A qual-quantitative exploration of translanguaging impact of ESL teachers and learners' performance in three selected primary schools in Quthing District

Abstract

This study offers insights into the impact of translanguaging on English Second Language (ESL) teaching and learning with the aim of enhancing performance in ESL. The impact of translanguaging is focused on teachers and on the learners in diverse bi-multilingual classroom contexts in Quthing district in Lesotho. Translanguaging strategies are explored to indicate the manner in which teachers and learners can employ them in enhancing ESL teaching and learning academic content, interactive skills and communicative competences. The study reports on the dimensions of translanguaging phenomenon, their impact on the teaching and learning of ESL and it also examines the views about the effects of translanguaging on ESL teachers and learners’ performance in the selected primary schools of the Quthing district. The reports are based on the motivation and urge to curb the problem of learners’ poor performance in ESL in a diverse linguistic context in Quthing district. Drawing upon traditions of social constructivist theory and ethnographic enquiry about a phenomenon such as translanguaging, this study adopts a qual-quantitative comparative case study approach. Through translanguaging lens, Cummins’s (2000) Dual Iceberg theoretical framework is juxtaposed with translanguaging pedagogical strategies. This theoretical framework bears reference to Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) in L1 and Cognitive/Academic Linguistic Proficiency (CALP) in L2. A total of 194 learners from the three selected schools participated in the study. Using purposive sampling, the researcher conducted a total of 24 interviews with 3 teachers and 18 learners who formed 3 focus groups. All classroom observations from three primary schools were video recorded. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed thematically and numerically. Constant Comparative Method (CCM), Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) as well as Conversational Analysis (CA) were used for data analysis. The findings reveal that there are four dimensions of translanguaging phenomenon in three selected primary schools in the Quthing district. These are instructional foundations, collaborative work, multilingual ecology and translanguaging resources. However, instructional foundations ought to be planned strategically to enhance ESL teaching, learning and performance. Moreover, teachers and learners viewed translanguaging as a potential and alternative pedagogical strategy for ESL learning, teaching and improved performance for intermediate /emergent bi-multilingual learners in diverse educational classrooms. The study recommends for a contextualised, relevant, responsive and linguistically sensitive curriculum and syllabi that nurture “Ubuntu translanguaging” to enhance ESL performance in bi-multilingual settings. Specifically, the study recommends the implementation of the 10th amendment Act with regard to minority languages in Lesotho in line with Lesotho Education Language Policy (LELP) that is inclusive of indigenous languages such as IsiPhuthi and IsiXhosa in the Quthing district.