Journal for Language Teaching

An assignment writing crash course: Transferring writing centre practice into the academic literacy classroom by reshaping the curriculum

2025-12-17T09:26:38+00:00

he transfer of academic literacy (AL) skills into discipline-specific modules is one of the primary goals of AL interventions. Skills transfer entails students being able to read and write at academically appropriate levels, especially with regards to assignment writing. Previous research indicates that it takes time to teach AL skills, yet content modules require these skills almost instantly for successful assignment writing. Ultimately, this means that students are often un¬derprepared for the writing tasks required in content modules at first-year level to the extent that it worsens the attrition rate. Thus, students may not obtain the necessary competencies in both writing skills and subject content.

Therefore, the aim of this article is to seek a remedy for this adverse effect with the facilitation of a writing centre ‘crash course’ workshop in the AL classroom at the time students start writing assignments in core modules. The crash course focused on providing students with academic writing skills for assignment writing in their disciplines by combining writing centre pedagogy and social constructivist teaching strategies. Thus, the article measures the impact of the crash course by analysing both quantitative and qualitative data based on analyses of marks and students’ perceptions.

A reappraisal of motivation, disengagement and language learning strategies amongst undergraduate students of French as a foreign language

2025-12-17T09:31:21+00:00

French has always been a minor discipline at universities in South Africa, despite its enormous socio-economic and professional potential on the African continent and in the Francophone world more generally. One of the main reasons for this is that few learners continue past the A1 (beginner) level, which may be attributed to low levels of motivation. This article explores the factors which impact student motivation and throughput in French undergraduate language courses at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. The study, based on a master's research project, was conducted between 2021 and 2023 and included questionnaires and interviews to evaluate students’ self-efficacy beliefs, motivations, levels of engagement and use of language learning strategies and the extent to which this impacted the continuation of their studies. The results showed that while both learning strategies and self-efficacy beliefs were present, these were not sufficient determinants for students to continue their language learning journey beyond the beginner level. The findings open a discussion on how to foster resilience in language learning at university level. More generally, they shed light on the limitations of instrumental motivation and a purely utilitarian approach to the teaching and learning of languages.

Research on the implementation of a mother tongue-based bilingual education language policy in a primary school, Kwazulu-Natal

2025-12-17T09:33:20+00:00

South Africa is known as a multilingual and multicultural country. This is why the South African Department of Education is committed to introduce educational policy guidelines that support the use official languages as the primary languages of learning and teaching. In this paper, we analyse teachers' views on the implementation of a mother tongue-based bilingual education language policy in a primary school KwaZulu-Natal. This is a qualitative study that used semi-structured interviews and workshops as methods for data collection. In this case study, one school and 10 primary school teachers were purposively selected. To analyse research data, we used Cummins' conceptual framework on the importance of using the mother tongue as a foundation for developing a learner's cognitive skills. The findings revealed that teachers support the use of isiZulu as a language of learning and teaching in primary grades because it scaffolds learner's cognitive development, new knowledge acquisition and align learning with learners’ real-life situations. Although teachers support the use of isiZulu as a language of learning and teaching, they see a need for multilingualism to be accommodated as Foundation phase classrooms. This paper recommends that teachers need support in implementing the policy and in planning activities that support learning and teaching using isiZulu. We further recommend that multilingual pedagogies and translanguaging approaches should be introduced in the Foundation phase to accommodate all learners.

The influence of the media: The impact of Motsweding FM Radio programmes on the Setswana home language subject for Grades 11 and 12

2025-12-17T09:36:00+00:00

Radio has played a key role in enhancing language development and listening skills, providing exposure to various local and inter¬national languages through relevant pro-gramming. This study examines the influence of radio on the Setswana language, particu¬larly how radio announcers use non-standard Setswana and its implications for language education. Utilising Vygotsky’s Sociocul¬tural theory, it analyses linguistic trends within the context of language learning. The research employs a qualitative approach to identify challenges that impact learning out¬comes in Setswana, focusing on non-standard language among radio presenters. Findings indicate the need for a standardised language approach to improve clarity and communication in educational settings. Practical recommendations are provided for learners and parents whose first language is not Setswana but who study it as a home language subject. Ultimately, the study emphasises the importance of standard Setswana in education and the media's role in shaping language practices, highlighting areas for future research.

