Evaluating English curriculum delivery in the intermediate phase in UMmkhanyakude District Primary schools

Parents and communities have only the opportunities to choose their preferred language for learning and teaching (LoLT) in the foundation phase. The Department policy allows schools in South Africa to use English as their LoLT from the intermediate phase upwards. Education is one aspect that measures the power in all countries, and that is why the government has the responsibility to make sure that the curriculum is efficiently achieved. The only key aspect that could assure the achievement of the curriculum is the Language of learning and teaching. This study is, therefore aimed at evaluating the English curriculum delivery in the intermediate phase at Umkhanyakude Primary schools. The study was motivated among other things by the fact that Language is continuously reported as the failing subject. It was necessary also to evaluate the department's continuous language interventions like Jika Imfundo. The study was guided by four research aims which were establishing the nature of English curriculum delivery, support and supervision in the intermediate phase, determining the educators’ experiences in the implementation of the English curriculum, ascertaining the extent to which curriculum delivery enhances the quality of teaching and learning in schools and the strategies that can be employed to improve English curriculum delivery, support and supervision in the intermediate phase. The theory underpinning this study was constructivism which the researcher regarded as the most suitable to evaluate the English curriculum delivery. In language learning, constructivism suggests that knowledge is developed from the existing knowledge. This study made use of the case study research design using qualitative approach in order to identify and evaluate English curriculum delivery in the intermediate phase in primary schools of the Umkhanyakude District. Five clustering primary schools in the Umkhanyakude District were purposively selected. Using one-on-one interviews, observations and document analysis as the research tools the target population comprising of fifteen participants who are teachers, departmental heads and principals, the study yielded the results for this study. The main findings of this study found that Language was the key to the success of the curriculum. It also established the link between the Language and curriculum not for communication purposes only but success in learning. Furthermore, the findings revealed curriculum vi | Page delivery of the Language is facing many challenges which range from personnel, poor learner performance, time on task and lack of resources. The study recommends the use of cooperative learning strategies, including Jika Imfundo, as the best strategies in the teaching of the Language. A proposed monitoring tool was designed for the purposes of monitoring of the teaching of a Language. This research presented language as the key to the success of the curriculum and established the link between the language and curriculum not for communication purposes only but for success in learning.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Zululand

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Mlambo, Winile

• Curriculum
• Language of Learning and Teaching
• school management teams

Licence

• https://devspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/f9ef9207-c485-406a-a6fb-5d8e262ff384/download