Investigation of the efficacy of translanguaging as a pedagogy for reading literacy among grade four learners

Abstract

This research report was located from a larger study which was conducted at the Hub for Multilingual Education and Literacies (HuMEL) which sought to explore how grade four learners can learn and improve their reading comprehension of isiZulu and English through translanguaging. Translanguaging implores bilingual and multilingual speakers to make use of their linguistic repertoire when learning a second language. The study explored how effective translanguaging was in enhancing reading development among isiZulu mother-tongue speakers who are learning English as a second language at grade four level. The data was collected through parallel-mixed-methods research that made use of a quantitative as well as a qualitative research method to augment and improve the quality of the experiment. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of translanguaging as a pedagogy for teaching reading literacy to grade 4 learners as they learn how to read English and isiZulu for comprehension. The key findings show that there is scope for inclusive and successful educational methods in South Africa through the translanguaging of isiZulu and English. Teachers may establish nurturing learning environments where students can flourish academically and culturally by adopting translanguaging techniques and putting the suggested solutions into practice. This will allow learners to make the most of their linguistic resources and succeed in both isiZulu and English. Educators and legislators may be trained to create more successful plans to improve literacy results and create an inclusive and fair learning environment by recognizing and taking advantage of this association. Translanguaging should be promoted to develop multiple language literacy and comprehension. The study recommends that learners need to be provided nurturing learning environments where they can flourish academically and culturally by adopting translanguaging techniques and putting the suggested solutions into practice, they will be able to read with comprehension. This will also allow students to make the most of their linguistic resources and succeed in both isiZulu and English. Additionally, the government could also promote translanguaging to develop multiple language literacy and comprehension skills as they are the compilers of the curriculum that is used to educate the learners. If it is not fostered at an early age, then it will be difficult to implement in later stages of education. The ability for cultural diversity to enrich language learning lies in this spectrum. Finally, educators and legislators may create more successful plans to improve literacy results and create an inclusive and fair learning environment by recognizing and taking advantage of this association. If it is not fostered at an early age, then it will be difficult to implement in later stages of education or be misinterpreted as code-switching. The ability for cultural diversity to enrich language learning lies in this spectrum.