English Teaching in the Primary Schools of the Research Area 1 Orientation

The majority of learners (if not all) in the primary schools in the research area receive their tuition in a language that is not their first language. These learners (if they were attending schools in affluent areas, would be frequently inappropriately referred for Speech-Language Therapy (SLT) for a ‘language disorder’ (Stoffels, 2004:35). Therefore ESL learners, as found in the primary schools of the research area are being ‘pathologised’ because educators may interpret language differences as deficiencies.

The widespread preference for education in English has resulted in the Revised National Curriculum Statement’s (RNCS) language policy only being partially implemented (Vesely, 2000:5). The Language in Education Policy of South Africa promotes an additive approach to bio/multi-lingualism, whereby the first language is maintained and used as a basis for the learning of another language (Chick & McKay, 2001:163). This approach has benefits for the learner as “continued development of both languages into literate domains … is a precondition for enhanced cognitive, linguistic, and academic growth” (Cummins, 2000:37). Due to the partial implementation of the language policy, South African educators face the challenges of large numbers of ESL learners in their classes (PANSALB, 2000:5).

The researcher has observed that primary school learners of the research area struggle academically and this lowers their self-esteem and confidence, in turn perhaps affecting other areas of learning and functioning through frustration, social isolation, and disciplinary problems (Du Plessis & Naudé, 2003). Time spent to resolve these can interrupt the flow of lessons and add to the learners’ difficulties which are often exacerbated by poverty, hunger, and fatigue through travelling long distances to school (Stoffels, 2004:35). The following scenario is prevalent in the research schools in as far as the teaching of English is concerned.

Unsatisfactory Educational Performance by Learners: Educators report that all learners have

Sepedi as a first language. Learners are most of the time forced to repeat a year, or proceed to the next grade without adequate grasp of the previous grade’s work. Having very little exposure to English at home, and tending to speak in their home language to peers at school, many

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learners may not even have had adequate BICS in English, thereby affecting their CALP in English (Cummins, 2000:20). So as not to affect their self-esteem, learners who had not coped academically in a grade are being promoted to the next grade where they should receive additional support.

The researcher is of the opinion that the practice described above is not always in the best interests of the ESL learners since they may always remain behind academically. Although the schools have access to rehabilitative support such as psychologists and learning support educators (Department of Education, 2002:8), these multifunctional teams are often understaffed and unable to see all the children who needed help, except the Grade twelves (12) who also receive service once a year.

Discipline and behaviour problems amongst primary school learners due to large class sizes are compounded by language issues. Educators frequently experience discipline problems with these learners — with larger classes being notably more difficult than smaller classes, due to limited comprehension skills of ESL learners and linguistic and cultural mismatches between them and educators (Du Plessis & Naudé, 2003:122).

Socio-emotional Problems: This is associated with learning in a language that is not one’s first

language and it leads to learners feeling that they lose their home language and culture. For example, educators in the primary schools from which the research subjects come, are of the opinion that their learners lose their first language vocabulary by replacing some words with English equivalents. This could be the effect of learners not using their first language for high level cognition or due to the predominant use of English in the media and in urban areas (Vesely, 2000:5). The learners’ limited English language skills lead to a difficulty with expressing themselves, and confusion from not understanding instructions, and this contributes to a low level of confidence.

Lack of Parent Involvement: Parental involvement, especially as it relates to parents helping

their children with their homework is found to contribute to good progress of ESL learners. Lack of it affects learners adversely. Even though educators in the primary schools of the research

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area are aware of the benefits of encouraging parents to use their first language when helping children with homework as well as creating opportunities for their child to listen and interact in English, most of the time parents could not assist with their child’s schoolwork as they themselves do not understand English, or are illiterate or unable to read and write in English. However, the researcher is aware that social circumstances such as long hours of work, transport, or finances may also be coming into play to affect parents’ involvement.

Frustrated Educators: In spite of feeling sympathy towards ESL learners, educators feel

frustrated working with them, because of heavy workloads. They first have to teach the

language and vocabulary for specific content and thus they find it impossible to complete the syllabus for the year. Also having learners in the class with better English abilities, educators report that they have to teach on diverse language and academic levels.

Educators are being required to give extra attention to learners who are not keeping up, as well as adequately challenging stronger learners, in order to ensure that all learners in their class had an equally effective education. This by itself is a huge task on the part of educators who are always pressed for time to finish the syllabus. On the other hand, the size and demographics of classes also serve as sources of frustration for educators and learners alike. As class sizes increase, the frequency of problems increases: lack of knowledge of second language acquisition processes; lack of knowledge of bilingualism and problems with discipline due to limited comprehension of ESL learners. Educators with large classes (more than 30 learners) are more likely to experience these problems frequently than educators with smaller classes (less than 30 learners).

Further, another source of frustration is caused by learners’ first language which also influences their development of English, for example, pronunciation affect their phonics in their writing, and concepts such as gendered pronouns confused the majority of Sepedi speakers where personal pronouns for male and female are the same.

Lack of Support: Educators and learners in the primary schools in the research area feel

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without support from key contributors. Educators in particular feel disempowered because they have to refer decisions about learners repeating grades to an external team who would make the ultimate decision. In spite of the Limpopo Province Education Department being aware of the large classes and large numbers of ESL learners, the educators feel that their needs are not being heard and met.

Resources for Teaching English: Both educators and learners express the need for specific

language teaching resources for ESL learning and teaching. They need simple picture vocabulary theme books and objects and pictures to demonstrate vocabulary, as well as home programmes and worksheets to assist learners to work with an English proficient, literate adult at home. Fundamentally, educators need basic resources for their classroom. Owing to their social circumstances, not many learners have their own stationery and unless educators provide out of their own pockets, they are unable to do creative activities with the learners. Educators also need bigger classrooms since classes are very crowded.

Training: Lack of training is significantly associated with the frequency of problems

experienced in the classroom because of a lack of knowledge of bilingualism. Educators in the primary schools in the research area have learnt through own, gathered experience about teaching ESL learners, and a majority of them are in dire need of more formal training, mostly practical. Although they had attended workshops on teaching ESL learners, educators want to observe practical demonstrations on how to implement the strategies they had learnt, preferably with their own learners.

Educators express openness to learning from and collaborating with SLTs on an ongoing basis as ‘language experts’ in the classroom: This would also assist ESL learners who are struggling academically, simultaneously alleviating educator frustration, as found earlier. Besides practical training, the educators want training in Sepedi, the home language of most ESL learners in the research schools. Educators know basic Sepedi words-learnt through “desperation” — and they meet a good response from -first language ESL learners when trying to speak Sepedi. It is the view of the researcher that educators know that they cannot provide optimal education for ESL learners without being able to speak their home language, in line with Alexander (2003:55).

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The researcher is of the opinion that from the above, it is clearly shown that educators and learners face numerous challenges in their English classes. Besides the academic and socio- emotional difficulties of ESL learners, educators in the research area of this study are frustrated by a considerable workload and large classes with many ESL learners per class. Educators call for increased resources and departmental, professional and parental support as well as practical training in teaching ESL learners and in Sepedi language and culture.

More in-depth knowledge about the needs, experiences and coping strategies of educators teaching ESL learners can lead to better training for educators, and better preparation for SLTs for their roles in supporting educators. This knowledge can also initiate further research leading to possible policy changes to meet educators’ needs. With many ESL learners attending school in English, meeting the challenges of educators, partially through the involvement of SLTs, will ensure that learners achieve their academic potential and have the same opportunities in life as their peers who are learning in their first language.