Abstract
Background: The notion that teaching content subjects in schools utilising code-switching as a pedagogical approach contributes positively to academic achievements is well documented.
Aim: This article demonstrates the effectiveness of code-switching as a pedagogical practice for senior-phase teachers teaching content subjects in some selected schools of the OR-Tambo education district.
Setting: The study was conducted in three semi-rural schools in the Eastern Cape province.
Methods: The study utilised a mixed-method research approach in three public schools. Participants were purposefully selected. Thematic content analysis was used to interpret the results.
Results: The findings of this study indicated that teachers’ frequent use of code-switching during the senior phase teaching of the English language is a norm in a classroom. At the same time, learners were frustrated to learn the content subjects in English. Moreover, poor learner academic background affects their academic performance in the content subjects. The study reveals a notable lack of pedagogic support for teachers from officials in the Department of Education as well as a sizable component of the school administration team.
Conclusion: The use of code-switching is a useful tool to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning in senior-phase lessons.
Contribution: The study recommends that teachers and learners be encouraged to use code-switching, especially when dealing with difficult material to be taught in English. The study recommends that the Department of Education conduct extensive workshops on professional growth. This all-encompassing strategy might seek to strengthen the senior phase classroom, creating a lively and encouraging atmosphere for teachers and learners alike.
Keywords: code-switching; English language; pedagogy; senior phase; content subjects; academic performance; academic background; Department of Education; School Management Team.
Introduction
Over the past years, there has been an increasingly significant interest in the use of code-switching as a pedagogical practice for teachers teaching content subjects in South Africa (Caballero & Celaya 2022; Maluleke 2023; Nawaz, Yousaf & Jabeen 2023). This curiosity has sparked a plethora of debates and divergent opinions regarding the implementation of code-switching while teaching content subjects in the senior-phase. Code is simply a language or variant of language used in communication, whereas switching is the exchanging of linguistic codes (Risna 2021). Therefore, code-switching is essentially the combination of two languages in a discourse involving changing codes throughout classroom discussion. For example, when communicating and facilitating lessons in the classroom, both teachers and learners use code-switching to facilitate understanding. To this effect, code-switching can be used to highlight a certain point, reiterate a request, explain a point, support social identification and relationship of concepts, reduce tension, and add humour to a discourse (Bravo-Sotelo & Metila 2023). Therefore, code-switching mostly happens in schools as a means of enhancing communication between teachers and learners in a classroom. Maluleke (2023) provided an empirical work by saying that code-switching entails using two different languages or linguistic types alternately in the same sentence or conversation. This means teachers and learners can express themselves in any way they choose in any given situation by using code-switching. Teachers may, for example, teach or speak to learners only in isiXhosa (home language) in an English-dominant classroom; but they may also blend English and isiXhosa during the lesson.
In this study, code-switching refers to a moment when the teacher uses some codes of another language while using certain language to teach concepts in a classroom. This is often done to make sure learners understand what is being taught in a classroom (Seabela 2021). For instance, teachers may use specific English codes that are then translated to isiXhosa for teaching content and other subjects in a classroom. The content subjects in this study refer to Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences in senior phase. Ezeh, Umeh and Anyanwu (2022) refer to code-switching as events that occur in multilingual communities when individuals can converse in more than one language. Ahmad, Mahmood and Shahid (2023) posit that code-switching is the alternate usage of multiple languages in the same conversation; for example, a phrase could start in a particular language, and then conclude in a different one. On the other hand, Murtiningsih, Munawaroh and Hidayatulloh (2022) alluded to the point that code-switching is thought to be utilised not just in distinct languages but also in dialects and forms of the exact vocabulary. While tests are administered in English, majority of South African schools, particularly those in the Eastern Cape province study subjects such as Natural Science in both English and isiXhosa (Sibanda 2013).
