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I will proceed now to discuss the narratives of my participants and its relevance to the second thematic data findings as indicated in the first section of this chapter. For the first year bilingual students at UWC, the linguistic term ‘translanguaging’ was very unfamiliar but the language practice involved is easily remembered by the students. I asked various leading questions especially in the questionnaire and interview, to help them understand and share their lived experiences.

Regarding the occasion where bilingual students use their both language with tutors and peer students, the responses from most students was not positive. It means that the majority of the students struggle with the language of MoI(English) if they cannot occasionally use their languages for academic purposes. Generally, it is believed that bilinguals tend to use either or both languages as deemed necessary. However, it is evidently shown that most students did not consider the simultaneous use of both languages in tutorial as a strategy to cope with their aforementioned learning difficulties. For instance, two of the Isi-Xhosa respondents seemed not to support the idea because they feel that the simultaneous use of languages will reduce their learning pace significantly in the language of MoI. Another English first language male respondent stated:

“… even at home and everywhere am used to English, all my school life is English. I am better in English than my Afrikaans .Why should I use Afrikaans when I am thought in English’

In the same manner, answering to the same question a female Afrikaans respondent replied:

“It is not formal to use English with my tutor but when with my classmates that their preferred language is Afrikaans, then I code switch and miss”

The above comments of the students suggest that the awareness of students of the use of English for instructional purposes is limited. In addition, their perspective of English being the official academic language has reduced the use of their linguistic repertoires for their

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academic advantage. Although, many indicated that they may use both languages with their peer students but separately.

More considerably, I observed the first year student participants who stated that they simultaneously use both languages during tutorials. A reflection of the classroom setting and participant first languages did not provide the space for most of the bilinguals to use their languages. I noted that all through the period of gathering my observation data, students were simultaneously using their language amongst same language students and not with the tutor. Thus, it suggests the importance of academic space in which the simultaneous use of languages is considered and encouraged by the school.

An additional probing question was asked to validate the responses of most participants who did not have any occasion of the simultaneous use of both languages during lessons been achieved in the questionnaire data. It was noted that the same group of students who mentioned that they do not use both languages in the tutorials reiterated in a positive way their use of first language during tutorials. Their responses to the question of use of first language were a yes or no option. It is evident from table 4.4 above that the majority used their first languages during tutorials. From the demographic table shown at the early part of this chapter, their first language is Afrikaans or Isi-Xhosa. The indication of the yes option by most bilingual students is clear evidence that students seemed not to know the meaning of the word simultaneous that was used to ask the previous question on the occasion of use. There is current use of English as language of MoI in the tutorial yet; the remarks of students’ use of their first language pointed out that those two languages are used during tutorials. It could also mean that students are confused and shy to accept the use of their linguistic repertoire, notably using first language in academic learning at university level.

I proceeded to ask the students who wrote yes to the question on the use of first language who they use it with. A significant number 73% (22) n=30 of the respondents agreed that they use it in and out of classrooms with their peer students. Also, some use their first language with the tutors. It was observed that the difference in the bilingual students who did not use their first language with the tutors are likely Isi-Xhosa first language users. I noted that there was no tutor; hence there could be no consultation privileges for Isi-Xhosa speakers to use their

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preferred Isi-Xhosa. Unlike, Afrikaans and English first language speakers who have tutors that can these languages and assist students with academic tasks. The data suggests that bilinguals will prefer to use their first language in learning if there is official provision made by the school. However, it does not imply that bilingual students will not encounter language related challenges while learning in their first language, particularly for academic reading and writing.

I noted that the students who maintained their no ground to the use of first language during tutorials are not disregarded. The first year students’ no responses on the use of first language implied that students combine effort and determination to cope in the language of MoI, instead of crisscrossing languages at every given time. It is based on this view that first year bilingual students progress to the next semester, building on their proficiency in both languages. Moreover, the ability to withstand and overcome challenges is also considered as learning.

During tutorial observation, I noticed that translanguaging practice was minimal. It was difficult for me to identify the point at which participants made use of their translanguaging skills. As discussed earlier, most bilingual students were reluctant to use their home language in the classroom. I observed that the Isi-Xhosa participants were not comfortable learning in English and did not attempt to use Isi-Xhosa among their classmates who also spoke Isi- Xhosa. However, I identified translanguaging in the speaking of Afrikaans female students at some points but they spoke very softly. As a result of the low volume of students when they spoke, I did not identify for what purpose they used both languages. But translanguaging was evidenced in the conversation Afrikaans students had with their classmates, not with tutors.

