M.Ed. (Educational Linguistics) / This study sets out to examine the use of mother tongue education in one Grade 3 classroom in the foundation phase in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The focus is on learners’ and parents’ whose children are in that Grade 3 classroom as well as educators’ experiences of the use of mother tongue education. The aims of this study were to examine how, when, why and by whom mother tongue is used in the Grade 3 classroom and to examine how mother tongue medium of instruction can contribute to the teaching of literacy in the Grade 3 classroom. With these aims in mind, data were collected from the Grade 3 teacher and the Grade 3 learners as well as the parents of these learners. A qualitative approach was used to obtain data from the Grade 3 teacher, five Grade 3 learners as well as parents of these learners. Classroom observations and semi-structured interviews were used as means of collecting data. Interviews were conducted one-on-one and 6 lessons on Literacy as a learning area in the foundation phase were observed. The findings in this study reveal that the mother tongue, Xitsonga was the dominant language during classroom activities. This was influenced by the learners’ inability to use the second language. It is also revealed that the teacher and learners as well as parents have positive attitude towards the mother tongue as a language of learning and teaching in schools. However, some parents still believe that their children should be taught through English as the medium of instruction hoping that they will be able to secure better jobs. Another finding is that not all learners’ language needs are catered for in black African schools, hence, such learners experience difficulties in learning through a language which is not their mother tongue. On the basis of the findings, the study recommends that the Department of Education should support the use of the mother tongue in the L2 classroom in order to strengthen literacy during early learning.

O presente estudo apresenta uma pesquisa sobre a utilização do conhecimento sistemático da Língua Materna, como recurso e estratégia na aprendizagem da Língua Espanhola, por alunos de um Curso Superior, os quais se encontram no Nível B2, de acordo com o Marco Comum Europeu. O objetivo geral foi identificar as estratégias cognitivas utilizadas pelos alunos no aprendizado dessa Língua Estrangeira, e o objetivo específico foi investigar se o aluno utiliza o conhecimento sistemático da Língua Materna como recurso e estratégia na aprendizagem da Língua Estrangeira. Recorremos aos estudos de Vigotski, sobretudo aqueles relativos ao processo de ensino e aprendizagem de línguas. Para alcançarmos nossos objetivos, solicitamos aos alunos que respondessem a um questionário relativo às estratégias que utilizaram para aprender o emprego dos pronomes pessoais em Língua Espanhola, durante uma aula programada e ministrada pela pesquisadora. Constatamos que a maioria dos alunos recorre aos conhecimentos formais que possuem na Língua Materna para a aprendizagem do novo conteúdo de Língua Espanhola. Isto ratifica os postulados de Vigotski quanto à importância da Língua Materna para a aprendizagem de uma Língua Estrangeira. / This study presents a survey on the use of systematic knowledge of the mother tongue as a resource and strategy in learning the Spanish language, for students of an Advanced Course , which are at Level B2 according to the Common European Framework . The overall objective was to identify cognitive strategies used by students in learning this foreign language and specific objective was to investigate if the student uses systematic knowledge of the mother tongue as a resource and strategy in learning a foreign language. We appealed to the studies of Vygotsky, especially those relating to education and language learning process. To achieve our goals, we ask students to answer a questionnaire concerning the strategies they used to learn the use of personal pronouns in Spanish, during a scheduled class and taught by the researcher. We found that most students resort to formal knowledge they possess in the Mother Tongue for learning new content Spanish Language. This confirms the postulates of Vygotsky about the importance of mother tongue for learning a foreign language.

Thesis (M. A. (English Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Whereas research has exponentially increased on the understanding of new varieties of English worldwide, there is a paucity of studies that have assessed the degree to which Black South African English is shared and understood across a wider spectrum of the Bantu language speaking communities in South Africa. Because of this, research has been inconclusive on causes and frequencies of identified linguistic properties of the variety. This study investigated the tense and aspect usages in English among mother tongue speakers of Tshivenda learners to develop a taxonomy of characteristic features, sources of production and frequency of occurrence in an educational context. The study focused more attention on the role of mother tongue substrate system which transfers its features to the target language. After a contrastive analysis of the collected data, learners’ essays and storytelling, the findings of the study indicate that the occurrence of tense and aspect properties among grade 11 learners is first language (L1) induced and rule-governed. Secondly, the results show that the features occur with high frequency, suggesting that they are institutionalised. In particular, the study denotes that expressions of temporal reasoning follow the L1 grammatical structure that favours external formation to the verb phrase; i.e., verbal arguments are preferred to morphological conjugations. Based on these findings, it is concluded that the logic of temporal reasoning, described as Bantu language logic as developed by Makalela (2004, 2007, and 2013), rather than grammatical forms, is transferred in the production of BSAE tense and aspect properties. When seen in this light, it is evident that BSAE cuts across different Bantu languages of South Africa, it has evolved towards being an endonormative variety, relying on its own internal logic (substrate forms) to be a new and distinct variety of English. In the end, recommendations for more robust and large scale studies in high prestige domains such as the media and institutions of higher learning are made for augmentation of these findings.

Sveriges förskolor är idag präglade av många olika språk vilket har gjort att förskollärare har fått ett bredare ansvar när det handlar om barns språkutveckling. Forskning visar på att det är av fördel och viktigt att barn med annat modersmål än svenska ska få möjlighet att utöva sitt eget språk i verksamheten, då det i sin tur leder till att barnet kan utveckla och förstå det svenska språket snabbare och lättare. Min studie syftar till att få ökad kunskap om hur förskollärare som arbetar inom förskolan arbetar inkluderande i miljö och i den dagliga verksamheten med fokus på modersmål. Hur de gör för att synliggöra olika språk i verksamheten och vad för pedagogiska artefakter de använder som en stöttning i kommunikation eller bara som en stöttning för barn med annat modersmål än svenska. Det sociokulturella perspektivet är en utgångspunkt i min studie då lärande sker i sociala sammanhang och språket är ett viktigt verktyg för alla människor. För att få in mycket breda och många svar som möjligt har gjort en kvantitativ studie i form av en enkätundersökning där förskollärare har fått möjlighet att delta. Studiens resultat visar att artefakter så som tecken som stöd och bildstöd är två vanliga och betydande redskap att använda sig av som komplement i barns utveckling och lärande. / Sweden’s preschools today are characterized by many different languages, which has means that preeschool teachers have been given a broader responsibility when it comes to children’s language development. Research shows that it is beneficial and important that children with a mother tounge other than swedish should have the opportunity to practice their own language in the activity, as this in turn leads to the child being able to develop and understand the swedish language faster and easier. My study aims to get more knowledge about how educators who work in pre-school works inclusievly in the environment and daily activites with a focus on mother tongue. How they do to make different languages visible in the preschool and what pedagogical artifacts they use as a support in communication or just as a support for children with a mother tongue other than swedish. The socio-cultural perspective is a starting point in my study as learning takes place in social contexts and language is an important tool for all people. In order to get as broad and as many answers as possible, I have conducted a quantitative study in the form of a questionnaire survey which preschool teachers have been given the opportunity to participate. The results of the study shows that artifacts such as signs as a support and picture-support are two imporant and significant tools to use as a complement in children’s development and learning.

The focus of this research is on implementing a professional development intervention aimed at improving the teaching practice of teachers teaching English as a subject at a rural high school in Lesotho. The study presents the way in which I as the principal researcher and my English teacher colleague facilitated learning, using innovative methods in our English classes in a way that promoted learner-centredness. In this study improvement of the teaching practice of teachers of English was intended to reduce the overuse of mother tongue in English classes to promote the teaching of English through English (Cook, 2005) and to improve learners’ proficiency in English as a subject. The study was conducted using an action research design. Action research was used as a professional development process with a view to improving educational practice; it enabled me as the facilitator of the professional development intervention and my colleague to rethink our approaches to facilitating learning of English in order to innovate our teaching. A mix of qualitative and quantitative approaches was used for collecting and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data in one study. These approaches were used to promote an in-depth understanding of the research problem under investigation. Open-ended interviews, observations, observation sheets, reflective journals and a questionnaire were used as data collection procedures that created a convergence of viewpoints, methods and conclusions. The conceptual and theoretical framework that guided the study emerged from the literature review. Findings of the study revealed that the innovative methods implemented in the English classes at a rural high school have contributed to the improvement in professional development and the teaching practice of teachers of English. Although learners preferred the use of both English and mother tongue in their English classes, findings of the study have revealed that there was an improvement in learners’ proficiency in English as a subject which was facilitated using English. The study recommends that the whole brain thinking model, multiple intelligences and action research as a constructivist approach be utilised daily in English classes and in all learning areas in Lesotho high schools as a basis for transformation and facilitation of learning that promotes learner-centredness. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Humanities Education / MEd / Unrestricted

The South African Language-in-Education Policy (LiEP) states that mother tongue should be the preferred medium of instruction in the Foundation Phase (grade R-3). Primary tuition is therefore currently offered in the 11 South African official languages. The challenge faced in South African schools that offer African languages in the Foundation Phase, is the fact that from grade 4 onwards, education is only available through the medium of English. This results in a vast number of learners having to make a transition in grade 4 to English as medium of instruction. In this qualitative study, I explored the experiences of teachers and learners in this transition. The context of this case study is a poverty-stricken and underdeveloped rural area. SiSwati is the language commonly spoken in this area and English is spoken, heard and read only in the classroom. Purposive sampling was done, including three grade 3 classes and their teachers, as well as the grade 4 learners and the teachers teaching siSwati, English and Mathematics. Data was collected through interviews, observations, document analysis and field notes. Conventional content analysis was conducted. Among the theoretical lenses adopted for the study was Krashen’s input-interaction-output model of second language learning. This informed the process grade 4 learners undergo in learning English as a second language and medium of instruction. The findings of this study revealed that the challenge regarding this transition is not the English language per se, but rather a deficient home language foundation and the quality of teaching offered. The learners’ age at the time of this transition also plays a significant role, as it affects their readiness to switch to another language. The implications of this study relate to the necessity of a solid mother tongue foundation and improved quality of teaching. It is suggested that the admission age in grade 1 be seven years and the actual point of transition prolonged. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Early Childhood Education / MEd / Unrestricted

