Effects of translanguaging as an intervention strategy in a South African Chemistry classroom

Charamba, Erasmos; Zano, Kufakunesu

doi:10.1080/15235882.2019.1631229

Cited by 39 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Although Section 29(2) of the South African Constitution (RSA 1996a) stipulates that every student has the right to receive education in the language of their choice, 1 and notwithstanding the long-standing multilingual nature of South African classrooms, education in this country largely continues to follow a monolingual trajec-tory (Charamba and Zano 2019;RSA 1996a;Omidire 2019). What happens in most South African schools is that students in primary grades 1-3 are taught in their home language alongside English (Charamba 2019a).…”

Section: Linguistic Landscapes and Challenges In Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Translanguaging as bona fide practice in a multilingual South African science classroom

Charamba

2023

Int Rev Educ

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The call for improving students’ academic achievement in science education has increased in urgency in recent years. It has also increased in complexity in the face of the growing cultural and linguistic diversity of present-day classrooms following inter- and intra-state migration. Although translanguaging pedagogy, where languages of input and output are deliberately interchanged, remains a relatively young field of research, it has grown substantially in the past decade. The study presented in this article sought to explore the role language plays in the academic performance of multilingual students at a primary school in South Africa. Adopting an ethnographic research design, the author collected qualitative data through lesson observations video-recorded in a fifth-grade science class, supplemented with several interviews with the teacher. Data analysis involved a combination of both inductive and deductive methods, and the results affirm that translanguaging pedagogy is indispensable for effective learning in multilingual classrooms. The author’s findings confirm insights from previous research that the ability and encouragement to use multiple languages in science class allows multilingual students to engage in a practice of generating and creating scientific explanations in their own voice, resulting in better academic performance.

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Section: Linguistic Landscapes and Challenges In Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Translanguaging as bona fide practice in a multilingual South African science classroom

Charamba

2023

Int Rev Educ

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“…The problem is that this can only happen, according to Puleng, if the teacher understands the rubric and can use it effectively. When this happens, the teacher will be in a position to provide individualized, constructive critique in a manageable timeframe [7,26], resulting in enhanced learning. By simply marking appropriate boxes on a rubric and give it back with an assignment, the teacher would still have provided more feedback about the strengths and weaknesses of the work than just assigning a mark or letter grade [14].…”

Section: Those Rubrics Given To Us Are Too Prescriptive They Don't Le...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Same yardstick, different results: efficacy of rubrics in science education assessment

Charamba

Dlamini-Nxumalo

2022

Eureka: SH

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Assessments have become integral to today's teaching and learning. Within the world of assessments, there are two paramount ideologies at work: assessments for learning and assessments of learning. The latter are typically administered at the end of a unit or grading period and evaluate a student’s understanding by comparing their achievement against a class, nationwide benchmark, or standard. The former assesses a student’s understanding of a skill or lesson during the learning and teaching process. Assessment for learning enables teachers to collect data that will help them adjust their teaching strategies, and students to adjust their learning strategies. In order to achieve this goal, teachers can make use of several assessment tools, such as concept maps, oral presentations, peer review, portfolios, examinations, written reports, and rubrics. The use of rubrics not only makes the teacher’s standards and result grading explicit but can give students a clear sense of what the expectations are for a high level of performance on a given science assignment. In this study, quantitative data were collected from tasks, assessed by 10 teachers who were purposefully sampled; while qualitative data were collected from interview responses of the same teachers to explore the extent of uniformity in the use of rubrics. The researchers compared and analyzed the different scores, allocated by the respective participants, and analyzed the qualitative data using qualitative data analysis. The study suggests that if interpreted and used well, rubrics support learning by enabling an efficient, consistent, objective, and quick way of assessing students’ work thereby facilitating learning.

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“…According to [20], similar research was carried out in Kenya and found out that important ideas were more easily conveyed when teachers use L1 and L2 concurrently than sticking to English only as a medium of instruction. It can be argued that evaluations of language in-education models have measured magnitudes of these outcomes and the shared outcome indicates that various tests of vocabulary and language proficiency, tests of literacy in the L1 and L2 as well as cognitive development and self-esteem are much visible and noted when both L1 and L2 are embraced as mediums in class [21]. The proposed TDS model thus contributes immensely in handling bilingual classes appropriately.…”

Section: Suggested Solution To the Problemmentioning

confidence: 99%

The TDS model and epistemic justice for bilingual learners

Marupi¹,

Charamba²

2022

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The object of research: Contemporary research suggests the use of an instructional language different from students’ home language as a major contributing factor to academic underachievement. This has also been the case in Gwanda South, Zimbabwe, where Sesotho speaking secondary school learners are taught through English only and have been underperforming. Analysts have suggested the use of a language different from their learners’ home language as the major cause of academic underachievement. Investigated problem: This study explores how concurrent use of multiple languages can enhance learning in a bilingual community. Results from national examinations show learners from Gwanda South perform comparatively lower than most districts in the country, resulting in calls for transformative pedagogy. This mixed methods study used a descriptive survey design that opted for face-to-face interviews and questionnaires to collect data from 120 secondary school learners, 20 parents, 20 teachers, 10 head teachers and 10 Teachers-in-Charge. Convenience sampling was used to identify participants. The main scientific results: Results from the study indicate participants’ willingness for pedagogies that acknowledge multiple languages. They also indicate an enhanced academic performance among students when the TDS model is used for pedagogical purposes. As a result, the article introduces a model that is being proposed and recommended for use in bilingual settings, called The Dual System (TDS) Model. The TDS Model has a number of variables that make it operate effectively and efficiently. Its basis is two languages in an environment and community with a keen interest in the successful use of those languages in the classroom. Both teacher and learner ought to be tuned to dual language use and to accept full roles for both languages in the classroom. Translanguaging then is a key element that defines academic activities. Bilingual education where Sesotho and English are key classroom languages is recommended for Gwanda South, Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. The area of practical use of the research results: The TDS Model has a number of variables that make it operate effectively and efficiently. Its basis is two languages in an environment and community with a keen interest in the successful use of those languages in the classroom. Both teacher and learner ought to be tuned to dual language use and to accept full roles for both languages in the classroom. Translanguaging then is a key element that defines academic activities. Bilingual education where Sesotho and English are key classroom languages is recommended for Gwanda South, Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe

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Effects of translanguaging as an intervention strategy in a South African Chemistry classroom

Cited by 39 publications

References 38 publications

Translanguaging as bona fide practice in a multilingual South African science classroom

Translanguaging as bona fide practice in a multilingual South African science classroom

Same yardstick, different results: efficacy of rubrics in science education assessment

The TDS model and epistemic justice for bilingual learners

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