Educators’ attitudes towards the role of isiZulu in education: Additive rather than exclusive

Ngcobo, Sandiso

doi:10.2989/16073614.2013.815838

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…This correlates with the caution provided by Gardner (2005) to the effect that favourable attitudes to their own language contributes to less willingness to support integrativeness. Previous studies conducted in South Africa among Africans show positive attitudes towards indigenous African languages by members of society at different levels (Mashiyi, 2014;Ndimande-Hlongwa & Ndebele, 2017;Ngcobo, 2013;Sebolai 2017). Makumane (2009) is of a premise that teaching/learning a foreign language includes exposure to the target culture.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward the teaching of Mandarin in South Africa

Ngcobo

Makumane

2020

PiE

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The Constitution for the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) embraces language as a basic human right and multilingualism as a national resource. One latest foreign language to be given recognition by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in 2015 is Mandarin, a Chinese language, for incremental implementation as a non-official optional language from 2016 in primary schools. One of the stakeholders at the centre of the implementation of this latest foreign language to be recognised, whose voice has not been heard, are teachers. The methodology adapted in the collection of data is quantitative in that pre-service teachers completed a questionnaire. The results indicate mixed attitudes with more appearing to be not entirely supportive of this move by the DBE. Teachers do not share the same sentiments that are expressed at political level about the significance of Mandarin for trade and globalisation. The findings suggest a need for the DBE to rethink this plan and training proportional to the minimum training requirements for the teaching of a foreign language to be provided to teachers. There would need to be some consultation to ensure a greater teachers' support as the project continues to be piloted and implemented in more schools across the country.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward the teaching of Mandarin in South Africa

Ngcobo

Makumane

2020

PiE

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“…Opinions about the LoC, and particularly whether mother tongue education best serves children's education, abound in the literature. More recently, a number of researchers have averred that mother tongue education, at least early on in a child's schooling career, is best to advance learners' chances of later success in school (Alidou et al 2006;Brock-Utne 2007;Heugh 2011;Ngcobo 2013;Nel & Theron 2008). This is because it enhances the development of cognitive and communication skills and gives children a firmer grasp of language rules and grammar.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contradictions within an activity of second language reading literacy

Brink

Nel

2019

SAJCE

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Background: In investigating the early reading literacy of a group of Setswana-speaking children who learnt to read in Afrikaans, cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) was chosen as a conceptual framework because of its proven utility value in helping researchers make sense of complex social systems.Aim: The application of this heuristic not only proved valuable as organising principle but also unexpectedly revealed the situation with a clarity that brought about a richer understanding of the intricate dynamics underlying reading literacy in a second language.Setting: The study was conducted at a small-town Afrikaans medium school.Methods: In this mixed method inquiry, qualitative data was collected through interviews with parents and educators, classroom observations and document analysis. The quantitative data was obtained through the administering of an early reading literacy assessment.Results: The overarching finding of this study was that the Setswana-speaking children developed early reading literacy skills at a rate and level commensurate with that of their Afrikaans-speaking peers. Where the application of CHAT as heuristic proved invaluable was in bringing to light a pattern revealing the agency which was exercised by parents and educators to support the children’s reading literacy learning.Conclusion: Despite various obstacles and tensions, parents and teachers exercise considerable agency in supporting the children’s early reading literacy. Although the empirical aspects of the study are described, it is a conceptual gaze of the situation, employing CHAT as a lens, which is the focus of this article.

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Educators’ attitudes towards the role of isiZulu in education: Additive rather than exclusive

Cited by 2 publications

References 20 publications

Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward the teaching of Mandarin in South Africa

Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward the teaching of Mandarin in South Africa

Contradictions within an activity of second language reading literacy

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