Using teachers’ lived experiences to enhance pedagogy in English second language in Zambian secondary schools

Abstract

Engels as tweede taal (T2) is omvattend bestudeer op die Zambiese navorsingslandskap, met baie aandag wat aan Engels as T2-metodologieë gegee is. Engels as T2 het egter ander areas, soos geleefde ervarings van onderwysers. Volgens Oxford Reference (2021) word persoonlike kennis oor die wêreld verkry deur direkte, eerstehandse betrokkenheid by alledaagse gebeure eerder as deur voorstelling wat deur ander mense gegenereer word, wat geleefde ervarings is. Hierdie konsep toon hoe mense inligting en betekenis skep oor die wêreld waarin hulle leef, deur hul ervarings, wat bydra tot die vorming van wat hulle as werklikheid sien. In hierdie studie het ek gefokus op hoe onderwysers se geleefde ervarings gebruik kan word om pedagogie in Engels as ʼn Tweede Taal in Zambiese sekondêre skole te verbeter. Die doelwitte van die studie was om; (I) vas te stel hoe sekondêre skoolonderwysers Engels as T2-onderrig konseptualiseer deur hul geleefde ervarings binne die Zambiese konteks te gebruik, (II) te ondersoek hoe onderwysers hul herinneringe van die leer van Engels as T2 in die Zambiese konteks uitdruk, (III) vas te stel hoe onderwysers hul indienservarings van Engels as T2-onderrig in die Zambiese konteks beskryf en, (IV) vas te stel hoe geleefde ervarings die onderrig van Engels as T2 in Zambiese sekondêre skole beïnvloed het. Hierdie studie is geïnterpreteer met behulp van die narratiewe teorie. Die primêre aanspraak van hierdie teorie is dat inligting meer oortuigend is wanneer dit in ʼn narratiewe formaat verskaf word eerder as in ʼn argumentatiewe benadering. My studie se steekproef het bestaan uit agt (08) sekondêre skole, waarvan agt (08) onderwysers gekies is, een (1) onderwyser van elke skool. Ek het ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp aangeneem en die narratiewe ondersoekstrategie toegepas. Ek het my data ingesamel deur van aangesig-tot-aangesig narratiewe onderhoude en klaskamerwaarnemings te gebruik. Ek het my data tematies geanaliseer. Die bevindinge van die eerste doelwit het getoon dat Engels as T2-onderwysers van sekondêre skole in Zambië, Engels as T2-onderrig op verskeie maniere gekonseptualiseer het, soos dat dit kognitief georiënteerd is, reëlverduideliking oorheers, verhoogde blootstelling aan materiaal, asook eklekties-georiënteerd en praktykgedomineerd. Die bevindinge van die tweede doelwit het getoon dat Engels as T2-onderwysers in Zambië herinneringe het van hoe hulle aan Engels as T2 in hul huise, op voorskoolse vlak, in laerskole, in sekondêre skole, kolleges en universiteite blootgestel is. Die huisherinneringe het getoon dat onderwysers in hul kinderjare nie net aan Engels as T2 alleen blootgestel was nie, maar ook aan ander tale soos Bemba, Nyanja en Tonga. Hierdie vorige taalervarings was wat hul kognisie oor Engels as T2-onderrig en -leer gevorm het. Die bevindinge van die derde doelwit het getoon dat Engels as T2-onderwysers se indienservarings in terme van die volgende gegroepeer is, naamlik die aantal jare wat hulle gedien het, onderrigroetines, negatiewe en positiewe ervarings, konflikterende kennis en daaglikse uitdagings soos oorvol klaskamers, onvoldoende onderrigmateriaal en lae leesvaardigheidsvlakke onder leerlinge. Die bevindinge van die vierde doelwit het aangedui dat Engels as T2-onderwyser, beïnvloed deur hul geleefde ervarings, in hul klaskamers waargeneem is waar hulle betrokke is by pedagogiese praktyke soos die regstelling van leestekens en uitsprake, transtaling, eentaligheid, anti-vakleerlingskap van waarneming, onderwyser-leerder samewerking, eklektisisme en taalmateriaalintegrasie. In die lig van hierdie bevindinge beveel ek aan dat Engels as T2-onderwysers van Zambië hul siening van Engels as T2-onderrig as geïsoleerde elemente moet herkonseptualiseer en ʼn geïntegreerde benadering moet volg. Daarbenewens beveel ek aan dat voordat hulle implementeer wat hulle hul vorige taalonderwysers sien doen het, Engels as T2-onderwysers aangemoedig moet word om hul vorige Engels as T2-leerervarings te evalueer in die lig van huidige Engels as T2-navorsing en -praktyke. Dit kan help dat hul pedagogiese praktyke relevant en dinamies bly. Die regering moet ook genoeg onderrigruimte skep, genoeg Engels as T2-onderwysers ontplooi en genoeg onderrigmateriaal produseer om oorbevolking te verminder en leerders voldoende Engels as T2-leerervarings te gee.

𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 English as second language has been extensively studied on the Zambian research landscape, with much attention being given to ESL methodologies. However, ESL has other areas such as lived experiences of teachers. According to Oxford Reference (2021), personal knowledge about the world is gained via direct, first-hand involvement in everyday occurrences rather than through representation generated by other people is what lived experiences are. This concept demonstrates how people create information and meaning about the world they live in through their experiences, which shapes what they may see as reality. In this study, I focused on how teachers lived experiences could be used to enhance pedagogy in English as a Second Language in Zambian secondary schools. The objectives of the study were to; (I) ascertain how secondary school teachers conceptualised ESL teaching using their lived experiences within the Zambian context, (II) explore how teachers expressed their memories of learning ESL in the Zambian context, (III) establish how teachers described their in-service experiences of teaching ESL in the Zambian context and, (IV) ascertain how lived experiences influenced teaching of ESL in Zambian secondary schools.

This study was interpreted using the narrative theory. The primary claim of this theory is that information is more convincing when provided in a narrative format rather than in an argumentative approach. My study sample was made up of eight (08) secondary schools, from which eight (08) teachers were drawn, one (1) teacher from each school. I adopted a purely qualitative research design, following the narrative inquiry strategy. I gathered my data using face to face narrative interviews and classroom observations. I analysed my data thematically. The findings from the first objective showed that ESL teachers of secondary schools in Zambia conceptualised ESL teaching in various ways such as it being cognitively oriented, rule explanation dominated, increased exposure to material, eclectic oriented and practice dominated. The findings from the second objective showed that teachers of ESL in Zambia had memories of how they were exposed to ESL in their homes, at preschool level, in primary schools, in secondary schools, colleges and universities. The home memories showed that in their childhood, teachers were not only exposed to ESL alone but other languages such as Bemba, Nyanja, and Tonga.

