Translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in English second language classroom contexts

The teaching of science and mathematics in African languages has been debated at various academic platforms that include seminars, conferences and publications where the major concern that has recurred is how it could be possibly done. The questions raised are mainly about the inadequacies of these...

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Main Authors: Nhongo, Raphael, Tshotsho, Baba Primrose
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Independent Institute of Education 2022
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-1d6fb52217
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4867
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author Nhongo, Raphael
Tshotsho, Baba Primrose
author_facet Nhongo, Raphael
Tshotsho, Baba Primrose
author_sort Nhongo, Raphael
collection DSpace
description The teaching of science and mathematics in African languages has been debated at various academic platforms that include seminars, conferences and publications where the major concern that has recurred is how it could be possibly done. The questions raised are mainly about the inadequacies of these African languages ranging from orthographies, terminologies to reading materials. For the reading materials to be produced there has to be agreed upon terminologies and the thrust of this paper is to delve on how such terminologies can be produced and how the teaching and learning can be done in African languages. Four secondary schools, two rural and two urban, were used as case studies, two in Bulawayo, and the other two in Matabeleland South province in Zimbabwe. The perceptions of science and mathematics teachers about translanguaging as a method of teaching science and mathematics were sought through interviews from eight teachers, that is, two from each of the four schools. The results showed that teachers have always been applying translanguaging as an instructional method in the teaching of science and mathematics although they were not aware that translanguaging is a concept that can be singled out amongst other strategies of instruction. The paper concludes that adopting translanguaging as a teaching method in bilingual classroom contexts aids learners’ cognition thereby enhancing comprehension of concepts better than when only English language is used in teaching and learning.
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spelling ir-11408-48672022-06-27T13:49:06Z Translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in English second language classroom contexts Nhongo, Raphael Tshotsho, Baba Primrose Teaching science Teaching mathematics African languages The teaching of science and mathematics in African languages has been debated at various academic platforms that include seminars, conferences and publications where the major concern that has recurred is how it could be possibly done. The questions raised are mainly about the inadequacies of these African languages ranging from orthographies, terminologies to reading materials. For the reading materials to be produced there has to be agreed upon terminologies and the thrust of this paper is to delve on how such terminologies can be produced and how the teaching and learning can be done in African languages. Four secondary schools, two rural and two urban, were used as case studies, two in Bulawayo, and the other two in Matabeleland South province in Zimbabwe. The perceptions of science and mathematics teachers about translanguaging as a method of teaching science and mathematics were sought through interviews from eight teachers, that is, two from each of the four schools. The results showed that teachers have always been applying translanguaging as an instructional method in the teaching of science and mathematics although they were not aware that translanguaging is a concept that can be singled out amongst other strategies of instruction. The paper concludes that adopting translanguaging as a teaching method in bilingual classroom contexts aids learners’ cognition thereby enhancing comprehension of concepts better than when only English language is used in teaching and learning. 2022-05-17T13:11:09Z 2022-05-17T13:11:09Z 2019 Article https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-1d6fb52217 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4867 en The Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning;Vol. 14; No. 2: p. 57-71 open Independent Institute of Education
spellingShingle Teaching science
Teaching mathematics
African languages
Nhongo, Raphael
Tshotsho, Baba Primrose
Translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in English second language classroom contexts
title Translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in English second language classroom contexts
title_full Translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in English second language classroom contexts
title_fullStr Translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in English second language classroom contexts
title_full_unstemmed Translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in English second language classroom contexts
title_short Translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in English second language classroom contexts
title_sort translanguaging as an instructional method in science and mathematics education in english second language classroom contexts
topic Teaching science
Teaching mathematics
African languages
url https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC-1d6fb52217
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4867
work_keys_str_mv AT nhongoraphael translanguagingasaninstructionalmethodinscienceandmathematicseducationinenglishsecondlanguageclassroomcontexts
AT tshotshobabaprimrose translanguagingasaninstructionalmethodinscienceandmathematicseducationinenglishsecondlanguageclassroomcontexts