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All Journal JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching
Makgabo, Mmamoyahabo Constance
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Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

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Journal : jollt journal of languages and language teaching

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Pre-Service Teachers’ Interaction with Learners Using Their Mother Tongue in Linguistically Diverse Classes in Namibian Schools Makgabo, Mmamoyahabo Constance; Niipare, Alina Kakunde
Journal of Languages and Language Teaching Vol. 10 No. 4 (2022): October
Publisher : Universitas Pendidikan Mandalika

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.33394/jollt.v10i4.6026

Abstract

This article reports on a study conducted in five primary schools in Namibia during teaching and learning in the mother tongue classroom. The aim of this study was to investigate how 30 pre-service teachers used the learners’ home language during their curriculum delivery. The study took place during lessons that included work-integrated learning (WIL) during which the pre-service teachers were assessed by the two lecturers as researchers. The study followed a qualitative approach where data were gathered from classroom observations and semi-structured interviews of pre-service teachers. The data were analysed thematically. This study was guided by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of development which identifies language, society, and culture as the primary aspects of the development of a child. The social interactions that a child has with people living in a particular environment with particular languages strongly shapes the development of cognitive abilities in the child. The findings showed that pre-service teachers lacked sufficient competencies in the teaching of mother tongue literacy. Additionally, the classroom arrangement and teaching approaches that were used by the pre-service teachers were ineffective for learning. Furthermore, the learning materials and pedagogical practices were likely to inhibit successful learning. The implication of this is that the quality of education and learning was compromised. This paper recommends that pre-service teachers should be equipped with skills to teach the mother tongue programme while using relevant and appropriate teaching strategies and learning resources to enhance mother tongue learning of the Oshindonga and Oshikwanyama dialects.
Impact of SGBs' Language Policy Decisions on Language of Instruction in Primary Schools in Hammanskraal Makgabo, Mmamoyahabo Constance; Modise, Penelope M.
JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching Vol. 14 No. 2 (2026): April
Publisher : Universitas Pendidikan Mandalika

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.33394/jollt.v14i2.18346

Abstract

This study examines the consequences of School Governing Bodies’ (SGBs) decisions regarding the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) in primary schools in Hammanskraal, a linguistically diverse context where most learners are not home-language speakers of English. Despite extensive evidence supporting mother-tongue-based education, SGBs continue to prioritise English as the medium of instruction. Anchored in a qualitative interpretive paradigm, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with SGB members, classroom observations, and document analysis of learners’ written work. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Piaget’s cognitive development theory frame the analysis, highlighting the central role of language in cognitive development and meaning-making. The findings reveal that English-medium instruction, when introduced without sufficient linguistic scaffolding, leads to difficulties in comprehension, participation, and vocabulary acquisition, as well as subject-specific language, particularly in conceptually demanding subjects such as the Natural Sciences. Teachers often resort to code-switching, underscoring the continued relevance of the mother tongue. The study further demonstrates a misalignment between language policy, governance decisions, and classroom realities. Furthermore, it contributes to broader debates on English-medium instruction in multilingual contexts and provides evidence-based insights to inform language policy reform, including the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act. Finally, the study recommends an additive bilingual approach that balances mother-tongue instruction with the gradual development of English academic proficiency to promote equitable educational outcomes.
Co-Authors Modise, Penelope M. Niipare, Alina Kakunde