Code switching has various rationales. Caballero and Celaya (2022) indicated that teachers switch between two languages in a classroom so that learners can comprehend concepts being taught in a classroom. In a classroom setting, a teacher may choose to combine codes if necessary to convey the desired meaning with greater success or if he or she does not have the comparable phrase in the additional language (Rustan & Ajiegoena 2023). An individual who is proficient with two different languages may find themselves combining phrases with ease. For improved comprehension, for instance, a teacher may combine several commonly used phrases when teaching different concepts to learners in a classroom. According to Ezeh et al. (2022), code-switching may be an extremely inventive feature of multilingual language. Additionally, it could be seen as a cognitive deception – a hint that multilingual individuals are incapable of learning multiple languages correctly or maintaining their separation of languages from one another (Greaves 2022). However, using many languages and codes in the same conversation is one of the definitions of code switching (Murtiningsih et al. 2022). For example, a native speaker of isiXhosa may frequently use code-switching to demonstrate his or her command of the language by occasionally using English words or phrases during a single discourse.
Nyamekye, Anani and Kuttin (2023) surveyed teachers’ classroom language practice and examined English language as a medium of instruction in education in Ghana. A minority of teachers used their native language only when instructing learners, while the majority employed multilingual code-switching as a means of interaction in addition to their native language. Teachers who instruct in their mother tongue feel that it improves learning for learners, makes subjects easier for learners to comprehend, and guarantees active engagement in the classroom (Nishanthi 2020). This is because teachers and learners comprehend that the switching of codes makes sharing information simple and improves idea clarification, providing a successful educational experience. Moreover, Dema (2022) provided instructional materials that employed the code-switching technique as a means of communicating with mutually beneficial discourse for instruction. This approach pairs individuals with language skills who wish to study different dialects; learners have to alternate languages over predefined intervals. As a result, learners switch across few languages and assume the responsibilities of both the teacher and the learner.
An analogous method could also be employed, in which the teacher begins the lesson using the original language, then switches to the next, and then returns to the original language. This technique is known as code-switching. The usage of code-switching in a learning environment was then described by Nawaz et al. (2023), who also investigated the characteristics of code-switching in English as an additional language and its roles for the English-speaking teachers and learners. According to the research, the teacher in question code-switched between English and IsiZulu during an English session to continue the interactions between the learners within the educational environment (Nawaz et al. 2023).
To help learners in the classroom who may be prone to misunderstandings when speaking and learning difficult concepts, teachers may employ code-switching as a teaching strategy. To explore thoughts and ideas, it is crucial for learners to engage with one another in both their native tongue and English (Omidire & Ayob 2022). In the meantime, teachers could progressively assist learners in becoming more fluent in the language used for teaching in a classroom setting. Instruction and acquisition in the initial linguistic could offer the encouragement required for conceptualisation when combined with instruction of the switching of codes and mixed-language interpersonal conversation practice (Ezeh et al. 2022).
Code-switching as a pedagogical practice is most effective in places such as the rural areas of the Eastern Cape in which most people are isiXhosa speakers (Diko 2023). This practice is a more effective method used to impart knowledge in a foreign language, using comparable terms and visual aids that accurately represent the learning objectives to ensure learners quickly recognise the lessons that are imparted within a learning environment. Accordingly, code-switching is a useful tactic in language instruction because it allows both teachers and learners to express themselves freely and without many linguistic barriers, thus removing the possibility of distortion and misunderstanding during the process of learning (Shinga & Pillay 2021). Hence, the study’s objective is to demonstrate the effectiveness of code-switching as a pedagogical practice for senior-phase teachers teaching content subjects in some selected schools of the OR-Tambo education district.
Teachers use code-switching in the classroom to effectively impart knowledge to learners and make meaning evident. In general, code-switching can be a useful strategy in classroom interactions and is not always indicative of a lack of competency or a barrier when learning concepts (Namutenya 2022). However, it should be remembered that over time, code-switching can act as a barrier that hinders understanding one another when learners engage with native speakers of the language they are learning. The barrier is observed when teachers overuse code-switching as learners experience difficulties in answering question in assessments that use one language. To address this knowledge gap, this study provides an answer to the following question: What pedagogical practices do senior phase teachers employ when teaching content subjects using English instruction in a classroom? This research serves as a benchmark for code-switching as a pedagogical practice in the teaching of content subjects in the senior phase. Senior phase was specifically selected because of the shift in the language of instruction from home language in foundation phase to English language in intermediate and senior phase. This study intends to help those involved in language education, policymakers, teachers, and learners to become more aware of the benefits of code-switching as a pedagogical practice in schools, particularly for senior-phase teachers who are teaching content subjects in schools. The article is structured as follows: introduction is followed by literature review, methodology, results and discussions, and conclusion and recommendations end the article.
