The low reading proficiency of Grade 4 learners is a major concern. The use of English (an additional language for the majority of learners in South Africa) as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) may have contributed to the poor comprehension skills of these learners. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of translanguaging as a pedagogical strategy to improve the reading comprehension of Grade 4 learners in a primary school in Limpopo Province. A mixed methods design was used for the study, which was conducted in five phases. In phase 1, 70 learners in a control group and an intervention group wrote a pre-test to determine their reading proficiency level, as well as to establish the homogeneity of the two groups (research question 1). In phase 2, an intervention based on a translanguaging reading instruction programme was conducted with the intervention group. In phase 3, the learners from both groups wrote a post-test at the end of the intervention, and the intervention group completed a questionnaire on the integrated use of Sepedi and English. In addition, six Grade 4 teachers from the school completed open- and closed-ended questionnaires. In phase 4, t-test analysis of learners’ pre- and post-test results was used to determine the differences within and between the two groups. Quantitative analysis of the learners’ questionnaire responses and the teachers’ closed-ended questionnaire responses, together with qualitative analysis of the teachers’ openended questionnaire responses, were used to answer research questions 3 and 4. In phase 5, the results of the qualitative and quantitative analyses were integrated and evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. While the pre-test results showed that the learners’ reading proficiency level was below 50% for both groups, the results of the post-tests (independent and paired t-tests with effect sizes) showed that the intervention group had improved significantly more than the control group. The findings revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups. The questionnaire responses also showed benefits of the translanguaging approach, as indicated by the learners and the teachers. Based on the findings, recommendations were made for the adoption of a translanguaging teaching approach in schools. The dissertation concluded by showing the significance of the study, which lies in its finding that translanguaging can be used successfully as a pedagogical strategy to improve the reading comprehension of Grade 4 learners using Sepedi and English texts. Keywords: translanguaging, reading comprehension, reading proficiency level, Grade 4 learners’ pedagogy / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Afrikaans / MA / Unrestricted

South Africa is a diverse and multicultural country with too many more spoken indigenous languages. It is also one of the fastest developing countries on the African continent. This multilingual nature coupled with migration from neighbouring countries, presents serious challenges for language planners and education authorities, especially the impact on education. This study, therefore, explores the use of Translanguaging and how it has facilitated the teaching of African languages in multilingual classrooms at the Tshwane South Education District in Gauteng Province. The primary objective of the research happened to track the transitioning of dialect or variant development across different grades in these multilingual areas. The secondary aim was to observe and document language practices in these schools to provide a firm base for future language planning efforts in South Africa. The research was conducted in two schools: one primary school and one high school. The focus of the study was on the entry and final standards of the fundamental classes, the middle classes, the exit primary classes (standard 5), and entry classes (standard 6), up until the year of schooling (standard 10). The data were collected using interviews, questionnaires as well as observation. The data were subjected to thematic analysis to get an in-depth understanding as well as to identify and generate new insights into Translanguaging. Whereas many of the educators speak more than one language, many were not aware of their Translanguaging practices in teaching. The participating educators also affirmed that they have been using Translanguaging without realising it. Educators further indicated that raising awareness about their language practices facilitated their teaching because they felt at ease switching and mixing languages in their teaching. In addition to the positive outcome, some educators alluded to the fact that in some areas they were faced with language barriers. The study therefore recommends that in addition to raising awareness amongst educators, the Department of Education and the Fundza Lushaka Bursary scheme should assess the language repertoires of teachers before commencement of employment. The study further recommends that language policy makers and planners need to be mindful of the impact of multilingualism and migration on the education system.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Applied English Language)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Refer to document

