A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of African Languages at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2014 / This research reveals the need of using the mother-tongue in teaching of all subjects as the medium of instruction, especially to the learners from the African communities. Here it is recommended that English be taught for communication. Chapter one introduces the entire research, its aims, problem of language usage, meaning of words, and the research methods. In addition to that it gives the ideas of different writers and the people that are going to benefit from the research. It also displays the outline of chapters and the conclusion. Chapter two focusses on the language usage in the classroom, community and how the eThekwini Municipality communicates with its community through letters. It also reveals the history of isiZulu language. Chapter three displays the language usage in Parliament, how do the educators teach the mother-tongue at schools? The impact of the Western languages due to the ruling party and how that can be balanced. The selection and codification of words in the written documents of the government has an impact of the indigenous people to lose their mother-tongue. Chapter four reveals the fact of richness of mother-tongue because it displays its proverbs and idioms. That promotes the culture of that particular nation. The focus is on the correct usage of the language. Chapter five displays the languages that are commonly used in Social Development Department, Court, KwaMsane Clinic, Ithala Bank, Richards Bay Hospital and Mtubatuba Municipality. Information to support the research was obtained from the questionnaire. Chapter six focusses on the findings, recommendations and conclusion of the entire work done.

The main objective of this study is to increase knowledge of how mother tongue as a school subject is constructed, legitimized and positioned at the policy level. Based on the analysis of governmental policy documents, the thesis deals with mother tongue instruction (MTI) in the Swedish compulsory school, its historical development and status among other language subjects. The study draws on the curriculum theory, which means that the focus lies on the relationship between content of the curriculum and the historical, social and cultural context in which it was conducted. Regarding MTI, I argue that it is located at an intersection among immigration, education and language policies and must, therefore, be viewed in the light of them. With curriculum theory and discourse analysis as theoretical and methodological framework, I examine governmental policy documents from the 1960s to the current curriculum (Lgr11). The result shows that the introduction of MTI (named “home language”) in Swedish school in the 1970s was a part of an immigration policy directed towards immigrant children in order to compensate their special needs. It was argued that mother tongue was crucial for children's personal development and learning. The subject was aimed at all pupils with the home language other than Swedish and was seen as “almost mandatory”. However, the effects of MTI became questioned in the 1980-90s, which led to decreased access to MTI for students that did not belong to national minority groups. The status of the subject was weakened; in fact, it had no natural place in the school schedule. Under this period, the individual’s freedom of choice became valued more than the equality among students. The third period of the MTI history started in the late 1990s when the government articulated its willingness to raise the status of the subject. At present, the practice of MTI is regulated not only by the curriculum but also by the school law and the language law. MTI is currently a part of language policy, which is aimed at language pluralism. Indeed, the development of bilingualism has been stated as the goal of MTI in every curriculum since Lgr69. In the meantime, other language subjects do not aim at promoting bilingualism. This means that bilingualism is something that minority groups should strive for, but nothing majority students need. The current curriculum emphasizes the mother tongue’s significance for language acquisition and for learning in general. The focus still lies on the mother tongue’s importance for individuals but not for the society. Moreover, there are no connections mentioned between MTI and future studies and job opportunities, as the case is for other language subjects. By comparing syllabuses for other school languages I concluded that MTI is constructed as a kind of support subject, rather than as a regular language subject.