Micro-teaching as a tool: Identifying factors influencing English additional language speaking pre-service teachers’ English instruction and learning interactions

2025-12-17T09:37:51+00:00

Many South African teachers are required to competently and confidently use English as a tool for learning interaction with their learners and as a medium of instruction. This might be problematic for English additional language pre-service teachers, whose medium of instruction is not English. This paper explores how micro-teaching can be used to identify factors that influence the abilities of English additional language speaking pre-service teachers to use English as a medium of instruction. Three data collection instruments were used in this case study: an observation checklist completed by the researcher during micro-teaching lessons; a questionnaire completed by each participant after they conducted their micro-teaching lesson; and an unstructured interview with each participant, which served as an opportunity for clarification and discussion on the data generated from the observation checklist and questionnaire. Data collection and analysis operated under an interpretivist framework, using a thematic approach to data analysis. Data generated from the three instruments supported the identification of factors that influence participants’ abilities to teach in English. Learner interaction and lesson preparation and execution emerged as the two main themes of the data analysis The findings of this study hold implications for English additional language pre-service teachers, Teaching Practice and Work Integrated Learning departments, didactic lecturers and the broader tertiary education sector.

Interpreting evidence of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) against learner responses: A South African example across three languages

2025-12-17T09:39:53+00:00

The current study presents the results for a specific subset of qualitative analyses that were done during Phase II of a larger, mixed-method study. In Phase I, the study aimed to find evidence of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) using a narrative passage (‘The Pearl’) that was used to test Grade 4 learners in English, Afrikaans and isiZulu during PIRLS Literacy 2016. In Phase II, a qualitative investigation followed into learner responses to items that presented with DIF in Phase I. Three out of 15 items from ‘The Pearl’ presented with DIF across the three languages. Qualitative findings pointed to Grade 4 learners’ inability to respond to literal items, pointing to an inability to correctly answer those items that did not require any inference making or evaluation at higher-order levels of reading comprehension. Using Peña’s (2007) translation equivalence for cross-cultural research framework to establish linguistic, cultural, functional and metric equivalence, the current study provides evidence that ´The Pearl´ presented no systematic item bias.

Challenges in promoting multilingualism at the University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa campus

2025-12-17T09:41:47+00:00

Globally, languages fulfil various functions in different contexts such as business, education, law, and communication among others. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that contribute to the lack of motivation and limited opportunities for advancements of the multilingualism programme implemented at the University of Zululand, specifically focusing on the Dlangezwa campus. The data was gathered through active listening to the statements made by University of Zululand staff that participated in a forum held on 17 July 2023, when the SADiLaR organization conducted a visit to the university of Zululand to evaluate the implementation of the language policy and assess available resources. Thereafter in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 university staff members from different departments to investigate challenges in promoting multilingualism in the university of Zululand. A qualitative approach was adopted in conducting the current study. The present study employed Language Management Theory as a frame-work for the analysis of the acquired data. The findings of the research indicate that the University of Zululand’s mere desire for the successful implementation of a multilingual discourse plan is insufficient. It is crucial to consider various factors, including the development and incorporation of techno-logical tools that can accommodate isiZulu as a language for teaching and learning.

Challenges in promoting multilingualism at the University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa campus

2025-12-17T09:43:56+00:00

In the accounting field, the development of chartered accountants should go beyond technical training. Given the ongoing changes in the industry, greater attention needs to be directed towards cultivating nontechnical skills in this profession. The skills development prospective chartered accountants receive at tertiary level is mainly focused on the technical skills required during their practical training at their training firms. Their nontechnical skills once they graduate, even though incorporated at tertiary level, are not at the level expected by their new employers. This study focused on communication skills as a nontechnical incorporation into the accounting degree. The objective of this study was to discern whether newly graduated accounting students were equipped with the communication skills required to add value to their training at an accredited training firm. A case study approach was selected for this study, where recently graduated accounting students were interviewed to understand whether the communication skills incorporated in their degrees had been effectively developed and applied to enhance their professional performance in the early stages of their careers. The research revealed that teaching communication skills would have a longer-lasting impact on the students when included at a later stage in their studies and that a specific focus on presentation skills and real-life simulations would be of value.

An evaluation of third-year student teachers' self-efficacy in English second language communicative competence

2025-12-17T09:45:55+00:00

The significant decline of the English language proficiency levels amongst language students have aroused concern amongst university language teachers. Although studies have been conducted on self-efficacy in second language environ-ments, minimal research has been conducted on students' self-efficacy and their communicative competence in English as a second language. The study aims to investigate how students' self-efficacy beliefs regarding their English language proficiency impacts their communicative competence, and how this relationship differs across various language proficiency levels among education students at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT). This study draws from Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics Theory and Hylands' (2002) discourse analysis as theoretical lenses to explore the link between language and the purposes it uses to perform in education contexts. The study employed a quantitative research design to collect data through a survey which was distributed and collected from third-year education students majoring in English. The findings of the study indicated that there is a positive correlation between students' self-efficacy in their English language pro-ficiency and their communicative com-petence. The study reveals that factors such as past language learning experiences, language anxiety, and teacher feedback can significantly impact students' self-efficacy and communicative competence.