Return to search

English lingua franca as language of learning and teaching in northern Namibia : a report on Oshiwambo teachers’ experiences

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At independence, Namibia chose English as its official language and therefore its language of
learning and teaching (LOLT). Since then, government documents and other literature have
revealed the poor performance of learners and falling of standards of teaching (Benjamin
2004:25). It seems that teachers are facing several challenges when using English as an
LOLT in the classroom. This study therefore investigates the challenges faced by teachers in
northern Namibia when using ELF as a LOLT, as well as how teachers overcome these
challenges. In this regard, structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with six
Oshiwambo-speaking teachers at a specific homogenous secondary school in the Omusati
region of northern Namibia. The findings of this study suggest that teachers believe that the
learners’ sole advantage of using ELF as the LOLT is that it may benefit them if they further
their studies abroad, as possessing knowledge of English would enable them to communicate
with people from different countries. Another main finding, in terms of how teachers
overcome the challenges posed by using ELF as the LOLT, is that teachers often resort to
code-switching to ensure that their students understand the concepts they are being taught. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die onafhanklikheidswording het Namibië Engels as amptelike taal gekies en gevolglik
ook as die taal van onderrig en leer (LOLT). Sedertdien het staatsdokumente en ander
literatuur getoon hoe swak leerders presteer en dat daar ‘n daling in onderrigstandaarde is
(Benjamin 2004: 25). Dit blyk dat onderwysers verskeie uitdagings met die gebruik van
Engels as LOLT in die klaskamer in die gesig staar. Hierdie studie ondersoek dus hierdie
uitdagings van onderwysers in die noorde van Namibië wanneer hulle Engels as ‘n lingua
franca (ELF) as die LOLT moet gebruik, sowel as hoe onderwysers hierdie uitdagings
oorkom. In hierdie opsig is gestrukureerde individuele onderhoude met ses Oshiwambosprekende
onderwysers gevoer by ‘n spesifieke homogene sekondere skool in die Omusati
omgewing in Noord-Namibië. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dui aan dat onderwysers glo
dat leerders wat ELF as LOLT gebruik net voordeel daaruit sal trek indien hulle hul studies in
die buiteland sou voortsit omdat kennis van Engels hulle instaat sou stel om met mense van
verskillende lande te kommunikeer. Nog ‘n belangrike bevinding is dat onderwysers heel
dikwels van kodewisseling gebruikmaak om te verseker dat hulle studente die terme wat
aangeleer word wel verstaan.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/80357
Date03 1900
CreatorsIipinge, Kristof
ContributorsHuddlestone, Kate, Onraet, Lauren, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Formatix, 110 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

Page generated in 0.0025 seconds