Rinelle Evans

Parental perceptions : a case study of school choice amidst language waves

In this article we report and reflect on the responses to a questionnaire survey administered to 600 parents/caregivers, whose Foundation Phase children attend a former Afrikaans-medium primary school where English is now the sole medium of instruction, although English is not spoken as home language by either teachers or learners. We explored reasons why parents chose this particular school, especially in the light of available alternatives as well as their views of mother tongue/English instruction. At present, many parents favour an approach that also nurtures the home language, even while support for an English-only approach is strong. It may be that well-established research findings on the pedagogical and social benefits of maintaining home/local languages are being heard, at least among younger and better educated parents.

‘Look at the balloon blow up’: Student teacher-talk in linguistically diverse Foundation Phase classrooms

Abstract This article provides vignettes from teaching practice site visits in linguistically diverse South African Foundation Phase classrooms. The purpose is to point to the complexity of encounters between student teachers and learners when neither are first language speakers of English, the instructional language. The vignettes presented here suggest the potential negative social and pedagogical consequences for learners, in part due to teachers’ lack of awareness that language can create a barrier to learning. In noting instances of instructional dissonance, the article concludes by underlining the need for teacher education to include more content relating to the critical role of language in learning as well as to the importance of recognising the rich linguistic and cultural repertoire that learners bring to the multilingual classroom. In addition, teacher graduates’ proficiency in the language of instruction cannot be assumed to be adequate; this requires focused attention in policy documents and in teacher education programmes.

Pedagogical and political encounters in linguistically and culturally diverse primary classrooms: examples from Quebec, Canada, and Gauteng, South Africa

Comparative research in multilingual urban primary schools indicates that the pedagogical and political goals of schooling may operate at cross-purposes. Classroom observations and teacher interview-discussions were conducted in classes for immigrant children in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the language of instruction is French, and in classes in Pretoria, Gauteng Province, South Africa, where children from many different language backgrounds are taught in English. Two main themes emerged: (1) pedagogically, effective teacher–learner communication can break down when teachers are unaware of the roles that language and culture play in second language classrooms; (2) politically, efforts to assimilate learners into new socio-cultural/political contexts sometimes take precedence over sound pedagogical practice, such as drawing on the linguistic and cultural repertoire that learners bring to the classroom. This ongoing qualitative research underlines the importance of preparing pre-service and in-service teachers for the linguistic and cultural diversity they are bound to encounter in their classrooms, and of deepening their understanding of the influence of such diversity on the teaching–learning process.

Is anyone out there listening? Explaining low reciprocal interactivity during televised lessons in a developing country context

In face‐to‐face teaching, the educator is able to directly mediate learning and gauge the level of the learners’ English proficiency. Teleteaching makes this virtually impossible, as learners are invisible and thus immediate intervention in learning or estimations of proficiency are much more difficult to achieve. TELETUKS Schools1—a community project of the University of Pretoria—aims to assist Grade 12 learners prepare for their final examinations via interactive, televised lessons in key subjects. This article seeks to explain why learners refrain from participating during educational transmissions even though technology permits bi‐directional audio links. Understanding why viewers are reluctant to interact during transmissions could help educationists exploit the unique instructional potential of television, especially in remote areas of developing countries or where resources are severely limited. The results of a questionnaire survey conducted during a TELETUKS winter school (2002) suggest that limited language skills and the medium of instruction (English)—compounded by the nature and complexities of the medium—are possible reasons why the anticipated learner‐presenter interaction remains exceptionally low. This exploratory study also shows that further research in the form of in‐depth participant interviews; direct observation of learner participation and content analysis of televised lessons ought to establish the deeper, underlying reasons for low interactivity.

Misunderstanding during instructional communication as related to oral proficiency

Abstract This article explores misunderstandings identified in an instructional context where oral communication is the primary form of communication and focuses on the teacher as sender of the message. Although the misinterpretation of the teachers oral message may reside with the receiver, the speakers inaccurate expression may also cause misunderstanding. Data were collected through video recorded observations of authentic lessons presented by 26 pre-service teachers using English second language as the medium of instruction in the classroom. Misunderstandings were identified and described in terms of their occurrence, nature and frequency. Participants’ oral proficiency in English was rated using the International English Language Testing Score (IELTS). Focus group interviews helped gauge participants’ awareness of the occurrence of and reasons for misunderstandings. Findings indicated that misunderstandings chiefly resulted from the student teachers’ poor oral proficiency and inadequate speech act realisation patterns, indicating a lack of pragmatic awareness. Research to improve practice within the teaching and learning context needs to be ongoing since pre-service teachers should have a solid command of the language of instruction prior to embarking on their teaching careers. Teacher education programmes that focus on offering language support to prospective teachers may limit misunderstandings in multilingual instructional contexts.

Linguistic Diversity In The Classroom

Turn on the radio or television in a South African establishment and chances are you will have to flick the remote in order to find a channel you understand. Such is the linguistic diversity of this country. One hears many languages in most countries worldwide. At present, most countries have more than one official language. South Africa, however, boasts eleven official languages since after the first truly democratic elections in 1994, nine Bantu languages were granted equal status after centuries of dominance by Afrikaans and English/ Some view this as a victory for democracy. Some might argue that this move to declare even those languages spoken by less than 2% of the population as official was a hollow gesture made by the political negotiators at being politically correct. Others question the presumption of equal status and the practical implementation of such a constitutional right.

Language, Pedagogy And Politics Intersect In The Classroom

This chapter draws on the findings of comparative research carried out in two very different locations: urban Pretoria in South Africa and the large city of Montreal in Canada/ Methodologically, in line with research in the field of comparative and international education, this study within the larger study that this book is based on, sought to illuminate how similar pedagogical and political issues may be observed in widely different research sites.