Academic literature on the topic 'Sesotho language – Study and teaching – Xhosa speakers'

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
Full text to be digitised and attached to bibliographic record.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores a framework for the implementation of task-based instruction for Xhosa second language at tertiary level. Central to the task-based approach to second language learning are the goals of complexity, accuracy and fluency as outcomes. The principles of task-based instruction to syllabus design are examined as this approach to syllabus design is believed to provide an effective base for successful second language acquisition. Theoretical assumptions as propounded by vanous researchers are discussed paymg particular reference to the nature of second language learning and teaching pedagogy. Most linguists agree on the view that Universal Grammar is a constant background against which any language learning process takes place. Universal Grammar is also viewed as the faculty which influences second language acquisition. The study will explore the relationship between second language theory and pedagogy. The Communicative Language Teaching is advanced in this study as an appropriate method for teaching language. The task-based syllabus is discussed with reference to different syllabus types which exhibit tasks as a unit of analysis. The relationship between grammar pedagogy and taskbased methodology is illustrated. A range of communication tasks for Xhosa is presented as an example of a task-based course design and analysed according to a task typology to investigate the communicative value of each task type. Salient functions, notions and language structures are identified based on Xhosa communicative task dialogues. It is hoped that Xhosa second language teachers and researchers will pursue the approach that are advanced here and that they will be able to make a contribution to Xhosa second language course design. It is also hoped that this study has succeeded in dealing with aspects of Xhosa second language learning and that Xhosa teaching will benefit in a variety of respects.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie ondersoek 'n raamwerk vir die implementering van taakgebaseerde onderrig vir Xhosa tweedetaal op tersiêre vlak. Die doelstellings van kompleksiteit, akkuraatheid en vlotheid is sentraal aan die taakgebaseerde benadering tot tweedetaalleer. Die studie sal die beginsels van taakgebaseerde onderrig tot sillabusontwerp ondersoek aangesien hierdie benadering algemeen beskou word as 'n doeltreffende basis vir suksesvolle tweedetaalleer. Die studie sal voorts die teoretiese aannames bespreek wat deur verskillende navorsers gemaak is met betrekking tot die aard van tweedetaalleer en onderrigmetodologie. Die meeste taalkundiges is dit eens dat Universele Grammatika 'n konstante basis is waarop tweedetaalleer plaasvind. Universele Grammatika word beskou as die mentale fakulteit wat tweedetaalleer beïnvloed. Die studie salook die verwantskap tweedetaalteorie en onderrig bespreek. Die kommunikatiewe taalonderrigbenadering word aangevoer in die studie as die mees gepaste metode vir taalonderrig. Die taakgebaseerde sillabus sal bespreek word met verwysing na verskillende sillabustipes wat die taak as eenheid vir analise vertoon. Die verwantskap tussen grammatika-onderrig en taakgebaseerde metodologie sal geïllustreer word. 'n Verskeidenheid kommunikatiewe take in Xhosa sal bespreek word as 'n voorbeeld van eenhede in kommunikatiewe kursusontwerp, en die take sal geanaliseer word om die kommunikatiewe aard van elke taak te ondersoek. Prominente taalfunksies, -begrippe en taalstrukture sal geïdentifiseer word vanuit die Xhosa kommunikatiewe taak-dialoë. Die hoop word uitgespreek dat onderwysers en navorsers van Xhosa tweedetaal die benadering wat in hierdie studie ondersoek is verder salontgin, en dat hulle in staat sal wees om 'n bydrae te maak tot kommunikatiewe Die studie ondersoek 'n raamwerk vir die implementering van taakgebaseerde onderrig vir Xhosa tweedetaal op tersiêre vlak. Die doelstellings van kompleksiteit, akkuraatheid en vlotheid is sentraal aan die taakgebaseerde benadering tot tweedetaalleer. Die studie sal die beginsels van taakgebaseerde onderrig tot sillabusontwerp ondersoek aangesien hierdie benadering algemeen beskou word as 'n doeltreffende basis vir suksesvolle tweedetaalleer. Die studie sal voorts die teoretiese aannames bespreek wat deur verskillende navorsers gemaak is met betrekking tot die aard van tweedetaalleer en onderrigmetodologie. Die meeste taalkundiges is dit eens dat Universele Grammatika 'n konstante basis is waarop tweedetaalleer plaasvind. Universele Grammatika word beskou as die mentale fakulteit wat tweedetaalleer beïnvloed. Die studie salook die verwantskap tweedetaalteorie en onderrig bespreek. Die kommunikatiewe taalonderrigbenadering word aangevoer in die studie as die mees gepaste metode vir taalonderrig. Die taakgebaseerde sillabus sal bespreek word met verwysing na verskillende sillabustipes wat die taak as eenheid vir analise vertoon. Die verwantskap tussen grammatika-onderrig en taakgebaseerde metodologie sal geïllustreer word. 