These past language experiences were what constituted their cognition about ESL teaching and learning. The findings from the third objective posted that ESL teachers’ in-service experiences were in terms of the number of years they served, teaching routines, negative and positive experiences, conflicts in knowledge and day-to-day challenges such as overcrowded classrooms, inadequate teaching materials and low reading proficiency levels among pupils. The findings from the fourth objective indicated that, influenced by their lived experiences, ESL teachers were observed in their classrooms engaging in pedagogical practices such as correcting punctuations and pronunciations, translanguaging, monolingualism, anti-apprenticeship of observation, teacher-learner corroborations, eclecticism and language material integration. In view of these findings, I recommend that ESL teachers of Zambia should reconceptualise their view of ESL teaching as constituting isolated elements and adopt an integrated approach. In addition, I recommend that before they implement what they saw their prior language teachers do, ESL teachers must be encouraged to evaluate their past ESL learning experiences in the light of current ESL research and practice. This may help their pedagogical practices to remain relevant and dynamic. The government must also create enough teaching space, deploy enough ESL teachers and produce enough teaching materials so as to reduce overcrowding and give learners adequate ESL learning experiences. ___________________________________________________________________

IsiNgisi njengoLimi Lwesibili sesicwaningwe kakhulu emkhakheni wocwaningo waseZambia, ngokugcizelela okukhulu okunikezwa izindlela ze-ESL. Yize noma kunjalo, i-ESL inazo ezinye izindawo ezifana nezimo zokusebenza zothisha. Ngokwe-Oxford Reference (2021), ulwazi ngabantu mayelana nomhlaba lutholakala ngokuqondile, ukuzibandakanya abakuthola bona mathupha ezehlakalweni zansuku zonke kunemibono etholakala ngabanye abantu ukuthi izimo zokusebenza zabantu zinjani. Le khonsephthi iveza ukuthi abantu balwakha kanjani ulwazi nencazelo mayelana nomhlaba abahlala kuwona ngokwezimo zokusebenza zabo, nokwakha lokho abakubonayo njengokwangempela. Kulolu cwaningo ngigxile ekutheni izimo zokusebenza zothisha zingasetshenziswa kanjani ukuthuthukisa ukufunda nokufundisa isiNgisi njengoLimi Lwesibili ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme zaseZambia. Izinhlosongqangi zalolu cwaningo kwaku-: (I) ukuqinisekisa ukuthi othisha bamabanga aphakeme bakuqonda kanjani ukufundisa i-ESL ngokusebenzisa izimo zabo zokusebenza esimweni saseZambia; (II) ukuphenya ukuthi othisha bakukhumbula kanjani ukufunda i-ESL esimweni saseZambia; (III) ukuthola ukuthi othisha bazichaza kanjani izimo zokufunda kwabo besafundela ubuthisha ukufundisa i-ESL esimweni saseZambia, futhi, (IV) ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izimo zabo zokusebenza zibe namthelela muni ekufundiseni kwabo i-ESL ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme zaseZambia. Lolu cwaningo kwahunyushwa ngokusebenzisa injulalazwi exoxayo. Injongo enkulu yale njulalwazi ukuthi ulwazi luyenelisa kakhulu uma lunikezwa ngendlela yengxoxo kunendlela yokuqakulisana. Isampula yocwaningo lwami yenziwa izikole zamabanga aphakeme eziyisishiyagalombili (08), kanti nothisha abayisishiyagalombili (08) badonswa khona, uthisha oyedwa (1) esikoleni ngasinye. Ngisebenzise kuphela uhlaka locwaningo