Themes/patterns emerging from the three data sets (teacher interviews, learner interview and observations)

The objective of identifying emergent themes from the three data sets was to identify common or different themes to be able to theorise about the findings.

4.5.1 Data source: Classroom observation

 In lessons in which presentation was done in English only, there was non- participation by learners because teaching was marked by one-way

communication. Even when the teacher asked questions in these lessons, the responses given by the learners were few and mostly weak. These teachers seemed to be aware of the language challenges of their learners, and avoided asking challenging questions, but this reduced the lesson to a teacher-centred one. It can be said that learning in a second language is a challenge for learners who do not have a firm base in the language, but also for the teachers who have difficulty getting the learners to interact.

 However, it should also be added that another contributory factor to the non- participation of the learners could be that some learners are in fact simply less gifted in the subject than others. Another contributory factor could be the limitation of the teachers’ skills in presenting the lessons.

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 Furthermore, even though most of the teachers were code-switching in their teaching, passive behaviour by learners was still observed. This seemed to suggest that the learners, besides having an English challenge, were also

struggling with the subject matter. The learners were not able to engage in critical discussions, leading teachers to avoid asking probing questions. This both

resulted from teacher-centred presentation of lessons and contributed to the lessons being even more teacher-centred. Despite the use of code-switching by teachers, the lessons were still teacher-centred.

 Schools have tended to adopt English-only policies even though learners in these schools are isiXhosa first language speakers. On the face of it, one could query why schools that are dominated by isiXhosa first language speakers have adopted English as their LoLT, but close analysis would reveal contradictions between learning/teaching policy and assessment policy (which is done in English only). Factors such as National Department of Basic Education

Assessment policy seem to have influenced schools to adopt English as LoLT. Since assessments are in English, it is fitting to have a language policy that emphasises the use of English as the LoLT. After all, questions cannot be explained to learners or translated into isiXhosa during examinations.

 One of the main objectives of the teachers in using code-switching is to enable learners to participate in discussion, and also to allow learners to assist in the teaching. However, classroom observations revealed that learners still remained passive even in those lessons in which teachers code-switched between English and isiXhosa. The ways in which teachers delivered their lessons as well as the learners’ limited understanding of the subject could have contributed to the passiveness of the learners during the lessons.

 It was interesting to note that learners were quite active and talkative during group discussion. It was observed that learners contributed freely during peer group discussions. However, it should be pointed out that it is possible that these learners might not in all cases have been discussing only the subject at hand, but

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could have been discussing their own interests which had nothing to do with subject task. When the researcher moved closer to some of the groups which appeared to be discussing the subject in a lively manner, it was noted that the “active contribution” of the learners seemed to die, and only one learner in the group could be seen jotting on paper what other members of the group appeared to whisper to her/him. This could have indicated that learners might not have been discussing the class task in the first place and so when the researcher approached them, they wanted to make it look as if they were now writing down their points, or they might have been genuinely discussing the class task, but felt that the researcher would not approve of their use of isiXhosa during discussion.

 The main language that was used during these group discussions was isiXhosa. English was rarely used by the learners. When used, it was never, as far as the researcher could hear, in a complete English sentence, but one or two English words would be thrown in amidst an isiXhosa sentence.

4.5.2 Data source: Interviews

 The language policy is out of alignment with the de facto practice of most, or at least many, teachers in that examinations and other assessments are in English only, when many learners and teachers are in fact dependent on isiXhosa to help them grapple with the conceptual content of an already-challenging subject.  English is associated with assessment, further and tertiary education, universal

communication and employment. Even though learners were struggling to

understand Physical Sciences when presented in English, they still preferred it as the LoLT because they said that it prepared them for assessments and for further education. They also said it was the language required in most companies, which meant that they became more employable if they could speak English.

 Teachers’ choice of LoLT is influenced by factors such as National Department of Basic Education Assessment policy as well as the language profile of the

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learners (and at times, teacher language profiles as well). The responses

obtained from the interviews with the eight teachers revealed that they preferred to teach in English because this is the language used for examinations and for assessments. In fact, teachers felt obliged to teach in English because they had in mind assessments and examinations. Both their responses and the

observations also revealed, however, that despite these concerns, most of the teachers tended to teach much of the time in a language that was best

understood by the learners. On the other hand, teachers’ language practices in class were also influenced by their own competence in the language(s).