All multilingual primary and secondary school pupils have the right to mother tongue instruction as language is essential in developing our identity, expressing our thoughts and emotions, and showcasing our knowledge and skills. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the methods employed by mother tongue teachers to enhance the language development among their pupils and how they perceive mother tongue instruction as a school subject in relation to other subjects. The study takes a sociocultural theoretical perspective and is based on interviews with seven mother tongue teachers. The study’s results highlight the importance of mother tongue instruction as a basis for language development, identity formation and cultural preservation. The study provides an insight into the importance of mother tongue teaching, the didactic methods used by teachers to promote language development and the need for a greater prioritization of the school subject within the school curriculum as a way to promote multilingualism, increase intercultural understanding and contribute to a more inclusive and fair education system.The results of the study demonstrate that all interviewed teachers utilize various tools and resources to enhance students’ language development. This practice holds significance not only for the development of the mother tongue but also for reinforcing proficiency in the Swedish language. The range of learning resources encompasses textbooks, exercise books, whiteboards, digital tools, and letter cards. These methods underscore the importance of cultural and social contexts in language development, and play a crucial role in supporting students’ language development. Language is perceived as a tool for learning and knowledge advancement, wherein the mother tongue assumes a vital role in challenging students to formulate their understandings and critical thinking. Integrating current news and everyday contexts into education encourages students to engage in profound thinking and articulate their thoughts using their mother tongue. Moreover, the mother tongue is often juxtaposed with Swedish to enhance understanding and communication among individuals speaking different languages. This practice further strengthens students’ language competence and their ability to adapt to various linguistic and cultural environments.The teachers emphasize that every student is unique and operates at their own level. This necessitates that teachers understand and support each student individually. Teachers must adopt a positive and encouraging approach to foster students’ positive attitudes toward learning. Encouraging students to use their mother tongue and appreciating multilingualism as an asset is crucial. Teachers adapt their lecture planning based on the group’s composition and students’ diverse levels, aligning with the curriculum and individual student needs. However, challenges exist in accessing learning materials, leading teachers to create their own or utilize various internet sources. Assessments are conducted through written and oral tasks, allowing students to showcase their skills through essays, oral presentations, and discussions.The study highlights the critical role of mother tongue instruction for multilingual students, enhancing language development, self-esteem, and cultural knowledge. However, the lack of prioritization and low status of the mother tongue subject within the education system present a significant challenge. Teachers express dissatisfaction with this marginalization, emphasizing the need to prioritize mother tongue instruction as a key school subject. This prioritization would enable teachers to effectively promote language development, maximize students’ linguistic potential, and facilitate better integration into society. Research substantiates the challenges faced by teachers and the understanding that proficiency in the mother tongue enhances students’ performance across various subjects and aids societal integration. This underscores the importance of informed political decisions in shaping educational policies. / Alla flerspråkiga elever i grundskolan och gymnasiet har rätt att erhålla modersmålsundervisning och språket är avgörande för att utveckla vår identitet, uttrycka våra tankar och känslor samt visa upp våra kunskaper och färdigheter. Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie är att undersöka vilka metoder modersmålslärare använder för att främja språkutvecklingen hos sina elever och hur de uppfattar modersmålsundervisningen som skolämne i relation till andra ämnen. Studien utgår från ett sociokulturellt teoretiskt perspektiv och bygger på intervjuer med sju modersmålslärare. Studien belyser betydelsen av modersmålsundervisningen som en grund för språkutveckling, identitetsbildning och kulturbevarande. Studien ger en inblick i betydelsen av modersmålsundervisningen, de metoder som används av lärarna för att främja språkutvecklingen och behovet av en större prioritering av skolämnet inom skolans läroplan som ett sätt att främja flerspråkigheten, öka den interkulturella förståelsen och bidra till ett mer inkluderande och rättvist utbildningssystem.Studiens resultat visar att samtliga intervjuade lärare använder sig av olika verktyg och resurser för att främja elevernas språkutveckling. Denna praxis är av betydelse, inte bara för språkutvecklingen av modersmålet, utan också för att stärka elevernas färdigheter i svenska språket. Lärresurser inkluderar