The educational effects of code-switching in the classroom – benefits and setbacks: A case of selected senior secondary schools in Botswana

Mokgwathi, Tsaona; Webb, Vic

doi:10.1080/10228195.2013.839734

Cited by 23 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Code-switching has been encouraged by some content teachers as it facilitates students' understanding (Uys and Van Dulm 2011;Mokgwathi and Webb 2013). For example, teachers in Botswana and Malaysia have been observed to use idiomatic expressions from their students' home languages to improve their comprehension (Mokgwathi and Webb 2013;Then and Ting 2011).…”

Section: Oral Language Development Through Code-switchingmentioning

confidence: 98%

Embracing plurality through oral language

Nguyen

Oliver

Rochecouste

2014

Language and Education

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The transmission and dissemination of knowledge in Aboriginal societies for the most part occurs orally in an Aboriginal language or in Aboriginal English. However, whilst support is given to speaking skills in Indigenous communities, in our education system less emphasis is given to developing equivalent oral communicative competence in Standard Australian English (SAE). Instead the focus is given to the ongoing assessment of reading and writing skills and grammatical knowledge À this is in direct contrast to the existing language experience of Aboriginal students. Therefore, for Aboriginal students to participate in mainstream society, we suggest that there is a need to nurture oral language skills in SAE and provide learners with the experience to develop their code-switching ability to maintain continuity with their first language or dialect. Drawing on previous research that we and others have undertaken at several schools, this paper highlights the need for three fundamental changes to take place within language education: (1) school policies to change and explicitly accept and support Aboriginal English in code-switching situations;(2) familiarity among school staff about the major differences between Aboriginal English and SAE; and (3) tasks that focus on developing and practising the 'when, why and how' of code-switching.

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Section: Oral Language Development Through Code-switchingmentioning

confidence: 98%

Embracing plurality through oral language

Nguyen

Oliver

Rochecouste

2014

Language and Education

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“…The policies have been silent about the indigenous languages and cultures that exist in the classrooms. Although in other regions, such as the North East, before independence, learners were taught in Ikalanga, this was stopped after independence because it was seen as a threat to national unity and Setswana language was prescribed (Nkosana, 2009;Mokgwathi, 2011). The fact of the matter is that Botswana is not a monolingual country, at least 28 languages exist (Batibo, 2005).…”

Section: The Monolingual Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even indigenous languages in various parts of the country where Setswana was not a home MULTILINGUALISM AND MULTICULTURALISM 490 language of the majority of learners were used (Molosiwa, 2005). In the North East district, for instance, Ikalanga was used and continues to be used as an informal medium of instruction (Mokgwathi, 2011). In 1977, a task force named the National Commission on Education was appointed by the Botswana government to conduct a review of Botswana's education system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in the Education System and Society of Botswana

Mokibelo¹

2015

UCER-B

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This study sought to examine how Botswana recognized and celebrated her linguistic and cultural diversity in society and in the education system. At various national celebrations, such as President's Day, National Cultural Day, and National Language Day, Botswana celebrated her linguistic and cultural diversity by inviting ethnic groups from almost all regions of the society to perform cultural dances, poetry, and music while the same dispensation was denied primary school learners from ethnic minority groups. The use of Setswana as the medium of instruction leaves out the learners' cultures, languages, and identities. Teachers and school management were the key participants in the study while learners' artefacts were examined. Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires and interviews and analysis of documents/programmes from the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Culture responsible for national celebrations. The findings indicated that learners were denied linguistic and cultural diversity of their languages and cultures in the classrooms while there was evidence of celebrating culture and linguistic diversity in society. This called for a change in perspective and attitude to extend linguistic and cultural diversity to the classrooms so that learners could become capable of shouldering responsibility of their lives and participate in the development of their country.

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“…It was not uncommon to find Setswana being used as a medium of instruction in Standard 7 (Republic of Botswana, 1993). In at least one instance where Setswana was not a home language for the majority of learners, that is the North-East, the mother tongue, Ikalanga, was used in teaching and learning (Molosiwa, 2005;Mokgwathi, 2011).…”

Section: Language Ecology Of Botswanamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Outcomes of Learning a Foreign Language: Cases of Rural Primary Schools in Botswana

Mokibelo¹

2015

UCER-A

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This paper examines the outcomes of learning a foreign language on the learners in rural primary schools of Botswana. The task is carried out through scrutinising learners' writings from English language lessons. This paper is part of a larger study that studied the implementation of Botswana language-in-education policy in ethnically and linguistically complex classrooms. The trend from literature review indicates that ethnic minority learners have a problem in coping with English as a foreign language. The study adopted the qualitative approach and usedclassroom observations, open-ended questionnaires, and interviews to collect data. The sampled learners' artefacts were from schools where at initial school entry, learners speak different home languages, which are not necessarily school languages. The findings of the study indicate that learners find it difficult to acquire proficiency in English as a foreign language, leading to poor performance. Poor comprehension, lack of understanding, and lack of acquisition impact negatively on the students' general academic performance. The study concludes that it is necessary to reflect on the teaching and learning methods that suit learners who speak home languages that are different from the school languages. The study recommends that teachers be trained to use pedagogical approaches suitable to handle ethnically and linguistically complex classrooms.

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The educational effects of code-switching in the classroom – benefits and setbacks: A case of selected senior secondary schools in Botswana

Cited by 23 publications

References 13 publications

Embracing plurality through oral language

Embracing plurality through oral language

Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in the Education System and Society of Botswana

The Outcomes of Learning a Foreign Language: Cases of Rural Primary Schools in Botswana

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