M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This study is about An Investigation into Implementation of Language Policy in the Eastern Cape with specific reference to isiXhosa. The objectives of this study are to investigate the current state of language policy implementation plan in local government sectors and schools and to propose a strategy for a sustainable language implementation plan for indigenous languages of South Africa. Chapter 1 provides the background, definitions of terms, the statement of the problem, the research methods used and the literature reviewed. Chapter 2 deals with the critical analysis of language policy, looking at the types of language policies and various relevant language policies. Chapter 3 addresses challenges facing the indigenous languages of South Africa (with specific reference to isiXhosa) especially at provincial level. Chapter 4 discusses the implementation strategies which will help in the development of the indigenous languages. Chapter 5 concludes the study by presenting findings and recommendations for future research.

M.Ed. (Language Teaching) / The lack of proper regard for language variation and the heterogeneous nature of language in the teaching of Afrikaans First Language Secondary Phase caused various problems. Not only individuals but the whole Afrikaans language community and the language itself suffered. Language variation is actually recognised in the learning content and teaching approach of the latest Afrikaans First Language syllabus. However, because of the inadequate recognition in the syllabus and the current complexity of the Afrikaans language community, it is necessary to provide guidelines for augmenting the syllabus to improve the teaching-learning situation. This study therefore proposes appropriate learning content with regard to the heterogeneous nature of language, language variation and specific problems in the Afrikaans language community. In order to accommodate all the varieties of Afrikaans and speakers of these varieties in the teaching-learning situation, a multi-variety approach is recommended. With that in mind a strategy to implement a multi-variety approach and the teaching of the complex phenomenon, language variation in Afrikaans First Language Secondary Phase is proposed.

This research considers the perceptions of an academic writing task held by a lecturer and first year students in the Philosophy department at the University of Zululand. The research takes as its starting point the following premises: that language is inextricably linked to learning; that each academic discipline has a particular discourse which students have to acquire in order to participate as accepted members of the academic community; that learning proceeds most effectively when teaching starts with what is known and moves into the unknown; and that learning takes place through experience and involvement, rather than transmission. The research suggests that many first year students bring with them to university an understanding of the nature of learning and of knowledge which makes it difficult for them to understand the implicit rules of the discourse of analytical philosophy. My investigation uncovered several of these rules in the study guide written for the course, but it appears that students were not able to discover them and, as a result, experienced great difficulty in fulfilling the assignment task in a way which promoted their understanding of the content. The research also shows that the lecturer's expectations of the task were far removed from the manner in which the students implemented the task. It is argued that the students appear to have reverted to their established writing strategies which consisted of simply repeating what the 'authority' has said. From this it is argued that unless rules of the discourse are made explicit to students, and students understand the content of the course, they will revert to copying and relying on other sources to tell them what to write. One way of making these rules explicit and encouraging students to integrate new knowledge with previous knowledge which they bring with them to university is through providing well-structured writing tasks, and where necessary, developing clearly defined assessment procedures. Writing is the principal means of mediation between the lecturer, who is trying to offer students entry into the discipline, and the student apprentice trying to make sense of the discipline and find his or her own 'voice' within that discipline.