'n Verskeidenheid kommunikatiewe take in Xhosa sal bespreek word as 'n voorbeeld van eenhede in kommunikatiewe kursusontwerp, en die take sal geanaliseer word om die kommunikatiewe aard van elke taak te ondersoek. Prominente taalfunksies, -begrippe en taalstrukture sal geïdentifiseer word vanuit die Xhosa kommunikatiewe taak-dialoë. Die hoop word uitgespreek dat onderwysers en navorsers van Xhosa tweedetaal die benadering wat in hierdie studie ondersoek is verder salontgin, en dat hulle in staat sal wees om 'n bydrae te maak tot kommunikatiewe kursusontwerp. Die studie poog om ook aspekte van Xhosa tweedetaalleer te identifiseer wat die onderrig van Xhosa tot voordeel kan strek in verskillende opsigte.

Thesis (MA (African Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This mini-thesis examines the features of a range of communication tasks in Xhosa that characterize lecturer-student conversations in tertiary context as regards problems of some individual students assuming the Task-based Theory of second language learning and teaching. The study is motivated by the need that exists for the development of specific purposes language courses for African languages like Xhosa in South Africa in the light of the constitutional provision for multilingualism and the advancement of the African languages. The introduction of multilingualism and the advancement of the status and use of the African languages are also specified in the National language policy for Higher Education. In order to commence on the kind of research on syllabus design required for quality second language courses for Xhosa within tertiary context the nature of lecturer-student communication relating to the problems of individual students is investigated in this study. The study focuses in particular on the issue of task design, i.e. the features posited by Pica et al (1993) relating to the interactant relationship between the participants, the interactant requirement (one-way or two-way), the communication goal orientation (i.e. convergent or divergent), and the goal outcome option (i.e. one or several outcome options). The analysis of the Xhosa communication tasks is of crucial significance for syllabus design, course design and pedagogic task design for task-based language teaching.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie mini-tesis ondersoek die kenmerke van ‘n verskeidenheid kommunikasietake in isiXhosa wat dosent-student gesprekke in hoër onderwys kenmerk betreffende die probleme wat individuele studente ervaar. Die raamwerk van Taakgebaseerde onderrig en leer-teorie word aanvaar. Die studie is veral gemotiveer deur die behoefte wat bestaan vir die ontwikkeling van spesifieke doeleindes taalkursusse vir Afrikatale soos isiXhosa in Suid-Afrika in die lig van die konstitusionele voorsiening wat gemaak word vir veeltaligheid en die bevordering van die inheemse Afrikatale. Die invoer van veeltaligheid en die bevordering van die status en gebruik van die Afrikatale word ook gespesifiseer in die Nasionale Taalbeleid vir Hoër Onderwys. Ten einde te begin met die tipe van sillabusontwerp vir gehalte tweedetaal-onderrig kursusse vir Xhosa binne tersiêre konteks, word die aard van dosent-student kommunikasie buite die klas, betreffende die probleme van individuele studente ondersoek in hierdie studie. Die studie fokus in die besonder op die vraagstuk van taak-ontwerp, dit is, kenmerke voorgestel deur Pica et al (1993) betreffende die deelnemers, die interakteerder-vereistes (een-rigting of twee-rigting), die kommunikasiedoel oriëntasie (d.i. konvergent of divergent), en die doel-uitkoms (een of verskeie uitkomste). Die analise van die Xhosa kommunikasietake is van sentrale belang vir sillabus-ontwerp, kursus-ontwerp en pedagogiese taak-ontwerp vir taakgebaseerde taalonderrig.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the effect of a reading strategy instruction research intervention on Grade 8 isiXhosa-speaking learners‘ comprehension of English reading texts at a township high school. Throughout the years, South Africans have become increasingly aware of the poor literacy levels of the learners. Results from National Assessment Studies e.g., Annual National Assessments and Systemic Evaluation Assessment, performed annually by the Department of Education, as well as International Assessment Studies e.g., Southern African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ III, 2007 and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS 2006), confirm that our learners cannot read for meaning and therefore reading comprehension, is a severe concern. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS, 2011) places reading under three phases (pre-reading, reading and post-reading), however, it fails to place explicit focus on training teachers to instruct reading comprehension. With English becoming increasingly the language of instruction for non-English first language speakers (as in the case of the isiXhosa-speaking learners at the research school), there is a growing need to provide learners with techniques that will equip them to construct meaning from texts. This study, therefore, addresses the need for reading comprehension through the use of pre-selected, research-based reading strategies, that can be taught to the learners to improve their meaning-making efforts during the reading process. The reading strategies together with selected reading instruction activities aim to provide learners and teachers alike with sufficient guidance for implementing reading strategies and in the case of teachers, to encourage a sustained change in their comprehension instruction. This study applies a mixed-method methodology for gathering both quantitative and qualitative data. The purpose of the quantitative data is firstly to provide baseline data of reading-related abilities for learners before the implementation of the intervention, and secondly, to provide comparative data of strategy transfer after the intervention. The qualitative data is gathered through observations of the implementation of the reading strategies during the intervention, participants‘ journals and through samples of participants‘ work. The data aim to provide rich, in-depth data about how the participants in the research took on reading strategy instruction and the factors that influenced them. This study identified a number of issues: [1] participants‘ understanding of the content of the presented English reading texts during the intervention, [2] participants‘ low literacy levels, [3] participants‘ uptake of the concept of dealing with the different strategies while engaging with a text and [4] the school as a research site that affect reading strategy instruction to Grade 8 isiXhosa-speaking learners in a multilingual environment, but also highlighted the importance of continued implementation of reading instruction as crucial to its success. The findings of this study created a platform for teachers to instruct reading comprehension in different content subjects and provide learners with a selection of reading strategies that they can apply in making meaning of texts they encounter in different subject areas.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie fokus op die uitwerking van 'n leesstrategie onderrigintervensie wat onderrig word aan Graad 8 isiXhosa-sprekende leerders ter verbetering van hulle begrip van Engelse tekste by 'n plaaslike hoërskool. Deur die jare het Suid Afrikaners al hoe meer bewus geword van die kommerwekkende lae geletterdheidsvlakke van die leerders. Resultate van nasionale evaluering studies, byvoorbeeld, die Jaarlikse Nasionale Assessering en Sistemiese Evalueringtoetse, wat jaarliks uitgevoer word deur die Departement van Onderwys, asook internasionale evaluering studies, byvoorbeeld, Suidelike Afrikaanse Konsortium vir Monitering Opvoedkundige Kwaliteit (SACMEQ III, 2007) en Progressie in Internasionale Lees Geletterdheidstudie (PIRLS, 2006), bevestig dat ons leerders nie sinvol kan lees nie en derhalwe het hulle bevind dat leesbegrip 'n ernstige bron van kommer is. Die Kurrikulum en Assessering Beleidsverklaring (KABV, 2011), plaas lees onder drie fases (voor-lees, lees en na-lees), maar dit laat na om eksplisiete fokus te plaas op die opleiding van onderwysers om leesbegrip te onderrig. Met Engels wat toenemend die taal van onderrig vir nie-Engelssprekende eerstetaalleerders word (soos in die geval van isiXhosa-sprekende leerders by die