African learners' perception of vernacular language in disegregated schools
This study contributes to the debate which is still going on about African languages and the need for its recognition in desegregated schools. This study reveals the historical background of the indigenous African languages in South African Education and the international trends on languages in the few countries which have been selected on the literature review of the study. It is clear that vernacular language problem is not in South African desegregated schools only but even other countries internationally. They have the problem of their languages being dominated by other languages for example English. In Great Britain, English has been spread throughout the various islands to the extent that only a very small 'Celtic Fringe' remains to remind people of linguistic diversity that once existed. Today, an attempt is being made to stop decline of the Celtic languages. In France, they are also facing the problem of vernacular languages which are declining but in recent years the state has found it necessary to meliorate its French-only policy and recognize at last the existence of other languages. The study further reveals the importance of language to everybody especially African people who need recognition of their languages in the desegregated schools. The study also highlights the problems that are encountered by African learners who are in desegregated schools. The importance of language has been pointed out in order to highlight the role vernacular language plays to pass information from generation to generation. This is done through mother tongue communication which starts from childhood. It is important then, that our learners should know their vernacular languages so that we can not lose our identity and the value of our language by forgetting our roots which we gain from our vernacular languages. Problems which have been highlighted have proved that the learners will not cope well in these schools if their African languages are not considered, since the learner learns well through understanding the subject matter in his language first, before understanding it through the second language. The stress the African learners in desegregated schools usually experience is mostly the result of the language. Research data have proved that whereas African learners and their parents have appreciated the admission of African learners by the former Model C schools, they still value their own language, which is the mother tongue. They want their mother tongue to be taught by being considered as a language of learning. The analysis has indicated that the African learners would be happy for their mother tongue to be recognised. Since the Ex-Model C schools have mixed racial groups the recommendations given provide suggestion of African languages being taught to all racial groups. Different methods to help the educators in multiracial classrooms have been given including guidelines and principles for multilingualism and approaches to multilingualism. Therefore the results of this investigation might be the positive ones as the recommendations given have a variety of methods which might assist the educators and learners.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations