‘They say we are crèche teachers’: Experiences of pre-service mathematics teachers taught through the medium of isiZulu

Linda Van Laren,Busisiwe Goba

doi:10.4102/pythagoras.v34i1.216

Abstract

Language of instruction, both in schools and higher education institutions (HEIs), is a contentious issue in South Africa. At our university in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa a language policy was approved in agreement with the Language Policy for Higher Education, recommending promotion of isiZulu as a medium of instruction for teaching and learning. In complying with this policy the School of Education of our university offered three education modules (Numeracy, Life Skills and Literacy) in the Foundation Phase (FP) Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) through the medium of isiZulu. Against this background we conducted a qualitative study with 16 FP PGCE pre-service teachers selected purposefully from the 2011 cohort who completed the FP numeracy education module in isiZulu. Participants were generally positive about their experiences of being taught in isiZulu, but highlighted challenges related to isiZulu as a medium of instruction for academic concept explanations, translation of teaching and learning materials, and the status of isiZulu as an instruction medium at a HEI.

Highlights

In post-apartheid South Africa the government actively promotes multilingualism
Given the lack of emphasis in the literature on issues of teaching and learning of mathematics in the Foundation Phase (FP), this study explored the experiences of FP Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) pre-service teachers who completed the numeracy education module that was taught through the medium of isiZulu in 2011
All of the participants indicated that the PGCE numeracy education module was taught largely in isiZulu, with minor switching from isiZulu to English where there was no isiZulu meaning for the mathematics education concepts being discussed

Summary

Introduction

In post-apartheid South Africa the government actively promotes multilingualism. One vehicle through which multilingualism has been promoted is recognition of the 11 official languages in South Africa. Only English and Afrikaans were afforded higher status as mediums of instruction at higher education institutions (HEIs). The Languages in Education Policy (Department of Education [DOE], 1997) notes that schooling is to maintain home language(s), but it mandates that access to and acquisition of additional language(s) should be provided. Learners in the Foundation Phase (FP) (Grade R−3) are expected to learn all subjects in their mother tongue. Despite the good intentions of the Languages in Education Policy, there are complications with the issue of languages spoken in South Africa, especially in urban areas where there is mixing of different ethnic groups (Howie, 2002)

Methods

Results

Conclusion