It is important to point out that the questionnaire responses were not detailed as most students commented in a word “speaking” to the question: what are the translanguaging strategies used during tutorials? It was evidenced from their comments that speaking was the only literacy skill where both languages were used for during tutorials, despite that the students did not describe how they used the two languages when speaking. Also it was not clear whether and with whom the bilinguals used their languages during tutorials.

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The data from the interview also revealed that speaking between bilingual peer students was the highest literacy skill that translanguaging occurred. This was followed by bilingual students speaking in both languages during tutorials. However, it was quite noteworthy that most of the bilinguals who mentioned that they used both languages during tutorials meant that they spoke with their classmates who had the same first language and not the tutor. Furthermore, I noted that students used it for explanations, asking and answering questions related to academic work among peer students. They also stated that the use of the two languages made their academic content easier to understand and continue learning. For example, an Isi-Xhosa first language female student related how she made use of Isi-Xhosa and English amidst peer students. She remarked:

“I don’t use Isi-Xhosa in the class but it will have been the best for me so I do not bother others… Before I go home every day, myself and some of my friends have made a routine to discuss what we are taught and there is this one of our sister, she is good in English at least better than me. She will explain to all of us in Isi-Xhosa, and since we understand little what was said in English class, everything she will then explain amongst our group will be very very clear. Someone like me, I will ask her the question on the part I don’t understand, the other friends will also contribute in mix of English and Xhosa. Even all our assignment, we explain together before we do it individually…”

In the above response, I identified that the bilingual students in the above context were able to speak and understood what had been spoken to an extent. It also showed that the bilinguals were weak in one language and strong in the other language. Evidently, the comment indicated that the speaking of both languages was between familiar groups of students and this made them feel comfortable when speaking any of their languages. They also shared the same academic task and goal. This suggests that for translanguaging to take place there must be a proficient language and the second language is improved within a period.

Likewise, an English first language student had also explained academic content to some of her peer students who struggled to cope while learning in English. She explained that at most times she willingly assisted her peer students and at other times they asked her for academic

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assistance. According to her, she said that the students were intelligent but the challenge of English limited their learning pace. She explained that once she recapped the lesson which they found difficult and highlighted the salient points in Afrikaans, she saw that her friends became happier. In addition, she commented that during tutorials she explained a few sentences or concepts in Afrikaans to the bilingual students seated close to her. Moreover, she made it known that it was only when speaking that she used Afrikaans and English.

On the other hand, just one Isi-Xhosa male student replied that he did use both languages when speaking and reading but not in tutorials. When asked the same question on 'what translanguaging strategies do you use during tutorials?' He answered:

“I do not know if I get you correctly, but the strategies I have used are translating to Isi-Xhosa using google and asking my friends if they understand well a topic, then we will speak in Xhosa together. We will use English only when we need to say a concept that cannot be translated in Isi-Xhosa. The reading from google helped me a lot but I have to take time to type on the system the aspect of the chapter or paragraph that is giving me problem. But once it translates to Xhosa I can know how to prepare for test and do my assignment alone”.

I found in his answer an indication that translation from English to Isi-Xhosa helped the student to deal with the learning challenge of reading academic material. It also appeared that translation from the incompetent to the competent language was the first strategy he considered, after that he made use of both languages to fully understand the taught lesson. Furthermore, it is clear that he first understood academic material in Isi-Xhosa and then did his academic task in English, the language of MoI. This suggests that bilingual students can use their languages in any of the literacy skills, though it depends largely on the bilingual's decision to use his/her languages for the purpose and how the languages are used.

As regards bilingual students’ use of both languages in academic reading and writing, it was evident that all bilinguals made use of English and none of them used neither Afrikaans nor Isi-Xhosa during tutorials. This was in contrast to the result of bilingual students’ use of both their languages while speaking and listening during tutorials. The use of English only for the purpose of reading and writing indicates that students were accustomed to the language used at university level. Despite that the first year bilingual students' use of English did not

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generally conform to academic standard, students did not recognize the simultaneous use of their languages to deal with the reading and writing difficulties they faced. This suggests that students had other coping learning strategies that excluded the use of their two languages, though it will have been logical for students to do so, since, the earlier mentioned learning challenges of the first year bilingual students concerned the language of MoI. Thus, the preceding data leads me to direct attention to the other coping learning strategies of the bilingual students, and I categorized this section as the coping strategies used by first year bilingual students when learning in English.