Sverige är idag ett mångkulturellt samhälle, där många är flerspråkiga. Skolan blir därför en central plats där många språk möts samt en plats där de ska lära sig ett annat språk. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur elevernas språkutveckling fungerar men även hur lärare och pedagoger arbetar för att utveckla elevernas språkutveckling samt vilka verktyg de använder sig utav. Jag har skickat ut en enkät till sju olika pedagoger som jobbar på en skola där majoriteten av alla barn som går på skolan är flerspråkiga. Studien är både kvantitativ genom enkätfrågor. Studien är framställd i Mellansverige på en skola som ligger i en låginkomsttagande stadsdel. På skolan är tvåspråkigheten stor och cirka 70 procent av eleverna som går på skolan är tvåspråkiga, vilka antingen är födda i Sverige eller har kommit till Sverige när de var små. Resultatet visar att mycket är beroende på elevens bakgrund samt att lärarna försöker utveckla språket genom olika hjälpmedel såsom till exempel bildstöd, datorer och dokumentkameror.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Language Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2010 / This research study investigated subtractive bilingualism in teaching and learning through the medium of English without the support of the mother tongue. The aim was to investigate if it is possible for learners to acquire a second language (English) without totally losing their home language. This was done through: probing the reasons why the language policy is difficult to implement in schools as outlined by the constitution of South Africa; determining the causes of subtractive bilingualism in the school settings and; an emphasis of the rights and responsibilities of educators and parents to make a positive difference in the lives of bilingual and bicultural learners. This research was grounded on Cummins (1991) theory of second language acquisition. The literature review examined other theories of second language acquisition and learning (Krashen 1981). In particular, emphasis was placed on the following broad areas in the literature review: mother tongue development; language shift and language loss; language planning and language policy; language and culture; language and identity, attitudes and equity; language in education; the National Language Policy Framework; and multilingualism. This research was conducted using the qualitative research methodology. A case study design was employed. Three instruments were used for collecting of the data. These were: questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations. The data analysis strategy used in this research was interaction analysis which was done through transcriptions of observations and video and audio recordings of interviews and classroom observations. The following were some of the findings from this research study: learners were not happy with their educators who unduly force them to communicate in English as the educators themselves are also not proficient in the language; learners are afraid to take risks of communicating in English for fear of other learners intimidating them; and many learners now communicate only in English and cannot understand the greater details of their mother tongue. iv The recommendations of this study are: to reduce the extent of language loss, parents should establish a strong home language policy and provide ample opportunities for children to expand the functions for which they use the mother tongue; parents and care-givers should spend time with their children and tell stories or discuss issues with them in a way that develops their mother tongue vocabulary and concepts so that children come to school prepared to learn the second language successfully without being distracted; funding and resources must be made available for additional language acquisition; well-trained and dedicated teachers with similar linguistic backgrounds to the learners should be hired; and the new language policy should be adopted.

The aim of this Master thesis is to present language situation in relation to mother tongue of students of Czech school without borders (abbreviated as CSBH Paris). The thesis is divides into two parts -theoretical and practical. In the first part, we define terms such as mother tongue, the first language and the second (foreign) language. This thesis deal with bilingualism and multilingualism, which are important for determination of the target group of pupils of the CSBH Paris. With use of questionnaires applied on students and parents we can determine specific czech-french bilingualism of students of CSBH Paris. In the second part we analyze educational materials - textbooks that are used by teachers at CSBH Paris, and at the end we get to the subject of your practical research, outline specific teaching methods and design teaching materials that can be used in Czech language classes with regard to linguistic reality of pupils in the second grade of the Czech School without borders Paris. Key words: mother tongue, bilingualism, curriculum, Czech school without borders, teaching materials, textbooks

Studies on the incidence of socio-pragmatic competence in the teaching of mother tongues are very scarce. The aims of this qualitative study are two folded: First, we want to describe the teachers’ use of socio-pragmatics in the subject of Spanish as a mother tongue. In addition, we want to determine the degree of use of socio-pragmatics u in this specific subject. a mixed method was applied. The results were obtained by means of aclassroom’sssemi structuredsIt was assumed that there would be a sociopragmatic approach in the teaching of mother languages but it was found to be different in each class and it depended on the teachers’ academic training and on the teaching materials, which do not always met the requirements of the subject’s curriculum. The present study assumes that there is a big difference between what appears in the curricular plan and what happens inside the classroom. Sociopragmatic aspects are not sufficiently reflected in the pedagogical practice due to two main reasons: on the one hand, internal and external factors that affect teaching negatively; and, on the other, the fact that teachers are not sufficiently acquainted with socio-pragmatic views. The results show that in all classes the teaching of socio-pragmatic aspects works although mostly intuitively. The degree of employment of socio-pragmatics is different depending on the knowledge that the teacher has about socio-pragmatic competence. Finally, yet importantly, it was found that various internal and external factors affect mother tongue teachers. These factors have a big impact on the properly development of the subject and, specifically, on the teaching of socio-pragmatic competence.