Literature review
This section entails both theoretical and empirical literature to bring insights into how code-switching can be effectively used as a pedagogical practice.
Theoretical literature
The theoretical orientation that informed the effectiveness of code-switching as a pedagogical practice was drawn from the language development theory and the bilingualism theory (Filipović 2019; Levey 2022). The theory of language development serves as the primary theoretical framework, while the supplementary theory examines bilingualism in its two forms: additive and subtractive. The reason the two theories were selected is that Levey’s (2022) theory of language development and Filipović’s (2019) theory of bilingualism make sense together. The two hypotheses show that learners who are proficient in two distinct languages frequently find simpler to classify phrases and acquire new terms. Therefore, by recognising suitable sounds, multilingualism could also help in making the definition of words simpler for language learners who are still developing their language skills. Multilingual learners can benefit from enhanced concentration, data analysis, and analytical skills in addition to language growth (Jiang et al. 2023). Language development theory allows teachers and learners to explore pedagogical practices of the selected subjects and to acquire knowledge of English within educational institutions by means of encounters along with gestures. Levey (2022) thought that conceptualisation had an impact on learners’ talents. Thus, a foundation for comprehending individuals’ methods of learning and the variables influencing them is provided by language development paradigm.
The research on bilingualism and its two varieties, namely additive and subtractive bilingualism led to the development of the second theory that frames and guides this investigation. Mañoso-Pacheco (2023) advocated for an additive bilingual programme in which the native language covers the first 8 years of education as the primary means of communication of teaching. After that, a second language is added, ideally as part of a multi-linguistic programme and as the medium of instruction.
According to Sander-Montant, Pérez and Byers-Heinlein’s (2023) data from bilinguals, bilingualism arises from a situation it holds that studying and imparting knowledge subjects of discussion in educational institutions is hampered by the use of another language. Conversely, Jimenez (2020) emphasised that subtractive bilingualism is employed in circumstances in which speakers of the mother tongue are expected to acquire proficiency in English, the first supplementary vocabulary, as it is usually considered to be the dominating language in the majority of South African schools. As a result, teachers can utilise their expertise to provide learners with the knowledge they need to achieve well academically in the chosen disciplines in the senior phase.
Empirical literature
The investigation of prior studies makes it very clear that academics and researchers generally agree that the switching of codes is a useful instructional approach for teachers who are teaching content subjects in schools. For this reason, both teachers and learners should make the most of it when teaching and learning content subjects using English instruction. This is important because code-switching as a pedagogical practice for senior-phase teachers is widely utilised by most teachers in schools with the benefit of making certain that learners comprehend the material being imparted within an educational setting. Kusumo Adi and Ambarini (2022) investigated code-switching and its implications for teaching the English language in Mathematics classrooms and stated that teachers of this subject matter have a combined problem in multidisciplinary or non-native English-speaking classrooms. Furthermore, 12 elementary and secondary schools in the Mopani circuit in the province of Limpopo were the subject of Msimeki’s (2021) study on code-switching. According to the study, in classes of Mathematics and Science, where English is the official language of teaching, code-switching is employed for educational goals, such as providing clarification and explanation of the material.
A few of the purposes of code-switching are applicable to interactions between teachers and learners and can be seen within the classroom setting. Shinga and Pillay (2021) state that teachers code-switch between English and the language of the learners for a variety of reasons, including elucidating new ideas, emphasising points, making connections alongside the learners’ experiences and contexts, holding the learners’ focus with question descriptions, managing the classroom, maintaining discipline, and impacting goals. The practice of code-switching has been around for as long as bilingualism and multilingualism have. Hence, most senior phase teachers are using code-switching as a pedagogical practice when teaching content subjects in schools. However, research demonstrates the teaching and learning challenges of implementing code-switching in South African classrooms (Bravo-Sotelo & Metila 2023). Learners learn all content-selected subjects in their home language during the foundation phase, with the exception of home language subject. However, in the intermediate and senior phases, they switch from their home language to the first additional language (English) when learning content subjects in a classroom.
