Integrating language literacy in physical sciences in Riba Cross District, South Africa

Abstract

The language of teaching and learning challenges Physical Sciences teachers and impacts learners’ achievements. The study aimed to investigate how language literacy is integrated into the teaching of Physical Sciences. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The participants were five Grade 10 Physical Sciences teachers and 211 learners (108 boys; 103 girls) from nine schools exhibiting low academic achievements. Data were gleaned through the Literacy Skills Usage Survey Questionnaire (LSUSQ). The results show that 77.78% of the teachers did not engage learners in report writing and arguments which are fundamental to language literacy, suggesting that integrating literacy in science teaching was inadequate. Learners had difficulties in contributing to word walls, writing reports, and arguing from evidence. The lack of integration suggests that teachers lacked training in integrating language literacy into science teaching. These findings underscore the need for workshops to enable teachers to incorporate language literacy in teaching Physical Sciences.