Literacy practices and English as the language of learning and teaching in a grade nine classroom

Abstract

This research was prompted by the discrepancy between levels of achievement in Grade 9 in a township school and the expectations at Further Education and Training (FET) Grades 10-12 levels. The literacy practices of Grade 9 learners were investigated to establish whether these practices prepared them adequately for Grade10. This research then sought to describe practices that were carried out in reading and writing in a Grade 9 classroom, with a specific focus on a township school in which the language of teaching and learning was English, which was not the learners’ mother-tongue. This research looked at the literacy gaps in reading and writing between the General Education and Training (GET) Phase and the FET Phase that impact on their preparation for the final phase of schooling and entry to tertiary level. Statistics show that in South Africa learners still perform poorly in reading and writing compared to their counterparts in Africa, especially in English. This is an empirical study using qualitative methods that include personal narratives, interviews and learner portfolios. The purpose was to establish how societal and pedagogical factors impact on literacy practices for effective learning and teaching in order for learners to acquire academic proficiency in English as a First Additional Language. The findings from this study revealed that the literacy practices that were investigated and the use of English as LoLT did not fully facilitate their preparedness for Grade10. Learners in this study still face challenges of acquiring basic reading and writing skills. Although they view English as an emancipatory and economic tool, it is still a difficult language to learn. Therefore their readiness to proceed to the FET level is minimal.