Research has shown that many learners benefit from the practice of code-switching in the learning environment (Ezeh et al. 2022; Jiang et al. 2023). Thus, rather than being motivated by practical considerations, Rudwick (2021) concluded that the main reason English is preferred in South Africa is because of its widely held symbolic value. This means majority of the population favoured English as the language of learning and teaching in a classroom. On the other hand, Aboh (2022), Òjó (2022), and Zein (2021) argued that there is little chance of a language policy change from exoglossic languages – like English – to endoglossic languages in Africa and the diaspora. As a result, they offered suggestions for how to include some aspects of native languages in educational classroom instruction.
Some literature indicated that the switching of codes improves learning and instruction in academic subjects (Hussein, Saed & Haider 2020; Kusumo Adi & Ambarini 2022; Murtiningsih et al. 2022; Razak & Shah 2020). Teachers frequently establish an accepting atmosphere for communicating with learners of the English language in the senior phase even if they frequently employ code-switching to teach substantive subjects in the educational setting. Pampag and Tejero (2022) opine that code-switching has a role to play while teaching science or mathematics subjects in schools. Hence, it is imperative to demonstrate the effectiveness of code-switching as a pedagogical practice for senior phase teachers teaching content subjects in some selected schools of the OR-Tambo education district.
Research methods and design
The researcher used pragmatic paradigm because the responses of the respondents reality; pedagogical practice; and understanding are derived from their unique built into society beliefs and habits; some of which more closely align with their own lived experiences than others (Nigussie & Bekele 2021). In carrying out this research, the mixed-method research approach is adopted. Dawadi, Shrestha and Giri (2021) explained that mixed approaches offer a more comprehensive grasp of study problems than either methodology alone because they combine quantitative and qualitative research approaches. A case study of one high school and two senior secondary schools situated in the semi-rural OR Tambo District of the Eastern Cape is selected to conduct a comprehensive examination of distinct encounters or entities that enable the understanding of multiple aspects of the phenomenon at hand.
As the population used in the study is drawn from public educational institutions in Eastern Cape province, a purposive sampling method is employed when choosing respondents for this research. This method allows the investigator to locate and pick people, or a collection of people in general, who are knowledgeable and skilled about a topic of concern (Sheydayi & Dadashpoor 2023). Nine senior phase teachers (five males and four females) were selected as a sample of the study. Among these teachers, six are teaching Mathematics and Natural Sciences while three are teaching Social Sciences in the senior phase (Seabela 2021). These senior phase teachers were randomly selected from three different schools. From each selected school, Social Sciences, Mathematics and Natural Sciences teachers teaching either Grade 8 or 9 were selected based on their availability to participate in the study.
In mixed-method research, sampling, according to Dawadi et al. (2021), is the process of choosing individuals who will provide the greatest amount of information on the subject being studied. As a result, sampling was performed among the carefully selected respondents and the readily chosen schools. In mixed methods research, according to Liu (2022), the analysis of information entails analysing qualitative as well as quantitative information employing quantitative and qualitative methodologies, respectively. Data will be interpreted through an exploratory case study approach that uses a simultaneous combination of methods with a qualitative component that provides context for the quantitative results and provides an explanation of occurrences seen as well as a report on themes that stem from the objective (Mohajan 2020).
A thematic content analysis was used in analysing the collected data. Thematic content analysis process seeks to find concepts, or significant fascinating trends in the information collected, and uses those concepts to discuss the study or make a point (Sheydayi & Dadashpoor 2023). The process starts by transcribing the data to obtain an in-depth understanding and become acquainted with the collected data. This step assisted in finding the same trends throughout the collected information. Nine senior phase teachers (E1–E9) were the categories assigned to the respondents. The key concepts were examined considering the research’s goals. The purpose of the research questions was to collect data from the participants to address the main research question and show how effective code-switching is as a pedagogical practice for senior phase teachers teaching content subjects in the schools.
Ethical considerations
Ethical clearance to conduct this study was obtained from the Walter Sisulu University Faculty of Education Sciences FEDS Research Ethics Committee (No. EREC30-01-19).
Results and discussions
Using the research questions as a guide, the researcher looked for themes in the data. These themes helped to ensure that the data collected through observations, focus-group interviews, and Likert type scale questionnaires were accurately represented.
