Perceptions of Translanguaging among English teachers in township primary schools

Abstract

The implication of South Africa’s multicultural and linguistic diversity is that many learners have a home language that is not their language of instruction. Research has indicated that children learn best in their home language (UNESCO, 2020). In South Africa, however, language is seen as one of the biggest barriers to teaching and learning. In the historical context of South Africa’s divided past, equal educational opportunities are still not afforded to every learner, with many learners learning in a language in which they are not yet proficient. In South Africa, there is also a preference for learning through the medium of English, due to its global status and common use by the workforce. This preference is not only shown by teachers and learners themselves but also by parents who prefer that their children learn through the medium of English. Due to globalisation, multilingualism in education has become a major point of discussion in relation to research in education. Translanguaging, which is how multilingual speakers use more than one language in their everyday communication with others, is questioning ‘monolingual practices and ideologies worldwide’ (Makalela, 2013). This study was conducted in two township primary schools in Eersterust, which is a Coloured township situated west of Mamelodi in the Tshwane South District. The study aimed to answer the following research questions: What are the perceptions of translanguaging amongst English teachers in township primary schools? And why do teachers perceive translanguaging in this way? The research participants included seven English-language teachers from Grades 4, 5, 6 and 7. All these participants were selected purposively, and their participation was voluntary. Data were collected qualitatively through semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, classroom observations and documentation. The conclusion from the study is that teachers viewed translanguaging as an effective strategy within their Home and First Additional English-language classrooms. Teachers from both schools instinctively implemented translanguaging on a daily basis. Translanguaging within both schools did not occur only as a pedagogical practice but also as a sociolinguistic phenomenon. What was evident from the findings were the many acts of unplanned and spontaneous translanguaging which took place within the classrooms. These findings were generated through accounts that teachers gave during interviews, during classroom observations of their lessons and, through analysis of lesson plans. The unplanned acts of translanguaging confirmed that teachers were willing to implement translanguaging, which in turn influenced their perceptions of translanguaging. What was also evident was that many of the social circumstances, which teachers and learners within this community faced on a regular basis, influenced how translanguaging was implemented.