of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). The researcher looked at the measures put in place by the WCED to pilot schools, such as resources and training of the educators. As a researcher I looked broadly and compared educational policies in other neighbouring countries, such as Mozambique and Swaziland, to South Africa. In a purposive sample, one was likely to get the opinions of one’s target population, but one was also likely to overweight subgroups in one’s population that were more readily accessible. Researcher also consulted some literature such as that of Baker, Alexander, Brock-Utne etc. In conclusion, the researcher used exploratory studies for hypothesis generation, and by researchers interested in obtaining ideas of the range of responses on ideas that people had. However, in this study the researcher used the qualitative methods, with a focus group interview, to gather data on the implementation of mother tongue instruction in a Grade 6 Natural Science classes. The findings of the study seem to indicate that learners understand better if they are taught Natural Science in isiXhosa mother tongue. Therefore, recommendations pose a number of challenges to those committed in the implementation of mother tongue instruction in the Western Cape schools.

This study looks at the curriculum outcomes, teaching practices and learner competencies in isiXhosa at three Eastern Cape schools and across three different grades, 7-9. It explores the link between language learning and teaching as well as the teaching strategies used within the classroom. In particular, the study seeks to analyse how isiXhosa is taught at three different levels of instruction, namely at Home Language (HL), First Additional Language (FAL) and Second Additional Language (SAL) levels. Qualitative methods were used, and the study took the form of interpretive case studies within the respective schools. The purpose of using multiple case studies was to investigate the reality within the three sites selected. The three schools had three extreme settings, in the sense that one of the schools is a rich isiXhosa environment and the other two schools are English environments. The tools used for data gathering were interviews, classroom observations, and an analysis of documents from the Department of Basic Education. Data was then presented and analysed in Chapter 4 and 5 against the backdrop of an extensive literature review in Chapter 2 as well as a detailed methodological approach as outlined in Chapter 3. One of the findings of this research indicates that in two of the schools the teaching culture is largely from a western perspective, whereas in one of the schools the learners are primarily isiXhosa speaking and teachers use a different linguistic approach to imparting knowledge. In the private and ex-Model C school it was found that a lack of exposure to isiXhosa is the primary cause of language problems for L2 learners. Secondly the L1 is not appropriately maintained or promoted in the school environment because it is presumed that learners are sufficiently exposed to their L1 at home. The research found therefore that in this particular schooling environment there is an inconsistency between the curricula that is taught in relation to the linguistic abilities of the learners, many of whom are mother tongue speakers of isiXhosa. Furthermore and more generally, it was found that teachers are still not well informed concerning South Africa’s Language-in-Education-Policy and there is a need for more inservice training that will focus on the nature of additional language acquisition in order to address the challenges of teaching these languages. The thesis concludes that extensive work needs to be done in order to reposition the teaching of isiXhosa at all three levels, but particularly at FAL level. This research shows that there is a disjuncture between the proposed curriculum/learning outcomes and the standards or levels achieved by the learners, more especially at FAL and SAL where oral proficiency in isiXhosa remains a challenge. Specific recommendations are contained in the final chapter of the thesis which also makes reference to the draft policy of the Ministry of Basic Education regarding the incremental introduction of the teaching of African languages from 2014 onwards. This thesis also makes takes as a point of departure the importance of multilingualism in a multicultural society such as South Africa where language is suggested as a strong factor in the fostering of social cohesion. It is for this reason that the thesis argues that the expert teaching of African languages, in this case isiXhosa, at both mother tongue and second language levels is of fundamental importance to the future of South African society.

South Africa is a complex multilingual country. In the majority of schools in the Eastern Cape, a province in South Africa, the teachers and learners share the same home language, isiXhosa, but teach and learn mathematics in English. The purpose of this study was to encourage teachers to use the home language as a resource to teach mathematics in multilingual classes. The study follows a mixed method design, using both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data were collected from a survey and poetry, which teachers crafted, in which they highlighted their perceptions about language in their lives. They also reflected on their practices and submitted pieces of contemplative writing. Quantitative data were collected from participating teachers who administered a pre-test to their learners as well as a post- test approximately nine months later after conducting an intervention. The results showed that where strategies, such as the implementation of exploratory talk and code switching which used language as a resource, had been introduced mathematical reasoning improved and classroom climate became more positive. The learners’ lack of confidence in being able to express their reasoning in English was prevalent throughout the reflective writing. By enabling learners to use isiXhosa in discussions the teachers felt that the learners gained in both confidence and mathematical understanding. This study has demonstrated that using the learners’ and teachers’ home language unlocks doors to communication and spotlights mathematical reasoning, but there is still an urgency to encourage learners to become fluent in Mathematical English. It is important to note that a positive classroom climate is essential for learners to build confidence and to encourage them to attempt to formulate sentences in English - to start on the journey from informal to formal usage of language as advocated by Setati and Adler (2001:250). My main conclusion is that an intervention that develops exploratory talk by using language as a resource can improve learners’ mathematical reasoning. I wish to emphasise that I am not advocating teaching mathematics in isiXhosa only, but the research has shown the advantages of using the home language as a resource together with English in Eastern Cape multilingual mathematics classes. Learners need to be able to express themselves in English, written and spoken, in order to achieve mathematically. This study therefore shows that teachers can gauge their learners’ improvement in mathematical reasoning after an intervention that develops exploratory talk in class by using the home language as a resource.