Observations
The researcher observed Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences classrooms in the selected schools. To get information from the sample under investigation, the researcher used a straightforward observational approach. The observation schedule was utilised to pinpoint significant objectives, including classroom environments, teaching methods, and language usage.
Focus-group interviews
Three teachers (3 × 3 = 9) from each selected school who were either teaching Mathematics, Natural Sciences, or Social Sciences participated in the study. The selected teachers were interviewed as a group and responded to all the given six questions in detail.
Likert-type questionnaires
Likert-type scale questionnaires were one of the three tools the researcher employed to obtain the data to give an event stimulus to multiple respondents. Ten senior phase teachers (10 × 3 = 30) from each chosen school completed questionnaires on a 10-point scale on which they chose either agree, strongly agree, disagree, strongly disagree, or not sure.
Short descriptions are used to generate themes, and those themes are then used to identify sub-themes. Presentations of data are followed by discussions related to the opinions of respondents.
Challenges associated with using English language as a medium of instruction when learning content subjects in senior phase
When the question of whether learners can use English as a language of teaching when learning Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences subjects in senior phase was asked, several responses came up with different ideas. Learners in the senior phase do not comprehend the usage of the English language as a medium of education for content subjects. From the respondents, it has emerged that most learners struggle to understand concepts taught in English language in a classroom.
The findings from the Likert-type scale questionnaires reveal that teaching learners whose first language is not English is more challenging. This was evident throughout classroom observation, where most learners often used home language when participating in a classroom. All nine teachers who filled-in questionnaires strongly agreed that senior phase learners are unable to use English as a medium of instruction when studying content subjects (see Figure 1). The respondents indicated that learners prefer to study the subject matter in their mother tongue as opposed to English. This explains why most learners were often confused when asked questions in English and repeatedly participated using their mother tongue during observation.
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FIGURE 1: Learners do not understand content subjects taught in English language. |
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Pampag and Tejero (2022) support the above argument, saying that learning how to use English as a teaching tool is more challenging than learning the language subject. This is consistent with the research by Kusumo Adi and Ambarini (2022), which shows that the majority of learners in government schools struggle to comprehend subjects taught in English. They solely achieve academic success in a variety of areas when instruction and evaluation are conducted in their mother tongue (Namutenya 2022). The reason for this may be because learning an additional language is heavily influenced by the intellectual aspect of individuals (Jiang et al. 2023). This notion is supported by Levey (2022)’s conception of language development that until the age of 16, human intellect evolves quickly, and following that, it progresses more slowly. On the other hand, Mashrabovna (2023) contended that the evolution of language and language learning are taught behaviours. This research therefore highlights language development theory in accordance with the learners’ knowledge of the usage of English as an instrument of teaching and learning content subjects in senior phase.
Code-switching as a pedagogical practice in teaching and learning
When the question of whether senior phase teachers practised code-switching regularly in a classroom was asked, several responses came up with different ideas. According to the respondents, code-switching is a tool used to assist learners in understanding challenging material in the classroom.
The findings of the interviews indicate that senior phase teachers employ code-switching as a teaching approach because it makes complex ideas easy for learners to understand. Teachers who were interviewed strongly agreed that code-switching is a common practice in a classroom because it helps both the teachers and the learners to understand complex topics more easily. This is more demonstrated when teaching and learning take place in an environment in which learners cannot comprehend the language of learning and teaching in a classroom. The responses of the participants are as follows:
‘Absolutely; I use code-switching from the beginning until the end of the lesson because it allows learners to understand concepts easily; I also find it very helpful as their educator’. (E1)
‘Yes; I use code-switching whenever I teach my learners because I do not want them to fail my subject’. (E3)
‘Without code-switching; we will never have respectable results in subjects like Maths and Science; it is a must that we use codeswitching in our classrooms’. (E4)
‘Yes; I use code-switching in my classroom because it is more difficult to teach learners whose home language is not English. Learners do not understand concepts taught in English at all’. (E6)
The respondents claimed that code-switching is a successful teaching technique that senior phase teachers use to confidently impart knowledge to learners in the senior phase. This explains why most teachers frequently used both isiXhosa and English interchangeably when teaching learners in the selected schools. The results from the questionnaires revealed that code-switching is an effective intervention tool that supports senior phase teachers in a classroom (see Figure 2). In support of the aforementioned argument, Miriam and Ofodu (2023) assert that code switching is not an indication of a learning deficit but rather a useful strategy for increasing learner engagement and knowledge transfer. This is inconsistent with Matsumura (2022) who argued that a learner gains a set of implicit knowledge and abilities during the process of learning one language. This means that the acquisition of conceptual information in one language provides information for language comprehension in another. Hence, most senior phase teachers outlined how learners comprehend the ideas given in their original language than in another language.