läroböcker, övningsböcker, whiteboard, digitala verktyg och kort med bokstäver. Dessa metoder understryker betydelsen av kulturella och sociala sammanhang för språkutveckling och spelar en avgörande roll i att stödja elevernas språkutveckling. Språket uppfattas som ett verktyg för lärande och kunskapsutveckling, där modersmålet spelar en viktig roll i att utmana eleverna att formulera sina tankar och utveckla sin förmåga att tänka kritiskt. Integration av aktuella nyheter och vardagliga sammanhang i utbildningen uppmuntrar eleverna att engagera sig i djupgående tänkande och uttrycka sina tankar på sitt modersmål. Dessutom jämförs modersmålet ofta med svenska för att underlätta förståelsen och kommunikationen mellan personer som talar olika språk. Denna praxis stärker ytterligare elevernas språkkompetens och deras förmåga att anpassa sig till olika språkliga och kulturella sammanhang.Lärarna betonar att varje elev är unik och befinner sig på sin egen nivå, vilket kräver att lärarna förstår och stöttar varje elev individuellt. En viktig aspekt är att modersmålslärare bör ha ett positivt och uppmuntrande förhållningssätt för att främja elevernas inställning till inlärningen. Lärarna betonar vikten av att uppmuntra eleverna att använda sitt modersmål och se flerspråkighet som en tillgång. När det gäller planering av lektioner anpassar lärarna sina metoder baserat på gruppsammansättningen och elevernas olika nivåer, med hänsyn till läroplanen och elevernas individuella behov. Tillgång till läromaterial utgör en utmaning för samtliga pedagoger, vilket leder till att de ofta skapar eget material eller använder källor på internet. En av pedagogerna använder även läromaterial från hemlandet. Bedömningen av elevernas kunskaper görs genom skriftliga och muntliga uppgifter, vilket ger eleverna möjlighet att visa sina kunskaper genom exempelvis uppsatser, muntliga presentationer och diskussioner. Studien lyfter fram den avgörande rollen som modersmålsundervisning spelar för flerspråkiga elever, genom att främja språkutveckling, självkänsla och kulturell kunskap. Dock framhålls bristen på prioritering och den låga statusen för modersmålsämnet inom utbildningssystemet som en betydande utmaning. Lärarna uttrycker missnöje med denna marginalisering och understryker behovet av att prioritera modersmålsundervisningen som ett viktigt skolämne. Denna prioritering skulle möjliggöra för lärarna att effektivt främja språkutveckling och maximera elevernas språkliga potential, vilket underlättar en bättre integration i samhället. Forskning bekräftar de utmaningar som lärarna står inför och insikten att kunskaper i modersmålet stärker elevernas prestation i olika ämnen samt underlättar integration i samhället. Detta understryker vikten av att fatta välinformerade politiska beslut för utformningen av utbildningspolitiken.

This paper investigates educational leadership of an intercultural employee group in a large language centre providing first-language tuition in Sweden. The project is based on engaged scholarship (Van de Ven, 2007), which describes research in which the researcher works closely with multiple actors on different levels in an organisation in order to establish an overall picture. The views of both management and teachers with regard to national culture, language and norms are explored, in order to establish which intercultural aspects play a role in how leaders manage the heterogenous employee group. An important starting point for this research is the idea that individuals’ own cultures and norms affect motivation and engagement for workplace learning. A democratic, discussion based educational leadership style is held as an ideal in Swedish school principal training. However, “mother tongue” instruction stands out as an area within Swedish school provision as having a workforce comprised predominantly of non-Swedish native employees but that is subject to Swedish management principles. The findings of the study show that the intercultural language centre environment gives rise to difficulties in communication, target-setting and expectations regarding authority, while an educational leadership style with focus on rapport, personal development and trust helps to counteract some of these difficulties. / Denna artikel undersöker pedagogiskt ledarskap i ett stort språkcenter med en heterogen arbetargrupp som tillhandahåller modersmålsundervisning i Sverige. Projektet utgår ifrån engaged scholarship (Ven de Ven, 2007), som beskriver forskning där forskaren arbetar nära praktiken på olika nivåer en organisation för att skapa en helhetsbild. Både ledningens och lärarnas syn på ledarskap, kultur, språk och normer utforskas för att fastställa vilka interkulturella aspekter som spelar roll för hur ledare hanterar den heterogena arbetargruppen. En viktig utgångspunkt för denna forskning är påståendet att individers egna kulturer och normer påverkar motivation och engagemang för lärande på arbetsplatsen. Medan en så kallad demokratisk, diskussionsbaserad pedagogisk ledarskapsstil blir allt mer normativ inom svensk skolledningsutbildning., framstår ”modersmålsundervisning” som ett område inom svensk skolverksamhet med en majoritet av icke-svenskt infödda anställda som arbetar under svenska ledningsprinciper. Den interkulturella språkcentermiljön ger upphov till svårigheter gällande kommunikation, målsättning och förväntningar på auktoritet. Däremot motverkar en pedagogisk ledarstil, genom sin fokus på relation, personlig utveckling och tillit, en del av dessa svårigheter.