lwekhwalithethivu, kulandela isu lokuthola ulwazi ngezingxoxo. Ngiqoqe imininingo yami ngokusebenzisa izingxoxo ubuso nobuso kanye nokubukela emaklasini. Ngihlaziye iminingo yami ngokwezindikimba. Imiphumela ephume enhlosweningqangi yokuqala yaveza ukuthi othisha be-ESL bezikole zamabanga aphakeme eZambia baqonda ukufundisa i-ESL ngezindlela eziningi njengoba zivela ezingqondweni zabo, indlela yomthetho eqhwakele phezulu, ukukhuphula ukusabalalisa umthamo wokusebenza, ukuqoqela ndawonye kwezinto ezifanayo kanye nokuzisebenzisa kakhulu. Imiphumela ephume enhlosweningqangi yesibili yaveza ukuthi othisha be-ESL eZambia basakhumbula ukuthi bafundiswa kanjani i-ESL emakhaya abo, emazingeni okufunda okwandulela okuyisisekelo, ezikoleni zamabanga aphansi, ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme, ekakholeji kanye nasemanyuvesi. Ukukhumbula kwasemakhaya kwaveza ukuthi ubungane babo, othisha babo babengavulelekile kwi-ESL kuphela kodwa nakwezinye izilimi ezifana nesiBemba, isiNyanja, kanye nesiTonga. Izimo zabo zokusebenzisa ezinye izilimi zazitholakala esimweni sabo sengqondo mayelana nokufundisa nokufunda i-ESL. Imiphumela ephuma enhlosweningqangi yesithathu yaveza ukuthi izimo zokuqeqeshwa zothisha be-ESL zazencike enanini leminyaka abayifunda, izigaba zokufundisa, izimo ezimbi kanye nezimo ezinhle, ukungqubuzana kolwazi kanye nezingqinamba zansuku zonke ezifana nokugcwala kwamaklasi, ukungabi khona kahle kwezinsiza zokufundisa kanye namazinga aphansi okufunda ngokugeleza phakathi kwabafundi. Imiphumela ephuma enhlosweningqangi yesine yaveza ukuthi, ngokuba nomthelela wezimpilo zabo zokusebenza, othisha be-ESL babukela emaklasini abo bezibandakanya ukufunda nokufundisa okufana nokulungisa izimpawu zokuloba kanye nokuphimisa, ukusebenzisa izilimi ngokushintshana, ukusebenzisa ulimi olulowa, ukungahambisani okwabukelwa, ukusebenzisana kukathisha nomfundi, ukuqoqela ndawonye izinto ezihambisanayo kanye nokusebenzisa izinsiza zolimi okuyinhlanganisela. Ngokubuka le miphumela, ngiphakamisa ukuthi othisha be-ESL baseZambia kumele bakubuyekeze ukuqonda kwabo ukufundisa i-ESL njengoba kubandakanye izinhlaka ezingahlobene bese bethatha indlela ehlanganisayo. Okunye futhi, ngiphakamisa ukuthi ngaphambi kokuthi basebenzise lokhu abakubonayo othisha babo bolimi bekwenza, othisha be-ESL kumele bagqugquzelwe ukuhlola izimo zabo zangaphambili zokufunda i-ESL ngokubuka ngeso locwaningo lwamanje lwe-ESL kanye nendlela yokwenza. Lokhu kungalekelela ekufundeni nasekufundiseni kwabo ukuthi bahlale behambisana nesikhathi futhi beshintsha nesidingo. Uhulumeni kumele futhi adale izikhala ezanele zokufundisa, ufakele othisha abenele be-ESL futhi ukhiqize izinsizakusebenza ezanele ukuze kwehliswe ukugcwala kakhulu kwabafundi futhi banikeze abafundi isikhathi esanele sokufunda i-ESL.

Senyesemane e le puo ya bobedi, se fupuditswe haholo dibakeng tsa diphuputso, Zambia. Kgatello e kgolo e mekgweng ya ho ruta Senyesemane e le Puo Ya Bobedi. Leha ho le jwalo, Senyesemane Puo ya Bobedi (SPB) se na le tse ding tse kang mekgwa ya bophelo ba matitjhere. Ho ya ka mehlodi e sebedisitsweng ya Oxford (2021), ho ba le tsebo ya hao ka lefatshe, ho fumanwa ka ho ba le seabo ho tsohle tse etsahalang letsatsi le letsatsi, ho na le hore e be ka seo o se utlwang ho ba bang. Sena se bontsha kamoo batho ba qapang dintlha tsa lesedi le moelelo ka tsebo ya bophelo boo ba bo phetseng le tseo ba teaneng le tsona ho bona, mme seo se bopa seo