Pedagogical practices in teaching siSwati as a first language in diverse linguistic settings

Abstract

Educational research indicates that sound pedagogical practices are essential for learners to achieve positive learning outcomes. This suggests that the success of any learning programme is dependent on the selection and utilisation of relevant and appropriate pedagogical practices. In response to educational research which indicates the vital role played by a learner’s first language in learning, the Eswatini Ministry of Education and Training embarked on an exercise of decolonising the curriculum in 2011 by using siSwati as the medium of instruction and learning in the foundation and middle phases and a core subject throughout primary and senior secondary school. However, arguably, research on African language pedagogy is scanty, let alone teaching of siSwati, as the little available research has been on issues of policy, thus leaving a knowledge gap on the pedagogy in siSwati first language (SL1). Therefore, this study used the sociocultural theory to explore and comprehend pedagogy in SL1 in light of Eswatini’s Language in Education Policy, which provides for siSwati to be a compulsory subject and a vehicle for teaching and learning in early primary, despite the country’s linguistic heterogeneous classrooms in urban schools.

This was a qualitative exploratory case study conducted in two urban schools of Nhlangano in the Shiselweni region of Eswatini. The study sought to respond to three research questions, which were: How are pedagogical practices used in teaching SL1? Why are these pedagogical practices used in the teaching of SL1? How do teachers experience the teaching of SL1? Participants were purposively selected, and they included the teachers who taught siSwati. Data were generated through interviews, a focus group discussion, lesson observations and documentary review. To comprehend the data in this study, I used conventional content analysis, which involved deriving coding categories directly from the text. The findings indicated that teachers’ practices were anchored to the understanding that the teaching of SL1 meant equipping learners with functional language skills, such as productive and receptive skills, which are essential for studying across subject curricula. However, a lack of technological knowledge (TK) and pedagogical knowledge (PK) thwarted teachers’ pedagogical practices. Teachers acknowledged this knowledge gap and attributed it to a lack of training to teach SL1 under the competency based education curriculum, let alone in diverse linguistic settings and to the way they were trained to teach siSwati in colleges. The findings revealed that teacher-centred expository pedagogy dominated SL1 classrooms, as opposed to the requirement of the curriculum that learner-centred pedagogies be used in social practice. Based on these findings, it is recommended that teachers be provided with in-service training on learner-centred and culturally responsive pedagogies appropriate to teach SL1 under the CBE curriculum. Besides, they should be equipped with the technological skills necessary to teach language in the 21st century. Also, the pre-service training offered to SL1 students in colleges be evaluated to comprehend why a first language is taught in a second language.