Towards a policy on teacher use of language during science teaching and learning in South Africa

Abstract

The preferred and dominant language for learning and teaching (LOLT) in secondary schools across South Africa is English. Questionnaire studies on students’ understandings of everyday English words commonly used by teachers in school science classrooms have revealed near to identical kinds of difficulties students encounter with these words. One important highlight of the findings has been the fact that when used in the science context, everyday English words cease to be mere English words. This paper presents findings in investigations conducted in South Africa of the sources of difficulties students encounter with everyday words when used in the science context. The study participants consisted of 715 Year 11 science students and their respective teachers (N = 20). Data were sourced by use of a questionnaire to student participants followed by focus group and in-depth interviews with both categories of participants. One major revelation is that science teachers’ preferred approaches to use of instructional language during teaching is key to the students’ ability to tell the meanings of everyday words when used in the science context. The findings in this study are drawn on to suggest a practice policy on science teachers’ use of instructional language for effective teaching of school science.