Thesis advisor: C. Patrick Proctor / English immersion education policies in the United States deprive immigrant-origin bilingual students from using their home languages to learn. However, a growing body of research emphasizes the importance of promoting heteroglossic classroom language practices to enhance bilingual students’ learning. Drawing on translanguaging pedagogy (García, 2009; Lewis, Baker & Jones, 2010), this study explored the flexible use of English and Spanish in bilingual students’ language and literacy development. To achieve this, translanguaging instructional strategies were infused into an English language and literacy curriculum to investigate how a group of third grade bilingual students, with varied proficiencies in English and Spanish, used their entire linguistic repertoire to engage in the literacy practices proposed in the curriculum. These literacy practices encompassed reading and discussing culturally-relevant texts, and participating in explicit text-based language instruction in the areas of semantics, morphology, and syntax. Conversation and discourse analysis techniques were used to analyze the lesson videos, and to understand the role of translanguaging in participants’ interactions, and in their discourse about semantics, morphology, and syntax. Findings regarding the role of translanguaging in participants’ interactions, indicate that they strategically and pragmatically used their languages to ensure their meaningful engagement in these lessons, and to perform their bilingual identities. In terms of the role of translanguaging in participants’ discourse about the linguistic constructs targeted in the reading curriculum, results indicate that bilingual language instruction engaged students in cross-linguistic analyses that enhanced their linguistic awareness. Based on these findings, a model for translanguaging pedagogy in language and literacy instruction is proposed, and implications for translanguaging theory, pedagogy, social justice, and future research are discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka ämneslärares attityder till att eleverna använder alla sina språkliga resurser i klassrummet, om de känner till begreppet translanguaging dvs. strategier för att använda elevers flerspråkiga potential i undervisningen (Garcia 2009) och vilka strategier de då eventuellt använder sig av i ämnesundervisningen. Materialet består av nätenkäter som skickades ut till 101 lärare, varav 27 deltog på en gymnasieskola i södra Sverige. Materialet har sedan analyserats kvantitativt. Datan visar på att lärarna förhåller sig olika till elevernas användning av flera språk i klassrummet. Samtidigt som deltagarna uppvisar en del negativitet gentemot att använda elevers flerspråkiga resurser i klassrummet kan man ändå se tendenser till mer positiva attityder. Dessa positiva tendenser tar sig uttryck i att de flesta av deltagarna trots att de inte känner till begreppet translanguaging, ändå använder sig av praktiska och konkreta strategier som ingår i begreppet.

I dagens skola talas det över 150 olika språk och att vara flerspråkig ses idag som mer vanligt än att enbart vara enspråkig. Med utgångspunkt i detta menar Garcia (2009) att elevernas språk bör användas som läranderesurser i klassrummet. Studien förmedlar ett flerspråkigt perspektiv på lärande och belyser hur undervisning med transspråkande kan ge flerspråkiga elever möjlighet att nå de kunskapskrav som finns och därmed ge alla elever lika utbildningsmöjligheter. Syftet med studien är att beskriva och problematisera hur transspråkande används som läranderesurser i klassrummet. Syftet är att lyfta viktiga aspekter av flerspråkig undervisning och synliggöra vad lärare ser för möjligheter och svårigheter i deras arbete med transspråkande. För att besvara studiens syfte har semistrukturerade intervjuer samt observationer på fem olika lärare genomförts. Resultatet, som är analyserat utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv, bringar fram slutsatser som visar att transspråkande ger eleverna möjligheter att stötta och lära sig av varandra. Resultatet visar att eleverna lär sig snabbare och bättre när de får använda sitt modersmål samt att arbetet med transspråkande är identitetsstärkande för eleverna. Svårigheterna som framkommer i resultatet är kollegers och samhällets syn på flerspråkighet, där den enspråkiga normen fortfarande visar sig vara starkt implementerad i samhället. En annan svårighet resultatet för fram är när elever är ensamma om sitt modersmål i klassen, vilket leder till att eleven inte ges samma möjlighet till språklig stöttning. De undervisningsstrategier studiens resultat bringar går i linje med tidigare forskning och visar att undervisningen bör genomsyras av kamratlärande, stöttning samt språklig uppmuntran. Resultatet visar även att planscher, kartor och bilder, som symboliserar de olika språken, vilket tidigare forskning belyst som viktiga delar i transspråkande - inte alltid fanns synligt i klassrummen.

Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) is a study program provided by Swedish municipalities to those who are resident in the country, above the age of 16 and in need to acquire basic skills in the Swedish language. Through this course, students are expected to develop their language knowledge to a level that allows them to participate actively in society as well as communicate freely at work or in other educational environments. The aim of this study is to analyse how teachers and students in two different SFI classrooms use their linguistic repertoires to make meaning in oral interaction with each other. Moreover, the study intends to investigate the study participants’ stance of the use of different languages at SFI. This has been done with translanguaging as the main theoretical framework. Translanguaging is an approach to multilingualism which takes into consideration multilingual individuals’ lived experiences and language practices as ways for them to make meaning. Through this approach, every language that is represented in the classroom and other semiotic resources are valued as a part of a multilingual person’s linguistic repertoire and can therefore be used in interaction. Because translanguaging has been mainly used in research about primary school and in contexts where English is the target language, this thesis wanted to further explore how translanguaging is used as a pedagogical approach in a Swedish as a second language course where the students are adults. Designed as a qualitative research, the study has employed classroom observations and semi- structured interviews as the research methods. First, classroom observations were conducted in the two studied classrooms and were documented by means of field notes and audio recordings. After an initial analysis of all the data collected through the observations, the study participants were interviewed about their stance on the use of multiple languages as a mean of instruction and about their recollections of some critical moments using the stimulated recall technique. The study results showed that the teacher in one classroom only used Swedish as the language of instruction, while the teachers in the second classroom drew upon both their and their students’ linguistic repertoires in their teaching. The interview with one of these teachers showed a positive stance towards the use of the different resources from both teachers’ and students’ linguistic repertoires. Students in both classrooms were observed using different languages, such as Swedish, English and their mother tongues, as well as body language and other resources as a way to make meaning in interaction with others and solve tasks. Interviews with students showed though different attitudes towards the use of different languages in SFI-instruction: while some students see positive sides in the possibility of using their other languages during classes, other students expressed an opposition to this practice and a preference for the use of Swedish only.

Magister Educationis - MEd / In South Africa's educational system, many learners' academic literacy is substantially affected by the multi-language background and its inconsiderate language policies. From time to time, South African Education board have formulated, amended and re- implemented language policies to guide the use of language in learning and teaching in schools, in order to enhance the notion of academic bi literacy. However in different areas, some of these language policies had their successes and failures. Amongst the educational language policy for each university in South Africa, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) began its language policy implementation in 2003. Despite the aim and objective of this policy over a decade ago, students are still struggling to effectively learn in the language of instruction. And the fact remains that problem of students' language proficiency leads to poor academic literacy and performance during their undergraduate study period. In this study, I seek to investigate the effective translanguaging strategies of some undergraduate bilingual students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). It will focus on how the two closely intertwined sociolinguistic aspects: translanguaging and bilingualism impact on students' academic collaboration. The theoretical framework will draw on Weiner's attribution theory of motivation (1974, 1986). The conceptual framework that will be used will cover: language proficiency, additive and subtractive bilingualism, translanguaging and learning strategies. The main aim of this proposed project is to examine how effective translanguaging is as coping learning strategies by some bilingual students at University of the Western Cape (UWC). I propose the following research objectives: (i) to determine the forms of challenge(s) faced by bilingual students learning in a less proficient language at UWC (ii.) to investigate and analyze the translanguaging strategies that might assist bilingual students cope with learning in a less proficient language at UWC (iii.) to examine the patterns of use of translanguaging strategies on academic collaboration of bilingual students’ at UWC (iv.) to find out areas in which the practice of translanguaging strategies differs to the stipulations of the UWC language policy. I plan to use a qualitative method to achieve my research objectives. I adopted interpretive/ constructive approach in my study. The research techniques that I use includes: questionnaires, interviews, observations and document analysis. A semi structured questionnaire is given to thirty (30) first year bilingual undergraduates from three (3) tutorials groups in the Faculty of Education. The interviews were face to face and semi-structured. The interviews conducted with each of the 12 students are intended to know their linguistic background and how it plays a role during their first year of undergraduate study. Two out of the three groups are randomly selected and closely observed. The classroom observation helps me to identify the types of translanguaging strategies used by bilingual students and also see the various patterns in which the translanguaging strategies are used during