Teaching of English first additional language in rural learning environments: a case for problem-based learning

ABSTRACT

The teaching of second language that is also a language of teaching and learning of other subjects, has to be meticulous. Considerate attention is utmost where this teaching occurs in under-resourced learning environments where learners encounter the second language for the first time. In instances where the teaching was inadequate, as in the project reported about here, learners performed below expected standards. The project was a one-teacher public primary farm school situated in a remote privately owned land. The school was under-resourced with extremely limited support from the community (farm) and the department of education. The teacher taught all the subjects to the 10 grade 4 learners who were the focus in this project. The project aimed to help improve grade 4 learners’ performance in English First Additional Language (second language) on a sustainable basis, by using problem-based learning. The project was framed on underpinnings of socially inclusive teaching strategy and adopted the principles of participatory action research as an approach to generate data. Critical discourse analysis was pivotal for analysing the data. With project-based learning, it was found that learners participated actively in their learning and the ultimate result was learners’ performance improvement in English First Additional Language.

KEYWORDS:

• Problem-based learning
• intermediate phase
• sustainable learning environment
• English first additional language
• rural farm school
• social inclusive teaching strategy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Mots'elisi Lilian Malebese is a postdoctoral fellow at the North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa in the Faculty of Education from 01st February 2019 to date. Also a part-lecturer at the Central University of Technology, Free State, Faculty of Education. She has served her term as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, Faculty of Education enrolled from 01st August 2016 to 31st July 2018. She holds a PhD in Curriculum Studies from the same institution, which she completed in December 2015, and was awarded in June 2016. Within the SuLE / SuRLEc special research interest group she worked as part of a supervisory team at the University of the Free State and helped the cohort with the organisation of research workshops, student support sessions and seminars. She cosupervised Masters and PhD students and continue to learn and develop her supervisory skill. In 2018 she managed to contribute towards the successful completion of a PhD project as a co-promoter. She has presented her scholarly in various conferences locally and internationally. Currently she is involved in DHET TVET survey and B Ed TVET programme development projects. Working towards a sustainable TVET lecturer professional development with more action learning, learning and participation, with also solid interest in community engagement activities.

Moeketsi Freddie Tlali has been a lecturer of Natural and Physical Sciences Education at the University of the Free State since 2015. He obtained his PhD degree in curriculum / education studies from the university of the Free State in 2013. He has been working as a lecturer for Natural and Physical Sciences Education. Moeketsi Tlali has been a discipline coordinator for Natural and Physical Sciences Education, a member of the UFS faculty of education’s Higher Degrees Committee and a reviewer and Perspectives in Education (PiE) journal editorial board member. He has been presenting papers during the annual conferences of SAERA since 2015. This is his first presentation at IVETA. Moeketsi is currently involved in DHET TVET survey and B Ed TVET programme development projects.