Overwhelmingly, all the seventy (70) learners responded in the affirmative to this question. Although this was not unexpected, to have a 100% “YES” response was unthinkable at the beginning of the interviews. This then prompted the researcher to further probe for those challenges as can be seen hereunder.
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The responses were varied and very compelling. Learners identified challenges ranging from unavailable learner support materials to poor facilities as part of the challenges that they face on a daily basis. According to them the teaching and learning environment needs to be supportive. The following categories emerged:
Code-Switching: All the 70 learners interviewed conceded to the fact that code-switching was
prevalent in their Science classrooms. As seen earlier in Chapter 1, Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency as espoused by Cummins (2000:55) is more involved than conversational language. According to Cummins, it takes 5-7 years to develop proficiency in academic language. According to the Macdonald’s Threshold Project (1990:5) the deficiency in academic vocabulary can be accounted for by the early transition from the use of mother tongue as medium of instruction to English. This happens at Grade 4. At this stage, according to this groundbreaking research, learners do not have adequate academic vocabulary to deal with Science offered through the medium of English.
The learners contended that educators were using code-switching to their detriment because they were expected to be assessed in English only. The assertion by the learners confirmed what was observed in the classes and during the educator interviews. Therefore, the researcher concluded that code-switching was used on the one hand as an economic institution by the educators i.e. to expedite learning by helping learners to check their vocabulary understanding, while on the other hand it served to disadvantage learners who were to be subjected to an assessment in English only. The implication here is, learners found it more economical to use, for example a Sepedi word, rather than to try to offer a more complex explanation in the English language. As one learner aptly declared that it was “an escape route”, it is the researcher’s finding that code-switching always came in handy when learners experienced frustration and difficulties in handling linguistic demands of learning. Thus, code-switching became the only pedagogically viable strategy of counteracting English linguistic inefficiencies (albeit with its concomitant downsides).
The researcher is of the opinion that although there were many opinions either for or against code-switching, this study focuses on this phenomenon from the premise of it being used as a
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‘survival’ strategy by learners in response to the challenges posed by English as a language of learning and teaching Science. Thus the researcher considered it appropriate to engage learners directly on this practice as this was prevalent in many classrooms-as classroom observations also revealed.
However, it is the researcher’s opinion, that in Science classes for example, code-switching can be used to explain, rephrase, illustrate, exemplify, elaborate or relate concepts and procedures to learners’ experiences. This can be useful in introducing and explaining the formal scientific terms and concepts the majority of which do not exist in African languages. This is consistent with what Lwazi Mjiyako, acting head of the University of the Witwatersrand African languages, said, when he wrote that code–switching will only become beneficial as long as indigenous languages are not “viewed as a problem but a resource” (City press, 11 September 2005).
Language of the Textbook: The respondents also cited the issue of the language of the
textbooks as a challenge that they faced everyday as they use English as a language of learning Science. Predictably, the technical language of Science caused all learners difficulty. Words which were similar or pairs of words were confused by many of the learners. It appeared from the interviews held with the learners that learning a term or concept required contrasting the term with other terms within classes. Learners indicated that educators tried to mediate with new language and even attempted to refer to their prior language.
That confused them even more and this corroborated what Jarret (2001:23) points out when he said that “there is a danger that new labels in a second language may refer to a different set of features associated with a concept”. Furthermore, learners revealed that when explaining new concepts and terms, some educators used idioms and slang in order to make the Science more accessible. Predictably, this caused difficulties for ESL learners.
Motivation: Respondents also mentioned the fact that they felt discouraged to do Science
because of lack of proficiency in the language of learning and teaching. It must be borne in mind that factors like motivation, background and study skills were also involved in the
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development of communicative competence. Motivation affects coping strategies, and so overall proficiency.
The learners’ responses confirmed what Collins (2000:31) contends when he asserts that there is a link between motivation and proficiency even for advanced language learners. He suggests that the type of motivation language learners have may influence their success as learners. A distinction is however, between integrative and instrumental orientations. The former is a genuine interest in the L2 community, which amounts to a desire to integrate into it. The latter is a desire to advance in one’s career. Integrative motivation is associated with above average success and instrumental, with below average success.
Question 2: Are you able to interact confidently in English with the educator during the