their academic collaboration. The three documents use for analysis are the UWC language policy (2003) and two different academic tasks of my participants. All ethics for my study was strictly adhere to. I categorize my findings according to the research questions and the four questions serve as main themes during data analysis. The data findings of my study indicate that during the first term, most first year bilingual student had difficulty in the use of English medium of instruction. Some of the language related challenges include English academic writing, inadequate vocabulary in English and accent and pronunciation of other bilingual speakers in English. This shows that there is the need for the struggling bilingual students to adopt learning strategies. Translanguaging strategies were minimally used during in class activities. This suggests that bilingual students did not see the justification to adopt translanguaging in the classroom. However, it was used outside of the tutorial space and other academic collaboration amongst students for various purposes. My research shows that majority of the first year bilingual undergraduate students’ benefit from the use of translanguaging as coping learning strategies. Data findings also reveal that the first year bilingual undergraduate students are more motivated to add to their translanguaging strategies, other metacognitive learning strategies that they consider as helpful and related to their specific language challenges. The conclusion of my thesis is that as much as the adoption of translanguaging strategies is a useful language support for bilingual students, there are contributory factors that can make its use a success or failure in educational context. The most pertinent of these factors are translanguaging space and the complement of translanguaging in schools' language policy. I recommend that translanguaging using speaking skills of bilingual students should be put to use during teaching and learning in a recognized learning space.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka i vilken mån och hur flerspråkighet synliggörs i en skolas lingvistiska landskap. Detta görs utifrån följande frågeställningar: (1) Vilka språk finns representerade i skolans lingvistiska landskap och hur reflekterar de elevernas språkliga resurser? (2) I vilken mån framställs flerspråkighet som en resurs i det lingvistiska landskapet? (3) På vilket sätt kan det lingvistiska landskapet bidra till (re)produktionen av ideologier förknippade med språk i skolan? Flerspråkighet tolkas i uppsatsen utifrån ett translanguaging-perspektiv, där språkförmågan hos individen ses som en sammanhållen, flytande kompetens. Frågeställningarna undersöks med en etnografiskt inspirerad metoduppsättning, bestående av informella intervjuer och deltagande observation, som tillsammans gör det möjligt att analysera den mångkulturella skolans språkmiljö i sin kontext. Totalt har 164 fotografier föreställandes semiotiska artefakter i det lingvistiska landskapet analyserats, med hjälp av de geosemiotiska begreppen situering och kodpreferens. Resultatet visar att skolans lingvistiska landskap endast i mycket liten utsträckning reflekterar elevernas språkliga kompetenser och synen på flerspråkighet som resurs. Det framgår också av det lingvistiska landskapet att flerspråkiga elever  positioneras som andraspråksinlärare, snarare än emergent flerspråkiga. En slutsats är att ett mer medvetet arbete med synliggörandet av flerspråkighet i skolans fysiska miljö sannolikt skulle ge eleverna bättre förutsättningar att realisera sin potential som flerspråkiga individer.

South Africa (SA) is home to 11 official named languages; its Language in Education Policy (LIEP) identifies multilingualism as one of the defining characteristics of its citizenry (DOE, 1997). Moreover, English is the official Language of Learning and Teaching (LOLT) in most ex-Model C schools nationwide. It is the language that is reported to be valued by the middleclass, people who are known for placing a high premium on education (Soudien, 2004; Alexander, 2005). The aim of this ethnographic Language Socialisation study is to explore the language socialisation experiences of a Grade R child in a Black middle-class multilingual family residing in a Cape Town suburb. The study is framed by the question: What are the language socialisation experiences of a child from a Black middle-class multilingual family? It uses a socio-cultural approach, drawing from linguistic anthropology, applied linguistics and sociolinguistics to critically analyse the language ideologies, language practices and linguistic repertoires evident in both the home and school domains across which the young child traverses. Concepts such as multilingualism, Family Language Policy and ‘mother tongue’ identity are reviewed and used to gain insight into the lived language experiences of the Grade R child. The concepts of assimilation (Soudien, 2004) and anglonormativity (Christie & McKinney, 2017) are reflected on as markers of school language practices and ideologies. Findings reveal that the Grade R child is an emergent multilingual who participates meaningfully in multilingual conversations with her family but only produces English. Despite the evident heteroglossia (Bhaktin, 1991) of the family’s language practices through translanguaging (Garcia, 2009; Creese and Blackledge, 2010) and drawing from the range of resources in their linguistic repertoires (Busch, 2012), the parents continue to use their Tswana and Xhosa ethnicity as markers of their language identities. The parents want their children to speak their heritage languages for identity reasons. They also want them to speak English to ‘fit in’ with their peers and to access learning. They see the teaching of Tswana and Xhosa as their sole responsibility thereby absolving the school. Their view enables the schools’ status quo of anglonormativity to go unchallenged. The child, thus, experiences heritage languages as identity markers and languages reserved for home, and English as a valuable language resource that gives access to learning. The notion of a single language identity remains complex for a child who is expected to be multilingual at home but monolingual at school.