This thesis aims to learn about opportunities for and challenges to the development of multilingual literacies in three forms of education in Sweden and Australia that teach or draw on immigrant languages.  In Sweden mother tongue instruction and multilingual study guidance are in focus and in Australia, a community language school. Taking an ecological approach to the research sites, the thesis investigates how language ideologies, organization of the form of education and language practices impact on the development of multilingual literacies. A range of linguistic ethnographic data including 75 lesson observations, 48 interviews, field notes and photographs has been analyzed against the theoretical backdrop of the continua of biliteracy (Hornberger, 1989; Hornberger &amp; Skilton-Sylvester, 2000), heteroglossia (Bakhtin, 1981) and emerging theories of translanguaging (García &amp; Li, 2014) to investigate the questions. The thesis ties together the results of four interlocking case studies investigating the above-mentioned forms of education. Study I analyses the syllabus for mother tongue instruction in Sweden and finds that while aligning with the overall values of the curriculum for the compulsory school, a hidden curriculum constrains implementation. In Study II, multilingual practices during multilingual study guidance in Sweden are analysed, and demonstrate how translanguaging helps recently arrived students reach the learning goals of subjects in the Swedish curriculum. In study III, systematic analysis of indexicals reveals contrasting language narratives about language and language development in and around a Vietnamese community language school in Australia. Study IV focuses on mother tongue instruction in Sweden and through analysis of audio-recordings of lessons, interviews and field notes, finds three dimensions of linguistic diversity infuse the subject.  Opportunities for the development of multilingual literacies are created when there is equal access to spaces for developing literacies in different immigrant languages, within which language ideologies that recognize and build on the heteroglossic diversity of students’ linguistic repertoires dynamically inform the organization of education and classroom practices. Challenges are created when monoglossic ideologies restrict access to or ignore linguistic diversity and when there is a lack of dynamic engagement with implementation and organization. Basing organization, and classroom strategies around the linguistic reality of the students and the genres they need, benefits the development of multilingual literacies in both settings and can help students become resourceful language users (Pennycook, 2012b, 2014). / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

The primary aim ·of this investigation was to determine the influence of English second language instruction and English proficiency on the performance of Zulu children at Indian schools. A study into first and second language acquisition was undertaken, including the theories of second language acquisition. The empirical investigation entailed the collection of data through questionnaires. The null hypotheses were then tested using the chi-square test. The research results show that the academic performance of Black children at Indian schools is influenced by English second language instruction and English proficiency.. It is also evident that early exposure to the English language has a tremendous influence on their performance. Black children transferred from a mother tongue medium school to an English medium school, during the junior primary phase, are found to be at a disadvantage compared to their English-speaking peers due to limited proficiency in the language of instruction. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The primary aim ·of this investigation was to determine the influence of English second language instruction and English proficiency on the performance of Zulu children at Indian schools. A study into first and second language acquisition was undertaken, including the theories of second language acquisition. The empirical investigation entailed the collection of data through questionnaires. The null hypotheses were then tested using the chi-square test. The research results show that the academic performance of Black children at Indian schools is influenced by English second language instruction and English proficiency.. It is also evident that early exposure to the English language has a tremendous influence on their performance. Black children transferred from a mother tongue medium school to an English medium school, during the junior primary phase, are found to be at a disadvantage compared to their English-speaking peers due to limited proficiency in the language of instruction. / Psychology of Education / M.Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Tutkielman tavoitteena oli selvittää voiko Suomessa julkaistua oppikirjaa perustellusti käyttää ruotsalaisessa suomi äidinkielenä -opetuksessa, ruotsalaisen peruskoulun opetussuunnitelman äidin­kielen kurssisuunnitelman keskeisiä sisältöjä vasten tarkasteltuna, kun kirja on tarkoitettu alun perin käytettäväksi Suomessa ruotsinkielisten koulujen suomi toisena kotimaisena kielenä -oppiaineessa, äidinkielenomaisen suomen oppimäärässä. Tutkimuksen taustalla on Ruotsissa julkaistun suomen kielen oppimateriaalin, joka olisi suunnattu ruotsalaisen kurssisuunitelman ”suomi ensimmäisenä kielenä” oppiaineeseen, vähäisyys. Äidinkielen­opettajat Ruotsissa käyttävät ruotsalaisen materiaalin vähäisyyden vuoksi Suomessa julkaistua opetusmateriaalia. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen kehys perustuu sosiokulttuurisen oppimis­käsityksen teorialle, ja sitä kehittävälle systeemis-funktionaaliselle kieliteorialle, tai genre­pedagogiikalle. Opetuksen, ja sen myötä myös oppimateriaalin tehtävien ja käsiteltävien tekstien on oltava näiden näkemysten mukaan sellaisia, että ne ovat oppijan lähikehityksen vyöhykkeellä. Tutkielman menetelmänä oli oppikirjatutkimuksen alalla yleinen sisällöntutkimus, ja tässä tutkielmassa sisällön­tutkimuksen kohteena oli nimenomaan oppikirja pedagogisena, ei ideologisena artefaktina. Oppikirjassa ei ole mukana ruotsinsuomalaista näkökulmaa, eikä se mainitse ruotsissa puhuttua suomea, joten tutkimuksessa on rajattu nämä kurssisuunnitelman kohdat tutkimuksen ulkopuolelle.  Tutkimuksen perusteella on todettavissa, että suomessa julkaistua suomen kielen opetusmateriaalia voidaan käyttää äidinkielenopetuksessa, mutta tietyin varauksin. Maiden välisten opetussuunnitelmien painotuserojen vuoksi käsitellyssä oppikirjassa oli vain vähän kaunokirjallisuuteen liittyviä sisältöjä ja tehtäviä, kaunokirjallisuuden ollessa kuitenkin yksi keskeinen osa ruotsalaista kurssisuunnitelmaa. / Målet med denna studie var att undersöka om det går att använda en finsk lärobok i modersmåls­undervisning i finska i Sverige i enlighet med den svenska kursplanen. Boken är publicerad i Finland och riktad mot undervisning i finlandssvenska skolor i ämnet finska som det andra inhemska språket, den modersmålsinriktade lärokursen (mofi). Det saknas lämpliga läroböcker och -material som är utformade för modersmålsundervisning i Sverige med de elever som studerar finska enligt kursplanen ”finska som modersmål”. På grund av bristen har modersmålslärare i Sverige använt sig av läromedel från Finland i undervisningen. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten i studien är den sociokulturella teorin om lärande, som utvecklas vidare i systemisk-funktionell grammatik, eller genrepedagogik. Enligt denna syn på lärande ska läroböcker, -medel och uppgifter vara anpassade så att eleven befinner sig i sin proximala utvecklingszon. Undersökningen grundar sig vidare på innehållsanalysens metoder och betraktar boken som pedagogisk artefakt, inte ideologisk. Boken har inte det sverigefinska perspektivet och nämner inte finskan man talar i Sverige, och därför har jag valt att lämna ut kursplanens delar som berör sverigefinsk kultur. Med den gällande svenska kursplan i modersmål - finska och dess centralt innehåll, visar studien att man kan använda boken i modersmåls­undervisningen även i Sverige, men på vissa villkor: På grund av de tyngdpunkter som den finska läroplanen i Finland har, uppvisar läroboken vissa brister, till exempel beträffande genrer: skönlitteratur saknas i stort sett helt i boken. / The goal of this study was to analyse whether it is arguable to use a textbook in Finnish mother tongue instruction in Sweden when the book itself is originally published in Finland and aimed to be used by Swedish speakers in language instruction within a subject called “Finnish as a second national language” in Finland. There is a lack of suitable textbooks and material that are designed for the Sweden Finnish mother tongue instruction with learners that are studying Finnish in Sweden following the course plan of “Finnish as a first language”. Due to the lack of suitable Swedish-made material, mother tongue teachers in Sweden have used material published in Finland. The theoretical basis of this study is found in the sociocultural perspective of learning and the systemic-functional language theory or genre-based pedagogy. According to these theories, the used material, textbooks and exercises should be on the learners’ zone of proximal development.  