navorsingskool), is daar 'n toenemende behoefte om leerders toe te rus met tegnieke om betekenis uit tekste te skep. Hierdie studie maak gebruik van voorafgeselekteerde, navorsingsgebaseerde leesstrategieë waarin leerders onderrig kan word ter verbetering van hulle pogings om betekenis te maak tydens die leesproses. Beide die leesstrategieë en geselekteerde leesonderrigaktiwiteite poog daarin om voldoende leiding te verskaf aan leerders sowel as onderwysers om die leesstrategieë te implementeer. Dit poog ook verder om volgehoue verandering in leesbegrip onderrig by onderwysers aan te moedig. Die studie maak gebruik van 'n gemengde-metode metodologie vir die insameling van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data. Die doel van die kwantitatiewe data is eerstens om basisdata oor leesverwante vermoëns van leerders vóór die implementering van die intervensie te verskaf, en tweedens dien dit as vergelykbare data van strategie metingsoordrag ná die intervensie. Die kwalitatiewe data is versamel deur waarnemings gedurende die implementering van leesstrategieë tydens die intervensie, dagboek- inskrywings van navorsingsleerders asook voorbeelde van leerders se werk. Die data verskaf ryk, diepgaande data oor die manier waarop die deelnemers die onderrig van leesstrategieë aangeneem het en die faktore wat hulle beïnvloed het. Die studie het 'n aantal kwessies: [1] deelnemers se begrip van die inhoud van Engelse leestekste gedurende die intervensie, [2] deelnemers se lae geletterheidsvlakke, [3] aanvaarding van leesstrategie-onderrig deur die leerders en [4] die skool as navorsingsplek identifiseer wat leesstrategieonderrig aan Graad 8 isiXhosa-sprekende leerders in 'n meertalige omgewing beïnvloed, maar terselfdertyd het dit die belangrikheid van volgehoue implementering van leesonderrig beklemtoon as onontbeerlik vir die sukses daarvan. Die bevindings van die studie het 'n platform daargestel vir onderwysers om leesbegrip in verskillende inhoudsvakke te onderrig, asook 'n seleksie van leesstrategieë wat leerders kan toepas in hulle poging om betekenis te maak van tekste waarmee hulle in verskillende vakinhoude te doen kry.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research assignment reports on the findings of a study that was conducted at High School X, Durbanville, Western Cape, South Africa. The aim of this study was to understand how code-switching to isiXhosa affects learner performance in English short story lessons. Code-switching, which is a change of language that occurs in a conversation, happens most often when bilinguals converse with other bilinguals. Several language experts, and teachers, believe that code-switching assists learners who are taught in a second language. However, some principals do not tolerate code-switching by English language teachers, as they argue that code-switching is evidence of laziness or of a lack of proficiency in English. Based on his experience, the researcher, in contrast, argues that many learners need to be supported when they do not understand English fluently, as was the case in the present study. By using code-switching in an experimental class and only English in a control class, this study attempts to show the benefits of code-switching as a scaffolding tool that can help learners to understand the short story in English better.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie doen verslag oor die bevindinge van ’n studie wat gedoen is by High School X, Durbanville, Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te verstaan hoe kodewisseling na isiXhosa leerderprestasie kan beïnvloed in Engels-kortverhaallesse. Kodewisseling verwys na die oorslaan van een taal na ’n ander in ’n gesprek, gewoonlik wanneer tweetaliges in gesprek is met ander tweetaliges. Kodewisseling word deur heelwat taalkenners en onderwysers beskou as ’n strategie wat leerders kan help wanneer hulle in ’n tweede taal onderrig word. Sommige skoolhoofde is egter hewig gekant teen kodewisseling deur Engels-taalonderwysers, aangesien hulle van mening is dat kodewisseling luiheid kenmerk of ’n gebrek aan vaardigheid in die taal aandui. In teenstelling hiermee is die navorser se argument egter dat leerders juis gehelp moet word wanneer hulle Engels nie ten volle verstaan nie – soos die geval is met die leerders in hierdie studie. Kodewisseling is gebruik in ’n eksperimentele klas en slegs Engels is in die kontroleklas se lesse gebruik. Die studie toon die voordele van kodewisseling as hulpmiddel vir leerders om die Engelstalige kortverhaal beter te verstaan, aan.

