Transforming language discourse in higher education through reading modules in African languages
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21490922 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nkidi Phatudi (0000-0001-7860-3731, University of South Africa), Millicent Ngema (0000-0002-6760-5907, University of South Africa, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 335-343 |
| Publication date | 2025-08-15 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | South African Journal of African Languages (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0257-2117 • E-ISSN: 2305-1159 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/02572117.2024.2441766 |
| OpenAlex | W4410522426 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 26 |
The discourses around teaching and learning in South Africa are intense, with English still being a preferred language of learning and teaching at higher education level. The dominance of English as the language that unifies societies economically and politically marginalises other minority languages. The study explored how language discourse can be transformed in higher education through reading modules in African languages. In indigenising the teaching programme curriculum, teaching reading modules were developed in five African languages in a Bachelor of Education in the Foundation Phase programme. The Funds of Knowledge framework and languageas-resource perspectives were used as lenses through which the study was viewed. The Funds of Knowledge framework aims to connect the pedagogical-curricular content with the multiple epistemological ways of knowing. The language-as-resource perspective gives credence to marginalised languages as resources in understanding inaccessible academic content. An exploratory case study research design under a qualitative approach shaped the focus of this study. Through purposive sampling, interviews were conducted with five versioners and five students representing African languages. African languages were acknowledged as having the power to make knowledge accessible, contribute towards a deeper understanding of the learning content and practically implement this in teaching reading to children in their first language. If the African languages are undeveloped, they will suffer from social and cultural capital gains inherent in the frequent use of dominant languages in academic discourses
Languages of Africa · Linguistics · Sociology · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Multilingual Education and Policy · Philosophy · Second Language Learning and Teaching
Research Methods in Education
Using Templates in the Thematic Analysis of Text
Moving out of linguistic boxes
Semistructured interviewing in primary care research
Power and Agency in Education
Comparison of Convenience Sampling and Purposive Sampling
The effects of using students' funds of knowledge on educational outcomes in the social and personal domain
Choose Your Method
Language policy in multilingual contexts
The impact of the ‘Teaching English through English’ policy on teachers and teaching in South Korea
On medium of instruction and African scholarship
English-medium Instruction at Universities
Examining Hegemonic and Monoglossic Language Ideologies, Policies, and Practices Within Bilingual Education in Colombia
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Funds of knowledge for teaching
Orientations in Language Planning
Essential Guide to Qualitative Methods in Organizational Research
The Returns to English-Language Skills in India
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |