Teaching and learning strategies to enhance isiXhosa-speaking learners’ mathematical understanding in English grade one classrooms

Abstract

This study was aimed at exploring, describing, and understanding how Grade One teachers are using teaching and learning strategies to enhance isiXhosa-speaking learners’ mathematical understanding in English Grade One classrooms. To date, there are still no proper mathematical registers for African languages. There is also a scarcity of teaching and learning strategies on what constitutes good mathematics practices in South African English Grade One classrooms to support isiXhosa Home Language learners with mathematical understanding. This study highlights some of the current teaching and learning strategies experienced and implemented by selected Grade One teachers in the Metro East Education District of the Western Cape. In an attempt to resolve the research problem, recommendations are given for effective dissemination strategies to support isiXhosa Home Language learners. A gap in the literature on descriptions of current support provided to isiXhosa-speaking learners within the mathematical proficiency model of Kilpatrick, Swafford, and Findell (2001) was identified. This research, therefore, intends to fill this knowledge gap. It is especially unclear what adequate teaching and learning strategies are utilised for isiXhosa-speaking learners to become truly proficient in using the English academic register for mathematical understanding in the context of South Africa. An adapted Interactive Qualitative Analysis (IQA) approach supported by exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research designs were employed. Using the purposive sampling technique, a sample was chosen from eleven Grade One teachers from public and independent primary schools in the Western Cape who taught mathematics to isiXhosa learners who received education in English. Data were collected through unstructured open-ended focus group interviews, semi-structured individual interviews, and lesson observations. The findings provide a clear description of current teaching and learning strategies utilised by selected Grade One teachers, as well as their resources and support, and their experiences with a lack of pre- and in-service training. Conclusions are made in terms of the intertwined theory of Vygotsky’s (1978) learning theory and the five-stranded model of mathematical proficiency of Kilpatrick et al. (2001). Based on the findings, several recommendations were made regarding teaching and learning strategies to enhance isiXhosa-speaking learners’ mathematical understanding in English Grade One classrooms.