Transition from Setswana to English: A Policy Dilemma

Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2016

Nations are tasked with expanding education, increasing its accessibility and quality to develop skilled labour forces needed to compete in the global world. Every nation is under pressure to strive to give their learners an opportunity to explore their potential to achieve the national and global educational goals. In learning, language and culture play a vital role in achieving educational goals at individual, national and international levels. This paper is part of the main study that used the qualitative approach to investigate how the language-in-education policy is implemented in ethnically and linguistically complex classrooms. The policy recognises only two languages of instruction: the national and a foreign language. Therefore, the idea is to see how such a policy is implemented in situations where learners do not speak the two languages. The findings indicate that there are challenges that could impede on achieving both the national and global educational goals especially Education for All goals as regards ethnic minority groups. The study observed that some of the marginalized groups such as BaZezuru and San lag behind due to language barrier and different lifestyle which are not considered in the implementation process. The paper recommends a reconsideration of the language-in-education policy that is inclusive in order to achieve the Education for All goals.

International Journal of Educational Studies, 2014

This article looks at how language policies for equal access to education in Tanzania and South Africa are implemented in practice as regards the language of learning and teaching (LOLT). Using interview and classroom observation data from primary and secondary schools in the two countries, it examines teachers' and learners' experiences of the shift from the home language to English (L2) and argues that this shift constrains learning. It observes that there are many language related challenges which do not support educational priorities in these countries. It concludes that the transition to English as LOLT has linguistic, cognitive and affective implications for the quality of teaching and learning and learners' epistemological access to education in the two countries.

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2017

This paper examines the role that communication plays as a strategy for implementing the language-in-education policy (LiEP) by teachers, school management and education officers in Botswana primary schools. Communication is at the pinnacle of the implementation of the language-in-education policy. This is confirmed by the diffusion of innovation and the eagle leadership theories. If ignored, it could lead to frustration and despair amongst policy agents. This study adopted the qualitative approach with open ended questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations techniques to investigate the problem. The findings indicate that effective communication was lacking in the implementation process of the language-in-education policy and this has led to disconnectedness, detachment, burn out and frustration amongst teachers. In the light of these findings, this study suggested the development of leadership and management in education officers, school management and teachers to raise their awareness about the critical role they can play in successfully implementing the LiEP through diverse communication channels. This study concluded that there should be, a reflection and change of behaviour by both senior personnel and teachers in primary schools to achieve the objectives of the language-in-education policy.

2019

Literator

European Journal of English Language and Literature Studies

This study discusses the factors underlying the phenomenon in which, often, students in Botswana Junior Secondary Schools (JSSs) seem reticent towards speaking English during lessons, in order to develop their proficiency in English as a second/ foreign language ESL/EFL. The implications of this disjuncture were also examined. Further, possible measures that could be emplaced to encourage students to speak English willingly were explored. A multi-method research (MMR) approach was used to unearth the state of English language (EL) use in Botswana’s JSSs through questionnaires for students and interviews with teachers. The conclusion was that students are not entirely averse to speaking English. Instead, they are primarily inhibited from adhering to the ‘English-Only Policies’ (EOPs) for fear of possible ridicule by their peers. Additionally, the study established that some students preferred communicating in their mother tongues (L1), since these were natural and easy to produce. Fu...

South African Journal of Childhood Education, 2025

Given the lack of research into English language instruction in multilingual contexts, this study explored the switch from mother tongue to English in a South African township school. This study aims to find out how teachers and parents view the implementation of English as a medium of instruction. The study was conducted at a multilingual township primary school that implemented an English-medium instruction policy from the foundation phase. A case study approach was applied to this qualitative research study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four foundation phase teachers and three parents of learners. In addition, observations of the classes of the selected teachers were made, and the data were analysed thematically. The findings suggest that the English medium of instruction poses barriers to effective learning and teaching at the foundation phase. For most township learners, English is not the dominant language in their everyday interactions, and they have limited contact with the language outside the classroom. In addition, most teachers struggle to use English as a medium of instruction. Although some schools have shifted to an English medium policy, the decision appears ill-conceived because its success is insignificant in South Africa, where English is the first additional language for most learners and teachers. The findings offer a research framework formulated by integrating past literature, and a theoretical framework for understanding the English medium of instruction where learners are exposed to multiple languages.

2025

Apart from the evidence supporting home language or familiar language programs and policies in the early grades, there is limited evidence from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) regarding how to design and implement a strong language of instruction (LOI) transition policy and the various factors that enable or impede the success of these efforts. The Language of Instruction Transition in Education Systems (LITES) study helps fill this knowledge gap by generating empirical evidence regarding factors that contribute to the success of LOI transitions for learners’ second language (L2) literacy skills in a cross-country study in Kenya, Mozambique, the Philippines, Senegal, Mali and Rwanda. Evidence generated from this study provides insights to improve bilingual and multilingual education in low-resource settings. This report presents the results of the study from Kenya.

2018

This study investigated whether the practices of translanguaging exists in Social Sciences classrooms and whether it is effectively adopted (This research was be solely based in Zululand district schools which offer isiZulu as a first language and English as First additional language).The study employed a mixed-methods approach in investigating Translanguaging in grade 9 Social Sciences classroom in the Zululand District. Observations were used to observe grade 9 Social sciences teachers and see how they use language as they are teaching, in order to determine their language of input and language of output. A reading comprehension inventory was administered through Solomon 4 quasi-experiment design by means of a class test in order to determine the learner's language of input and language of output in the Social Sciences lesson. The main finding from the observation is that, teachers alternate between isiZulu and English, in order to make lessons understood by learners. The lesson was understood better by learners when both languages were used. Results indicate that home languages play a vital role in educational activities of learners because it is the language they are most familiar with. The main finding from the reading comprehension inventory revealed that, when learners used isiZulu as a language of input and English as a language of output they performed better. Furthermore it was 'TRANSLANGUAGING IN GRADE 9 SOCIAL SCIENCES CLASSROOM IN THE ZULULAND DISTRICT' is my own original work and that all resources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. It has been submitted for the degree of Master of Education at university of Zululand. It has not been submitted for any degree or examination in any other university.

Journal of Education and Practice, 2021

Purpose: This paper examines transition from Preschool to Standard One in the Early Childhood Education programme implemented in 2013 in Botswana public primary schools. Methodology: The methodology employed in this study is the qualitative approach with multi-case study technique to investigate the implementation of the Early Childhood Education programme. Transitional Bilingual Education is used as the theoretical framework to benchmark the realities of transition from Preschool to Standard One classrooms. Data collection was done using open ended questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and scrutiny of learners’ artifacts. Results: The findings indicated that transition is not smooth due to the languages of instruction used at both Preschool and Standard One, learners who do not attend Preschool and lack of teacher aides in Standard One classes. The study concluded that there must be harmonization of languages of instruction at both levels to enable smooth transition. ...