Teachers' experiences of developing the comprehension skills of primary learners by employing home languages in South Africa

Abstract

This study examined teachers' experiences of implementing a multilingual support intervention in two township primary schools in Tshwane, Gauteng, involving Grade 5 and 6 learners (N = 162), three teachers, a deputy principal, and a principal. Over six weeks, translated texts and audio recordings in Sepedi and isiZulu complemented English instruction during comprehension lessons. Data from classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and observation sheets were thematically analysed. Findings showed increased learner engagement, participation, and comprehension in intervention classes compared to controls. Teachers valued multilingual resources as effective scaffolding tools but highlighted challenges such as limited training and resources. Grounded in Vygotskian sociocultural theory, the study concludes that translanguaging strategies enhance learning in multilingual classrooms when teachers are well supported, underscoring the need for curriculum transformation to integrate home languages without requiring full teacher fluency.