The study explores the feasibility of using Shona as a medium of instruction in teaching Science in Zimbabwe. Although English has been the language of instruction since the advent of colonialism it has not been able to deliver for no tangible scientific and /or technological development has been seen in Zimbabwe. The research assumes that it is possible to achieve technical and scientific development in Zimbabwe using indigenous languages like Shona. It therefore seeks to find out if Shona can be effectively used to replace English as a language of instruction in the teaching of Science, achieving sound mastery of the subject in the process. In this research two grade four classes at Denzva School are studied. The classes are of the same size and academic potential. Their composition was systematical established after consulting the classes performance in the end of year grade three examinations. One group (the experimental class) is taught Science in Shona while the other group is taught Science in English. The two classes receive instruction in their usual classrooms and from one teacher, the researcher. In order to check mastery of content, the subjects write lessons and the researcher reviews tests in which individual pupil performance in the tests was recorded. The results of the two classes’ performance are compared and commented upon. It is then deduced if Shona is effective and better than English as a language of instruction. Further the prevailing language policy in schools and government departments as well as the attitudes of parents and teachers are investigated through the use of questionnaires and interviews. Views gathered are commented upon and general recommendations made. / African Languages / D.Litt.et. Phil. (African Languages)

I tidigare genomförda studier framträder olika perspektiv på hur flerspråkighet kan förstås som en resurs i matematiken. Dessa inbegriper dessutom ett antal olika möjligheter i relation till matematiklärande vilka bildat utgångspunkt för min studie. Studien har avgränsats till att undersöka kunskapsmässiga möjligheter i relation till flerspråkighet i matematikundervisningen med avsikten att bidra med positiva insikter och berikande aspekter i arbetet med flerspråkiga elever.  Syftet med studien var att undersöka vilka strategier som lärare använder för att inkludera elevers olika språk och kunskaper som en resurs i undervisningen samt hur dessa kan bidra till att utveckla elevers matematiska förståelser och kunskaper. Metoden för arbetet har varit kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra matematiklärare som arbetar i flerspråkiga miljöer. Det empiriska materialet har systematiserats genom en teoretisk tematisk analys och analyserats i relation till en teoretisk modell. Avslutningsvis diskuteras resultaten i relation till tidigare forskning.  Resultatet av studien visar att det finns ett flertal olika strategier som används för att inkludera elevers olika språk och kunskaper i matematikundervisningen. Lärarna använder sig bland annat av både homogena och heterogena språkgrupper. Elevers informella lösningsstrategier används mer eller mindre systematiskt som en resurs för lärande men också att låta elever formulera egna problemlösningsuppgifter. Slutligen visar resultatet även på metoder med lär-par utifrån modersmål och flerspråkiga hjälpmedel som strategier för att inkludera elevers förstaspråk som resurs i matematiken. Framförallt framhävdes begreppslig förståelse och språkutvecklande möjligheter som strategiernas främsta funktionerna av lärarna. Modellen och dess teoretiska grunder bidrog med ytterligare potentialer. Bland annat tydliggjordes utrymme för matematiska nyanser att mötas, ifrågasättas och förenas och på så vis kan ett flertal olika matematiker involveras i undervisningen.

The study explores the feasibility of using Shona as a medium of instruction in teaching Science in Zimbabwe. Although English has been the language of instruction since the advent of colonialism it has not been able to deliver for no tangible scientific and /or technological development has been seen in Zimbabwe. The research assumes that it is possible to achieve technical and scientific development in Zimbabwe using indigenous languages like Shona. It therefore seeks to find out if Shona can be effectively used to replace English as a language of instruction in the teaching of Science, achieving sound mastery of the subject in the process. In this research two grade four classes at Denzva School are studied. The classes are of the same size and academic potential. Their composition was systematical established after consulting the classes performance in the end of year grade three examinations. One group (the experimental class) is taught Science in Shona while the other group is taught Science in English. The two classes receive instruction in their usual classrooms and from one teacher, the researcher. In order to check mastery of content, the subjects write lessons and the researcher reviews tests in which individual pupil performance in the tests was recorded. The results of the two classes’ performance are compared and commented upon. It is then deduced if Shona is effective and better than English as a language of instruction. Further the prevailing language policy in schools and government departments as well as the attitudes of parents and teachers are investigated through the use of questionnaires and interviews. Views gathered are commented upon and general recommendations made. / African Languages / D.Litt.et. Phil. (African Languages)