This study is an investigation of Xhosa English as used by teachers in the Grahamstown area of the Eastern Cape. The aims of the study were firstly, to compile a 20 000 word mini-corpus of the spoken English of Xhosa mother-tongue teachers in Grahamstown, and to use this data to describe the characteristics of Xhosa English used in the classroom context; and secondly, to assess the usefulness of a corpus-based approach to a study of this nature. The English of five Xhosa mother-tongue teachers was investigated. These teachers were recorded while teaching in English and the data was then transcribed for analysis. The data was analysed using Wordsmith Tools to investigate patterns in the teachers' language. Grammatical, lexical and discourse patterns were explored based on the findings of other researchers' investigations of Black South African English and Xhosa English. In general, many of the patterns reported in the literature were found in the data, but to a lesser extent than reported in literature which gave quantitative information. Some features not described elsewhere were also found. The corpus-based approach was found to be useful within the limits of pattern-matching.
KMBT_363
Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

Reading is the key to knowledge and learning and by implication, life success. Most South African children „learn to read‟ in their home languages (HL), such as isiXhosa in the Eastern Cape, and then at the beginning of Grade 4 are expected to make two significant transitions: they must begin to „read to learn‟ and they must do so in an additional language (usually English). The research evidence is damning: Intermediate Phase children are failing to read and failing to learn. This study is concerned with two of the possible, and often conflicting, reasons for the reading problem: 1) that too little time is spent developing learners‟ English language proficiency and 2) that the development of learners‟ reading comprehension skills in the HL is neglected, preventing the transfer of skills to reading in English additional language (EAL). This thesis explores the relations between English Language Proficiency (ELP) and isiXhosa Reading Comprehension (XRC), and between ELP and English Reading Comprehension (ERC), in a unique, additive bilingual context in the rural Eastern Cape, where isiXhosa is maintained as part-LoLT (language of learning and teaching) to the end of Grade 6. The Linguistic Threshold and Linguistic Interdependence Hypotheses constitute the theoretical framework of the study. The design of the research is exploratory and descriptive. The Woodcock-Muñoz Language Survey was used to measure the language proficiency (English relative to isiXhosa) of the sixteen Grade 6 learners in the study, while two sample, expository passages from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (2006) were used to measure the reading comprehension abilities of learners, in both isiXhosa and English. A questionnaire provided additional information – about the learners‟ perceptions of reading– which assisted in the interpretation of the statistical data. „Mean scores‟ and „standard deviations‟ were used to describe the ELP (relative to the isiXhosa language proficiency) of the participants, while „frequency‟ was used to describe the reading comprehension scores. Correlational statistics were then employed to test the strength of the relationships between the variables, while regression analyses were used to predict the relative contribution of each of ELP and XRC to ERC. The study reveals that while the learners‟ isiXhosa language proficiency far exceeded their English language abilities, their reading comprehension scores in both languages were equally poor. ELP correlated significantly with ERC; and XRC and ERC were also covaried, thus corroborating the findings of international research: that in this particular context, second language (L2) reading is a consequence of both ELP and first language(L1) reading ability. The regression analyses showed that while the potential for reading comprehension transfer in the direction L1 to L2 existed, this possibility was short circuited, both by learners‟ poor ELP and their poor L1 reading skills.