Thesis (Ph. D. (Language and Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / This research study dealt with specific aspects relating to attitudes of intermediate phase learners, educators, and SGB members towards Xitsonga as medium of learning and teaching in Limpopo. The statement of the study’s problem was articulated against clearly defined contexts. As a foundational slab for the study, the thesis deemed it fit and necessary to give the background to the problem on attitudes in general and language attitude in particular. When the foundation had been laid, the statement of the problem was clearly articulated so as to open a curtain on the niche and the exact problem the thesis sought to investigate. The aim of the study was derived from the title, finetuned in the niche and focused on clearly defined objectives which informed the research lanes the whole project operated in. The significance of the research project was not a stand alone entity, but spoke to the aim and objectives. The police officer of the thesis was the theoretical framework. It directed the process by means of indicating that mother-tongue education as an ideal practice should also be considered for the post foundation phase studies also in South Africa. On its wings, was the behaviourist theory. Unlike its counterpart the mentalist theory, the former was a vehicle through which the study elicited valuable data by observing the behaviour of the target subjects in the Mopani District. Without a well-indicated scope of the study, the investigation would had been too general to address a specific niche. The distinct niche of the thesis was further uncovered and demonstrated by the evaluation of literature survey of various studies on language attitudes in the country as well as the world over. The search design of the study was also a context against which the qualitative approach was used for data gathering instruments, and sampling process. The ethical considerations were clearly outlined and applied accordingly prior and during the data collection process. The thesis would had been incomplete if relevant and up to date literature review was not done. In order to contextualise the thrust of language attitudes among the target research respondents, Chapter Two provided a brief but inclusive overview of (vi) historical data. The data were evaluated against language attitude theories, home language instruction principles, attitudes towards a sample of three dominant Limpopo official languages (that is, Xitsonga, Sepedi and Tshivenḓa), completed research studies that focused on language attitudes, language policy matters and curricula development and implications from the first post apartheid Curriculum 2005 up to the current Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The review or survey ended up with a critical evaluation of the concept of multilingualism in South African schools against language attitudes, four periods of language policy in the RSA, as well as the language phenomenon from divine creation to date. Before the fieldwork was undertaken, description was made in some detail on how the research data were collected, possible limitations to the research exercise were spelt out, coupled with counter-measures taken to ensure reliability, validity and objectivity in collecting data, and how analysis and interpretation of research data were actualised. The analysis and interpretation of the research data elicited from learners, teachers, and SGB members yielded almost similar results. The majority of all the respondents across the Mopani District (an average of 80%), displayed very strong negative attitudes towards mother-tongue instruction at Intermediate Phase level. Though learners and teachers had challenges with the use of the source language in class, they still did not favour the target language medium. Only 20% of their counterparts favoured the mother-tongue medium. The volunteer system in the composition of parent component of the SGB members was discovered by the study to be a serious challenge. This challenge does not assist the institutions they are governing to be what they should be. Almost 100% of them exposed themselves through the research tool used that they were not performing the core duties they were expected to perform save signing cheques and solving petty disputes. In conclusion, relevant and appropriate recommendations were made to affected stakeholders. They were addressed mainly to: communities, managers, teachers, government, community leaders, academics, researchers and writers on ways and means of addressing the deep-seated negative attitudes towards Xitsonga as a medium of instruction at Intermediate Phase level of the Mopani District.

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In South Africa, the linguistic hegemony of English over the African languages in the academic field reproduces unequal power relationships between their speakers. The present study shows that an intervention shaped by a counterhegemonic ideology can change the attitudes of Black university students, key players in spearheading social change. Usign statistical analysis and survey methodologies, this research explored the hegemonic role of English as the only language of learning and teaching (LoLT) in the discipline of Computer Science (CS) at Rhodes University. The study found that those speakers of an African language who are the most disadvantaged by the use of English as LoLT are also the most likely to resist a more extensive use of their mother tongue as an alternative. A group of such students were involved in the development and use of an online glossary of CS terms translated, explained and exemplified in an African language (isiXhosa). This experience increased the support for the use of African languages as additional LoLT, even in the Englishdominated field of study of Computer Science. This is an initial step towards promoting linguistic equality between English and African languages and social equality between their speakers.