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FIGURE 2: Code-switching is an effective intervention tool. |
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When the respondents were asked about the language they use when teaching learners in a classroom, these were their responses:
‘I teach my learners Natural Sciences and Maths in both English and IsiXhosa. Infact; I use 90% of isiXhosa and maybe 10% of English’. (E7)
‘Most learners are coming from rural areas; so I always code switch between English and isiXhosa immediately when I notice that learners don’t understand some words in a classroom. So; code-switching is a very important strategy for the smooth running of the lesson’. (E8)
Even though the selected schools use English as a language of learning and teaching, the information from the focus group interviews reveals that most senior phase teachers prefer code-switching between isiXhosa and English languages when teaching content subjects in the selected schools in OR Tambo district. This is because the selected schools are based in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape province where majority of the learners and teachers speak isiXhosa language. Diko (2023) found that isiXhosa, often referred to as a rural, ancient, and traditional language, dominates classroom translations, emphasising the importance of code-switching in teaching content subjects. This finding is in agreement with Msimeki’s (2021) study, which suggested that code-switching is a useful strategy that allows teachers and learners to engage in impromptu and responsive idea discussion in their home language. Msimeki (2021) claims that in Mathematics and Science courses in which English is the official language of teaching, code-switching is employed for pedagogical reasons to elucidate and simplify the subject matters. According to Sund and Gericke (2020), teachers select their teaching strategies depending on the type of subject matter that needs to be covered in the classroom or occasionally on a philosophy of education.
The Department of Education and the School Management Team do not provide academic support for teachers
Respondents had a lot of responses when the researcher posed the question of whether senior phase teachers receive academic assistance from the school managers or the Department of Education officials. Many concerns were outlined by the respondents and were discussed concerning how teachers are being let down by school officials. The lack of academic support and workshops, unqualified head of department, and the lack of teamwork are some of the complaints mentioned by the respondents.
From the interviews, the researcher identified a notable lack of pedagogic support for senior phase teachers from the officials in the Department of Education as well as a failure from the School Management Team (SMT) to support senior phase teachers in teaching content subjects in schools. Senior phase teachers further outlined that they rarely go to seminars to get new approaches for instructing and understanding content subjects in the senior phase:
‘It is very sad to say there is no support at all because the school management and the Department of Education expect to see good results at the end of the year with no support given. We don’t even attend workshops to guide us on how to teach these content subjects’. (E1)
‘There is no support from the SMT and Department of Education; I do not even understand Maths and NS; but I am teaching them; and I sometimes rely on the internet search to help me because there is no teamwork to help prepare lessons in advance’. (E3)
‘My H.O.D. majored in IsiXhosa and English; but he is supervising SS; so I do not get any support because he does not know the subject either. We have never seen our subject advisor; we don’t even know if it’s a male or female’. (E6)
Agayon, Agayon and Pentang (2022) assert that there is no sufficient, dependable, or functioning support system in place to assist teachers and learners in mastering subject matter in classrooms. This is because the education system requires teachers to manage numerous new concepts, which they are unfamiliar with because of the high number of hours required for administration (Naidoo, Shankar & Veer 2011).
The responses to the interview questions revealed that senior phase teachers want the Department of Education and School Management Team to get involved by providing the best academic support, such as regular seminars, and by enhancing collaboration between senior phase teachers, the School Management Team, and the Education department officials. Failure to support senior phase teachers academically in schools may have resulted from a lack of frequent education workshops and the inability to choose qualified supervisors who could have managed and supported senior phase teachers effectively. As a result, Nyamekye et al. (2023) supported the above statement, arguing that inadequate teacher training led to poor understanding of content subjects and misunderstanding of the syllabus. Therefore, teamwork is essential to attain success and ensure smooth running of learning and teaching content subjects in a classroom.
