Variables

Morris (2006:203) conducted a research on Science education and the English second language learner in Australia. The research was conducted using secondary students whose English is not their mother tongue. The study was carried out in three phases using the interpretive methodology based on a modified action research approach in naturalistic settings.

The following were the major findings of the study:

 There was no planned or coordinated approach to developing the communicative competence of the ESL learners.

 It also emerged that it did not occur to the educators to promote English language and literacy development as part of their subject area instruction.

 The individual classroom teacher exerted the main influence on interaction and participation.

 Science subjects were too difficult for learners with language difficulties and that consequently failure was inevitable.

78

2.15.3.1 Intervention Strategies

After careful analysis of the situation, it was decided that the following broad interventions would best meet the needs of the ESL students and their educators. To achieve integration of language and Science education, the development of learning resources with the ESL learners in mind was mooted.

Worksheets: The researcher, (Morris, 2006:166) asserts that it was decided that in order to

address the specific language needs of each student as determined by their needs analysis, customised materials or value added resources be developed. Consequently, language activities in the form of worksheets and exercises were developed and integrated into the Science units.

The researcher is of the opinion that the above cited strategy or programme was motivated by the views of Carrasquillo and Rodriquez (2002:56) who recommend “decoding essential vocabulary and paying attention to non-technical terms” if one has to succeed in scaffolding the learning materials for ESL Science learners. The researcher is also of the opinion that integration of language and literacy with Science education was attempted by both the specific literacy needs of the learners and the language skills involved in their individual units of study. Language objectives were developed alongside Science objectives. Worksheets were developed which addressed difficulties at the word, sentence, paragraph and passage levels.

Glossaries: Morris (2006:175) asserts that general and personalized glossaries were

constructed. This was done bearing in mind the emphasis which Wellington and Osborne (2001:75) put on glossaries when he stated: “as well as making meanings clear, glossaries can be used to highlight the new words that will occur in teaching a topic”.

Individual assistance in the learning environment: Morris (2006:176) states that as a way of

making the learning environment more hospitable, the provision of individual assistance became a necessity. Morris (2006:176) asserts that the said provision came from a realization that “ESL students learn best when they are treated as individuals with their own needs and interests”. Henney (2006:123) posits that when teachers have solid knowledge of their ESL students and respect individual needs, they are more likely to develop strategies that will

79

support such students and that the best way of determining individual needs is by interacting with students.

The intervention programmes discussed above lends credence to the challenges that ESL Science learners go through and have shown that learners’ lack of mediated learning experiences can be offset through the use of intervention programmes such as the ones described above. The researcher is of the opinion that an intervention programme to help the subjects of the study is a necessity and will use this insight to propose one for the research area in Chapter 6.

2.16 Conclusion

This chapter was dedicated to show the relation between the previous researches and opinion on the topic and understanding of the relevance of the previous research to the study being conducted. This chapter has given the reader a clear view about the role of language in Science education. Different authors (Brice, 2001; Brock-Utne, 2000; Cuevas, 2001; Mortimer, 2003; etc.) agree that language plays a critical role in the learning and teaching of Science.

The language policy indicated an important fact that everyone in South Africa has the right to study in their language of choice in any public educational institution where that education is reasonably applicable, so it is important for secondary schools to facilitate this matter urgently.

The ultimate intended outcome of the Language in Education Policy is that two or more languages will be perceived and used as languages of learning and teaching for all learners in the country (DoE, 1997:13). First of all in point (3) it is stated that the LiEP is meant to facilitate communication between groups.

However, this could suggest that this is something that is wished for but not certain. Additionally, it is not specified how this will be achieved, which could be interpreted to mean that speakers of African languages are required to learn English or Afrikaans, but the speakers of English or Afrikaans are not required to learn African languages. This, to the researcher, suggests a diglossic situation which serves to maintain English (and to some degree Afrikaans)

80

as high variety language(s), to be used more in public domains with the African languages remaining low variety languages, to be used in informal settings and for initial literacy only.

Furthermore, this brings to mind the issue of equity as suggested by Kress (2001:31) where equity should be treated as something that works reciprocally, in all directions. Thus if communication is to be facilitated between groups, then English or Afrikaans speaking groups should also be required to learn an African language.

The choice factor also presents serious challenges. To the researcher, the fact that under the new linguistic dispensation the learners have the right to choose the language of learning and teaching, is seen as more of a reaction to the top – down centralized decision – making process of the apartheid government and as such is intertextually related to apartheid discourses. It has to be noted that the ability of individuals to exercise this right is dependent upon the individual having access to information concerning such decisions.

A similar point is also taken up by Webb (2001:361) who is critical of the policy concerning the ability of School Governing Bodies in making decisions with reference to the development of a language policy for schools. Thus Webb (2001:361) comments, “whilst the philosophy of individual choice and the devolution of decision – making accords nicely, it is essential that decision – makers be enabled to make informed choices”.

It is of importance to indicate at this stage that no matter how progressive a policy may look, it is crucial to understand how it is actually implemented at the level of the classroom. What is apparent at the moment is that systematic discrepancies between policy intention and actual implementation can be identified within the education system.

It is, however, admitted by the researcher that, for the status quo to change, a strong political will on the side of the government is needed; as encapsulated in the OAU’s language plan of action which states thus: “The…practical promotion of African languages…is dependent

primarily and as a matter of absolute imperative on the political will and determination of each sovereign state” (OAU, 1986: 2).

81

The following chapter (Chapter 3) will focus on the educational setting of learners as part of the learning environment of this study. In particular, the researcher will describe the environment from which the target research group comes, that is, their primary school setting, the home background and other related factors as can be seen hereunder.

82

CHAPTER 3

A PROFILE OF THE ENVIRONMENT UNDER WHICH