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Ndhivhuwo Ndou, University of the Free State, South AfricaAbstract
Despite the efforts of the national Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in terms of endeavouring to meet the diverse needs of learners, learners’ limited exposure to the English language, Teacher’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TCPK) and teacher’s level and kind of English used in the English First Additional Language (EFAL) classroom remains questioned especially in diverse and multilingual schools located in farm and township areas. The study, based on Lynch’s Context Adaptive Model, used classroom observations and interviewed seven participants to assess the effectiveness, quality and impact of the EFAL/ESL teaching programme in quintile 1 schools of Motheo district in the Free State province. The sample included one Free State Department of Education EFAL subject advisor, two principals, two HODs and two EFAL teachers. Using the qualitative method to collect and analyse data, the findings revealed a misalignment between the national curriculum and the EFAL needs of learners in farm and township schools. Hence, it is concluded that language programmes for the EFAL teaching in both farm and township schools may be designed without fully considering the socio-economic realities of these learners, leading to a gap in effective EFAL instruction. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the language programme for the EFAL should be reviewed continuously involving ongoing feedback from teachers to ensure that it aligns with the evolving needs of learners. By addressing inequalities in EFAL facilitation, such efforts could ultimately establish a more unified and equitable approach to language teaching across schools, regardless of their background.
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