Even though senior phase teachers were not receiving adequate academic support from the SMT or DoE, replies to the interview question revealed that senior phase teachers continued to provide further instructions for Mathematics and Sciences during weekends in senior phase. Two of the respondents had this to say:
‘It is not easy because we are not supported academically to teach learners overtime; but most of us try our best to teach learners these difficult subjects over the weekend and sometimes at night’. (E2)
‘I do not even understand this new Maths; but I am teaching it every day and over the weekend because I want my learners to pass and go to the next grade after exam. So; I don’t dwell much on the content of my subjects; I just focus on some terms that can at least help them to progress’. (E4)
This finding concurs with Getie (2020), who indicated that there is a problem in the public schools because teachers only prepare learners for examinations rather than developing their language skills or understanding of the content subjects. To achieve teacher support that will result in academic success for learners, the DoE and SMT must pay attention to the issues listed above that impede the progress of teaching content subjects in schools.
Learner academic background and academic performances in senior phase
When the question of what elements lead to learners performing poorly academically when teaching content subjects in a classroom was asked, several responses came up with different ideas. From the respondents, it came up that the learners’ educational background affects their academic success in content subjects in the senior phase. The following sub-sections discuss the challenges in detail.
The findings of the interviews indicate that learners’ inability to understand the language used for learning and teaching content subjects in senior phase emanates from their academic background. This means that the introduction of a different language of learning and teaching in senior phase might have led to poor learner academic performance in content subjects. The response from the questionnaires shows that all senior phase teachers were of the same view (strongly agreed) that teaching learners in a language that they do not understand has detrimental consequences such as poor academic performance in content subjects (see Figure 3). Furthermore, three teachers who were interviewed strongly agree that the learners’ inability to understand ideas imparted in the primary language compared to in mother language resulted in substandard academic results in content areas. These were their words:
‘It is usually the learners’ background; most learners are coming from rural areas; and they speak isiXhosa at home; so English is just difficult for them to understand. Yhoo; our learners cannot even speak English [kunzima]; And honestly; this is because most families speak isiXhosa here in Mthatha; so; understandably; these learners do not understand English when we teach them these subjects’. (E1)
‘The fact that these learners are used to learn in all subjects in their home language from primary school and suddenly expect them to adjust to the new introduced language of learning it’s just a dream. Another contributing factor is that most parents cannot speak English in the rural areas where these learners are coming from; English becomes difficult for them’. (E2)
‘Their poor educational background is the contributing factor. Our learners are unable to learn content subjects in English language’. (E3)
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FIGURE 3: A lack of understanding English language may have led to poor learner academic performance in the content subjects of the senior phase. |
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These responses show that learners are only exposed to English as their first additional language in the intermediate phase, which may have contributed to their poor academic achievement in senior phase subjects.
According to Shinga and Pillay (2021), learning concepts in a foreign language contributes to a detrimental consequence of learners’ academic success in senior phase. Inadequate educational achievement in content areas has an ongoing impact on learners, delaying their emotional growth and increasing the likelihood of socio-environmental issues (Rudwick 2021). To support this finding, Pampag and Tejero (2022) provided evidence to bolster this conclusion, stating that learners studying Mathematics and Science in a second language typically struggle to articulate their responses to wide-ranging inquiries and to understand a few subjects. This was evident during observation; learners were always frustrated to learn content subjects in English. Levey (2022) observes that obtaining cognitive academic language skills (CALP) in the original dialect is a prerequisite for the learner’s ability in academia. One of the teachers who was interviewed strongly agreed that to achieve learners’ academic performance, learners must be fully equipped in English because it is a medium of instruction. These were their responses:
‘English is not our native language; yet we are obliged to use it in teaching and learning. When learners come from primary school to high school; the transition from their home language to English language is a major setback for them. That is why our learners mostly fail these critical subjects because they are not familiar with the language of teaching and learning; they do not understand the level of questioning during teaching learning and assessment’. (E7)
Based on the above response, it may be said that when CALP and the acquisition of language continue to be in their infancy, the learner is transferred to the language of instruction and learning (Ahmad et al. 2023). For this reason, it is necessary to implement appropriate strategies or procedures to ensure that learners do not encounter challenges when studying various subjects in a different language in the senior phase.