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was designed to investigate whether metacognitive instruction could be used to improve the reading comprehension of isiXhosa-speaking English Second Language (ESL) learners in the FET phase. The metacognitive instruction encompassed increasing the learners’ metacognitive awareness, equipping them with metacognitive reading strategies and facilitating the transfer of these strategies to content subjects such as Life Sciences and Geography. The Vygotskian sociocultural theory that accounts for the roles of social, cultural, and historical contexts in comprehending text during academic reading tasks provided an appropriate theoretical framework for conducting the research. The study was comprised of one cycle of action research, framed within a paradigm of praxis. It took place in a high school in a disadvantaged community in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A qualitative methodology allowed for in-depth insight into the metacognitive habits of ESL learners through various forms of data collection. Eight participants in Grade 10, ranging between 16 and 19 years of age, took part in the study. Their reading comprehension abilities varied, as did their English proficiency. The data were presented as collected in the phases of the action research cycle and summed up in three data processes. Each data set was embedded in the chronological timeline of the study’s progress and discussed in light thereof. Three broad themes were derived from the data, using qualitative content analysis. The data revealed that metacognitive instruction can improve the English reading comprehension of isiXhosa-speaking learners. This was reflected in both the quantitative and qualitative data sets. The quantitative data were used descriptively and interpreted qualitatively, in line with the qualitative methodology. The results of the study indicated that before metacognitive instruction can be successful, language proficiency, basic linguistic skills, and mental representations are crucial. The findings showed that mind mapping and constructing mental representations of the text are two effective metacognitive reading strategies that are easily transferable across the curriculum. They also revealed the strong link between culture and reading practices amongst different population groups. Cultural understandings of concepts such as respect and authority had a profound influence on the learners’ considerations of what it means to learn, read and understand.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om te bepaal of metakognitiewe onderrig aangewend kan word ter verbetering van leesbegrip by Xhosasprekende leerders wat Engels Tweede Taal (ETT) in die fase verdere onderwys en opleiding (VOO) neem. Metakognitiewe onderrig het behels om die leerders se metakognitiewe bewustheid te verhoog, hulle dan met metakognitiewe leesstrategieë toe te rus, en hulle laastens daardie strategieë na inhoudsvakke soos Lewenswetenskappe en Geografie te laat oordra. Vygotsky se sosiokulturele teorie het ’n toepaslike teoretiese raamwerk gebied vir die navorsing, wat die rol van sosiale, kulturele en historiese kontekste in teksbegrip gedurende akademiese leestake in ag geneem het. Die studie het uit een siklus aksienavorsing binne ’n praktiese paradigma bestaan. Dit is in ’n hoërskool in ’n benadeelde gemeenskap in die provinsie Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika, onderneem. ’n Kwalitatiewe metodologie het deur middel van verskeie vorme van data-insameling diepe insig in die metakognitiewe gewoontes van ETT-leerders gebied. Altesaam agt graad 10-leerders van tussen 16 en 19 jaar, met wisselende leesbegripvermoëns én vaardigheid in Engels, het deelgeneem. Die data is aangebied soos dit in die fases van die aksienavorsingsiklus ingesamel is, en is in drie dataprosesse saamgevat. Elke datastel is op die chronologiese vorderingstydlyn van die studie geplaas en teen daardie agtergrond bespreek. Drie algemene temas is met behulp van kwalitatiewe inhoudsontleding uit die data afgelei. Die data het getoon dat metakognitiewe onderrig wél Xhosasprekende leerders se leesbegrip in Engels kan verbeter. Dít het uit sowel die kwantitatiewe as kwalitatiewe datastelle geblyk. In pas met die kwalitatiewe metodologie, is die kwantitatiewe data beskrywend aangewend en kwalitatief vertolk. Die studie het beklemtoon dat taalbedrewenheid, basiese taalvaardighede en geestesvoorstellings noodsaaklik is vir suksesvolle metakognitiewe onderrig. Die bevindinge toon dat konsepkaarte (“mind mapping”) en die konstruksie van geestesvoorstellings van die teks twee doeltreffende metakognitiewe leesstrategieë is wat maklik op die hele kurrikulum toegepas kan word. Die studie het ook ’n sterk verband tussen kultuur en leespraktyke onder verskillende groeperinge uitgewys. Die kulturele begrip van konsepte soos respek en gesag het ’n diepgaande invloed gehad op wat die leerders onder ‘leer’, ‘lees’ en ‘begryp’ verstaan het.