M.A. / South Africa is going through a transitional phase and urbanization, which among other things, has caused many families to resettle. The education system is no longer based on bilingualism with English and Afrikaans as the languages used in the senior primary phase. Our multicultural, multilingual society requires that children from different backgrounds be taught in the same classes. Schools in Eldorado Park have experienced an influx of learners with other mother tongues than English and Afrikaans into the schools. This influx has brought with it challenges for both learners and teachers. Teachers had to adapt their teaching methods to accommodate these challenges. Coupled with this is the rationalisation and redeployment process of teachers which is currently taking place. This has resulted in big classes with some catering for as many as fifty learners. Mother tongue speakers of African languages, with or without the necessary language background in English and Afrikaans, are admitted to the schools in different grades and find themselves in classes with learners who are fluent in English and Afrikaans. In this study some of the problems that teachers and learners experience are identified, the participation of parents in the education process is emphasised and the importance of language planning with regard to the child's medium of instruction and the school's first and second languages stressed. The research has touched on the implications of various aspects of language acquisition and learning (amongst other important findings). It was found that teachers need continual support from the government, the parents and the school's governing body.

This study looks at language policy and practice at two Eastern Cape schools. It further explores the link between language learning and teaching. Language implementation strategies were the main focus of this study. The Language-in-education policy of the Republic of South Africa (1997) promotes the use of all nine African languages, which have been afforded the status of official languages. This study looks at the language teaching practices at two Grahamstown primary schools, where isiXhosa and Afrikaans have been used as media of instruction. Qualitative methods were used, and the study took the form of interpretive case studies. / Thuto e, e ikaelela go tshegetsa patlisiso e e ka ga gore dipuo tsa Selegae tsa Seaforika mo Aforikaborwa di tshwanelwa ke go tsewa ka maemo le mokgwa o o lekanang go ya ka Molaotheo wa Aforikaborwa. Ka jalo, e tlaa utolola,e ribilole ditsela le go batla malepa a puso ya Aforikaborwa e ka fitlhelelang setšhaba se se kwa magaeng, se bokgoni jwa kitso ya Seesimane bo leng kwa tlase mo go bona. Bothata ke gore Aforikaborwa e laolwa bogolo ke tiriso e e kwa godimo ya Seesimane mme puso e tshwanelwa ke gore e tlose dikgoreletsi tse di leng teng ga jaana tsa puo. E bowe gape e thibele go se lekalekaneng ga botshelo ka kakaretso mo loagong go go tlholwang ke go sa lekalekaneng ga kitso ya dipuo mo setšhabeng ka kakaretso. Ditshwanelo mo puong fela jaaka ditshwanelo dingwe le dingwe tsa botho, di tshwanelwa ke go sireletswa, jaaka di akareditswe mo Molaotheo o mošwa wa temokerasi wa Aforikaborwa.

There is a considerable body of literature on the challenges faced by learners who speak an African language at home but who are taught through the medium of English. Less research has focused, however, on contexts where isiXhosa-speaking learners have Afrikaans as their Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT), especially in Foundation Phase classrooms where teachers may not speak their learners’ home language. Such learners face the triple challenge of simultaneously learning a second language, learning to read in that language, and also learning new content and concepts through it. Using a multiple case study design, this investigation explores the mathematics teaching practices of Afrikaans-speaking Grade 3 teachers teaching isiXhosa-speaking learners through the medium of Afrikaans. Separate contextual profiles of the teaching practices of the participating teachers at the three schools are presented. Data were derived from school, classroom, and lesson observations (at least five complete mathematics lessons of each teacher), plus interviews with the teachers and with their school principals. By drawing on Vygotskian sociocultural theory and the interactive model of second language acquisition, this study highlighted the teaching practices of the three teachers as they mediated their learners’ mathematical conceptual development. An inductive data analysis approach was used to isolate recurring themes and patterns. Four main themes were identified: structuring of teaching and learning, facilitating of interaction, language use and implementation of mediating strategies. Analysis of the data shows that all three teachers’ language use displayed high levels of modified input, and high levels of context-embedded support. The levels of scaffolded learner talk were, however, found to be much lower than the levels of teacher talk, especially as far as academic registers were concerned. The teachers’ mediation strategies also displayed high levels of teacher-directed input which, on the whole, did not provide optimal opportunities for learners to develop independent levels of academic discourse. The study highlights the need for further research to inform teacher education and development with regard to more effective support structures to assist teachers with the sorts of challenges outlined above.