Recommendations
The study recommends that code-switching should be promoted among senior-phase teachers and learners, particularly when working with challenging content subjects in a classroom. Code-switching as a pedagogical practice for senior phase teachers could help learners improve their academic performance in Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Social Sciences subjects, which are the subjects that most South African learners find difficult. Code-switching can also be a beneficial teaching and learning tool that helps both teachers and learners grasp important concepts and communicate in a way that is comfortable in a classroom.
This study suggests that the Department of Education should conduct in-depth workshops on professional development. This comprehensive approach could aim to improve the senior phase classroom by fostering a vibrant and supportive environment for both teachers and learners. This study further suggests that more research is necessary for the development of an appropriate strategy that senior phase teachers may use to help learners improve their academic performance in Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Social Sciences in schools. This could enable teachers to have a plethora of pedagogies that can assist them in teaching content subjects in a classroom.
Conclusion
This article demonstrates the effectiveness of code-switching as a pedagogical practice for senior-phase teachers teaching content subjects in some selected schools of the OR-Tambo education district. The empirical data on senior-phase teachers’ classroom practices when using code-switching as a pedagogy to teach content subjects in the senior phase are presented in this article. The main objective of the study was to show how successful code-switching is as a teaching strategy for senior phase teachers. The study employed a mixed-method strategy to collect information from senior phase teachers in schools where they are at most comfortable.
The researcher found that code-switching is an effective method for teaching topics covered in senior phase. The findings in this study indicated that senior phase teachers’ frequent use of code-switching between the learner’s home language (isiXhosa) and English language during the senior phase teaching of the content subjects is a norm in schools. At the same time, learners were frustrated with learning the content topics in the English language rather than in isiXhosa. This was evident when they participated in their home language whenever the teacher asked questions in the English language. The study reveals a notable lack of pedagogic support for senior phase teachers from officials in the Department of Education as well as from the school management team. The failure to support senior phase teachers in the selected schools may have resulted from a lack of frequent education workshops and the inability to choose capable overseers of the content subjects who could have managed and supported senior phase teachers effectively. Whenever senior phase teachers randomly used code-switching when instructing the content subjects in senior phase, learners were actively participating. However, learners seemed frustrated when they were instructed in a language (English) that they did not comprehend. This led to their poor academic success in Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Social Sciences subjects in the senior phase.
This study showed that using code-switching as a pedagogical strategy to teach content subjects improves the learning environment for both senior-phase learners and teachers. A learner’s right to select their preferred language of instruction and learning is outlined in the Language in Education policy. In order to prevent learning from being hampered when the language of instruction differs from the learner’s native tongue, a linguistic-supporting framework ought to be in place. Even with a language barrier, a learner is expected to be able to function in the classroom. This is because, although they may be included in the school’s language policy, linguistic patterns intended to benefit learners may not always be used or applied. However, it is unclear whether this method is effective as a mandatory method of learning and teaching in a classroom. Without adequate preparation or defined goals, several teachers alternated between teaching in English and isiXhosa. This may be because of their lack of academic development, training, and in-depth knowledge about code-switching in senior phase teaching.
The study’s conclusions have a significant impact on how well code-switching is used as a pedagogical technique in South African curriculum classes and how smoothly it is introduced as a content matter in senior phase programmes. As a result, it is critical that those involved in schools understand how urgent it is to take action to help learners and senior phase teachers acquire the language skills they need and to implement compulsory use of code-switching as a pedagogical practice for senior-phase teachers instructing content subjects in public schools of the OR-Tambo education district.
Acknowledgements
This article is partially based on the author’s thesis entitled ‘The effect of using English as a language of learning and teaching on learner academic performance in senior phase of Mthatha. Eastern Cape province’ towards the degree of Doctor of Education (D.Ed.) at Walter Sisulu University on April 2021, with supervisor, Dr C.D. Mantlana. It is available here: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/6782.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
Authors’ contributions
M.M.S. and T.N. were responsible for conceptualisation, methodology, data collection, formal analysis, writing of the original draft, review and editing the article.
Funding information
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, M.M.S., upon reasonable request.
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and are the product of professional research. It does not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated institution, funder, agency, or that of the publisher. The authors are responsible for this article’s results, findings, and content
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