The Impact of using Monolingual pedagogies in South African Classrooms on the Academic Performance and Social Inclusion of African Learners who are Learning through an Additional Language

Abstract

Within the South African educational landscape, a critical challenge arises when transitioning to an additional language as the sole medium of instruction. This hasty embrace often neglects the crucial development of both Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) in the learners' first languages, also known as their mother tongue. This oversight is particularly concerning when implemented as early as grade four, as the pressure of globalization often dictates a swift shift from mother tongues to English as the primary language of instruction. This abrupt linguistic transition exacerbates existing educational disparities, highlighting the urgent need for a critical examination of language policies and their practical implementation within South African schools. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate whether monolingual pedagogies contribute to the academic performance of Grade 4 learners studying in an additional language (English) different from their mother tongues. The research took place in a township school in Kaalfontein, predominantly populated by Black African learners with no prior exposure to English outside the classroom setting. The mixed-method design involved two key data sources: a sample of approximately 140 learners divided into control and experimental groups, and a range of data collection tools. Both groups participated in pre- and post-test assessments to gauge their academic progress in English, while the experimental group received additional interventions employing translanguaging and multilingual pedagogy approaches. These approaches deliberately intertwined learners' home languages with English in the learning process. Data from classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with participants further enriched the study. Quantitative data from the written tests was analysed using R-computing software, while interview responses were analysed through Glaser and Laudel's model of grounded theory. The paired t-test revealed statistically significant differences in post-test performance between the groups, favouring the experimental group. This suggests that the translanguaging and multilingual interventions positively impacted learners' academic performance in English, providing them with a valuable bridge between their home languages and the language of instruction. This study's findings offer compelling evidence that monolingual pedagogies may not be the optimal approach for learners acquiring an additional language. By incorporating translanguaging and multilingual strategies, educators can leverage learners' existing linguistic resources, fostering deeper understanding and ultimately improving academic outcomes in diverse educational settings.