Abstract:
Due to global migration, multilingual classrooms are currently a common feature not just in
postcolonial contexts but also in developed economies. The perceived challenges created by
multiple languages in single classrooms have been well documented, and all stakeholders
have to be involved in finding strategies to overcome these challenges and change
perceptions. Using a case study design and sociocultural theory as lens, this study explored
the perspectives and experiences of teachers with teaching and learning in resourceconstrained
multilingual classrooms. The participants were teachers (N=67; female n=51;
male n=16) from nine schools in Gauteng Province of South Africa. The findings suggest that
the participants were divided in their perceptions and experiences of multilingual classrooms.
While some viewed multilingualism as a constraint to effective teaching and learning; others
wanted more to be done to accommodate learners. It is evident that teachers prioritise the
necessity for pre-service teacher education that focus on teaching pedagogy appropriate for
the multilingual context they work in every day. In addition, the teachers emphasised a range
of support strategies they currently use. It is argued that structured variations of the teachers'
strategies be developed and distance education employed for the professional development
of in-service teachers working in multilingual contexts.