According to the national Education Policy Act of 1996 and the norms and standards regarding Language policy, the promotion of multilingualism was stated as a prime objective, together with strong support of either home language or dual-medium education. Although the right to choose the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) which had to be an official language(or languages) lay with the individual. Hence the study is to persuade the department of Education in KZN to include isiXhosa and Sesotho languages as home language in KZN schools curriculum. The province of KZN is attracting many people especially Xhosas and Sotho’s from Eastern Cape and from other provinces such as Free State to mention few. These people come to KZN basically to seek jobs and stay in KZN under a vast ray of reasons. The city of Durban is like Johannesburg to them-‘’eGoli’’ in old days. However, in Gauteng almost two or more official languages are accommodated in schools, either being done as home language, first additional, second additional or even a third additional language. The choice lay with the individual. The Language Policy promoting multilingualism is implemented in Gauteng, why not in KZN- because the KZN total population of 9 426 014 based on census 2001 data indicate that there is no one speaking Sesotho in KZN but only 80% of isiZulu and 2.3% isiXhosa not mentioning English and Afrikaans1. Currently according to 2011 census, isiZulu is the mother tongue of 22.7% of South Africa’s population2. Furthermore, what is indicated by these census statistics starts in KZN schools where by the curriculum is designed in more convenient manner where by all Africans in KZN do IsiZulu as home language putting aside English and Afrikaans. The importance of mother-tongue, culture as well as multilingualism as the key concepts in diverse inclusive curriculum is not manifested in KZN school curriculum. The significant of 1976 Soweto up-raising lays in the right to choose the language of learning and teaching and it is part of democracy in South Africa. There should be options of languages to choose in schools most importantly giving a mother-tongue the first choice. Unfortunately there is no choice in KZN schools with regard to Africans group. More interestingly, there is a choice to listen to radio stations namely Umhlobowenene FM which broadcast in isiXhosa and Lesedi FM broadcasting in Sesotho. Nobody can say to another why one is listening to that Xhosa or Sotho radio in KZN, simply because is one’s choice. In the same manner that SABC enabled the broadcasting Xhosa and Sotho radios in KZN, so the department of Education in KZN can include isiXhosa and Sesotho as home languages and the choice of isiZulu as an additional language not as a home language. The results of the study do not reveal the poor academic performance of Xhosas and Sotho learners in the subject of isiZulu home language in KZN. But reveal the loss of identity, culture, and one’s roots. Hence language is a primary tool to enhance self-identity, it forms a fundamental part of culture and enables one to stick to own roots and embraces the sense of origin like being a proudly South African- a rainbow nation.
Educational Studies
M.A. (Inclusive Education)

South African indigenous language teaching and learning materials do not provide sufficient information to help additional language learners learn the target languages effectively. While there are institutions that are tasked with developing and sharpening the skills of students in speaking South African indigenous languages, such students hardly, if at all master the art of speaking them eloquently. Students who study these languages in order to converse proficiently with their mother-tongue speakers experience insurmountable difficulties, in spite of various efforts made by the teachers who train them to read books on their own. Passing their examinations does not mean that the students’ ability to communicate with mother-tongue speakers will improve to the extent of eliminating the prevailing misunderstanding between the two groups. The persistence of this problem reveals a discrepancy between the studies of indigenous languages in South Africa and the way of speaking them, whereby important linguistic elements that make communication more authentic are excluded in language materials. This study analyses the use and significance of CIFWs in daily interactions by investigating the two Xhosa CIFWs words wethu and bethu. The overall aim of this study is to explore the use of a corpus in the examination of CIFWs in general, and wethu and bethu in particular. Both a quantitative approach based on the Gothenburg-Unisa spoken corpus and a qualitative approach based on Allwoods’ ACA theoretical framework were used in the analysis and description of the functions and significances of wethu and bethu as communicative and interactive function words.
Linguistics and Modern Languages
M.A. (Applied Linguistics)