The analysis in this study follows the methods of content analysis, and the study focuses on the book as a pedagogical rather than ideological artefact. The textbook analysed in this study does not contain the Sweden Finnish perspective, and does not mention the Finnish spoken in Sweden, and therefore the parts of the Swedish course plan that are related to the perspective are left out of this study. With the current Swedish course plan for Finnish, and its core contents, the textbook in question may be used in mother tongue instruction, with some reservations. The book lacks few genres that are present in the Swedish course plan’s core contents, such as fictional literary genres other than short stories. The lack of specific genres is due to the different emphasises that the curricula of the two countries’ school systems have.

The aim of this study was to examine the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment in English home language in grade 10 in Johannesburg District 9. A literature study investigated the theoretical background to Outcomes-based education, the definition of outcomes, Outcomes-based assessment and the role of feedback in the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment. In addition this alignment in English home language was explored. For the qualitative investigation teachers from three schools participated in individual interviews and a content analysis. Major findings included: the teachers were intuitively aware of the importance of the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment, the implementation of the alignment was also intuitive and not explicitly planned. The teachers did not understand the assessment standards attached to each learning outcome. Continuous assessments were not used for learning. The study concludes with recommendations to improve the alignment of teaching, learning and assessment in English home language. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Curriculum Studies)

The aim of the study is to provide an account of the present state of Portuguese in the Johannesburg Portuguese community, and to identify factors influencing the maintenance of, and shift from the mother tongue. South African society necessitates a knowledge and daily use of English, and sometimes Afrikaans. Literacy and proficiency in the Portuguese mother tongue is therefore rapidly decreasing, especially amongst the third generation. Despite this decline, certain factors play a role in maintaining Portuguese. The most important factors in the maintenance of the mother tongue are education, cultural activities, contact with Portugal, parental influence and positive attitudes. If measures are not taken, and an awareness created within the community of the need to create a situation of stable bilingualism, the Portuguese language will continue to be eroded. / 0 objectivo desta tese e analisar o nivel actual da lingua portuguesa, na comunidade Portuguesa em Joanesburgo, e identificar os factores que influenciam a manutenc;ao e ou o afastamento da lingua materna. A sociedade sul-africana necessita de urn conhecimento diario da lingua inglesa e, par vezes da lingua afrikaans. Por conseguinte, a capacidade de ler e escrever fluentemente na lingua portuguesa esta rapidamente a desaparecer, especialmente na 3a gerac;ao. Apesar deste declinio, existem ainda determinados factores que contribuem para a sobrevivencia da lingua portuguesa na comunidade. Os factores mais importantes sao: a educac;ao, as actividades culturais, o contacto com Portugal, a influencia familiar - atitudes positivas tomadas pela propria comunidade. Se nao forem criadas medidas pelos portugueses, que garantam a consciencializac; ao da lingua materna e urn determinado bilinguismo, a lingua portuguesa acasani par desaparecer na Africa do Sul. / Linguistics / M.A. (Linguistics)