ba ka se bonang e le nnete. Diphuputsong tsena, mofuputsi o tadimana haholo le kamoo tseo matitjhere a teaneng kapa a di phetseng, di ka sebediswang ho matlafatsa thuto ya Senyesemane e le Puo ya Bobedi dikolong tsa Zambia tsa sekondari. Boikemisetso ba diphuputso tsena ke (i) ho sibolla hore matitjhere a sekhondari a nahanne jwang ho ruta SPB ho ya ka bophelo ba bona, ho ya ka tjhadimo ya Zambia. (ii) ho hlahloba hore matitjhere a ile a hlahisa ho hopola ha ona jwang ka bophelo boo ba bo phetseng bo ithuta SPB ka moelelo wa Zambia. (iii) ho fumana hore matitjhere a hlalositse thupello ya ona ya ho ruta SPB ho ya ka mokgwa wa Zambia, (iv) ho netefatsa hore na tshusumetso ya bophelo ba bona e bile efe ho ruteng SPB dikolong tsa Zambia tsa sekhondari. Diphuputso di hlalositswe ho sebediswa mokgwa wa ho pheta kapa ho qoqa. Seo mokgwa ona o ipoledisang ka sona ke hore dintlha tsa lesedi di kgolweha haholo ha ho sebediswa mokgwa wa ho qoqa kapa ho pheta, ho feta ha e le mokgwa o nang le kgang. Sampole ya thuto kapa diphuputso tsena tsa ka e entswe dikolong tse robedi (08) tsa sekhondari, moo ho nkuweng matitjhere a robedi (08), ke ho re, titjhere e le nngwe ho tswa sekolong ka seng. Mofuputsi o sebedisitse mokgwa o shebang boleng feela kamora ho sebedisa mokgwa wa ho qoqa kapa ho bua. Datha kapa dintlha tsa ditaba di fumanwe ka ho bua le batho ka ho tadimane le bona mahlong, mmoho le ho lekola se etsahalang ka hara phaposi ya ho rutela. Mofuputsi o sekaseka datha ka ho sebedisa manollo ya mookotaba. Diphumano tsa pele di bontshitse hore matitjhere a Zambia a bona ho ruta SPB ka tsela tse fapaneng, jwaloka tsa mokgwa wa kelello, tsa tlhaloso e latelang molao, pontsho e ngata ya thepa, le tse itshetlehileng ho etsa seo. Diphuputso tsa sepheo sa bobedi di bontshitse hore matitjhere a SPB Zambia, a hopola kamoo ba neng ba teana le SPB ka teng lapeng, dikolong tsa ba banyenyane, dikolong tsa poraemari, dikholetjheng le diyunivesithing. Mehopolo ya lapeng e bile ya ba bontsha hore bongwaneng ba bona, matitjhere a ne a sa hlahisetswe SPB feela, empa le tse ding tse kang Bemba, Nyanja, le Tonga. Ho teana hona ha bona le dipuo tse ding, ke hona ho entseng hore ba be le lesedi ka ho rutwa le ho ithuta SPB. Diphihlello tse hlahang ho sepheo sa boraro di bontshitse, di ne di amana le nako eo ba e sebeditseng, tse ntle le tse mpe tseo ba teaneng le tsona, diphapano ka tsebo, le diphapano tsa letsatsi le letsatsi tsa dikgohlano ka tsebo mmoho le mathata a letsatsi le letsatsi a kang ho tlala haholo ha diphaposi tsa ho rutela, disebediswa tse siyo tsa ho ruta, le ho se tsebe ho bala ha bana. Diphihlello ho sepheo sa bone di hlahisitse hore matitjhere a ne a hatellwa ke tsa bophelo ba bona, ka hona he ba SPB ba ne ba lekolwa hore diphaposing ba tshwaya dintho tse kang matshwao a puo, qapodiso ya mantswe, phapanelo ya dipuo, ho ba sebui sa puo e le nngwe, tshebedisano ya titjhere le bana. Ka baka la diphihlello tsena, mofuputsi o kgothaletsa hore matitjhere a Zambia a SPB a ke a tadime ka leihlo le leng ho ruta ha bona SPB. Ho feta moo, mofuputsi o kgothaletsa hore pele ba etsa seo ba boneng matitjhere a bona a se etsa, matitjhere a SPB a kgothalletswe ho sekaseka mokgwa oo ona ka bowona a rutilweng ka ona. Mmuso le ona o fe matitjhere sebaka se lekaneng, o tlise matitjhere a mangata ho SPB, mme ho fumantshwe disebediswa tse ngata tse hlokahalang ho fokotsa ho petetsana ha bana, mme ba fumantshwe monyetla o monate wa ho rutwa.