Learners' and educators' responses on the difficulty in speaking in isiZulu

3.3. Quantitative and Qualitative Research Approaches

4.2.12. Learners' and educators' responses on the difficulty in speaking, reading and writing isiZulu

4.2.12.1. Learners' and educators' responses on the difficulty in speaking in isiZulu

A majority of educators are also of the view that isiZulu should not be a compulsory subject of study. These educators are aware of imposing subjects on learners and its negative consequences. Educators play a significant role in motivating learners and encouraging positive attitudes towards languages and effectively carrying out the language policy. If educators have a positive attitude, it will help to motivate learners to learn a language, albeit if it is optional.

4.2.12. Learners' and educators' responses on the difficulty in speaking,

learners indicated isiZulu as their home language. However, it is surprising to note that 37% of isiZulu L1 learners stated that isiZulu is not too difficult to speak. According to Professor Kwesi Prah of the University of Western Cape, learners find it difficult to speak African languages because they are sent to English-medium schools and that, in some families, both parents communicate in their indigenous languages, but the parents insist that the children be spoken to in English.Prah criticises such South African parents who allow their languages to wither and die. He encourages Africans to follow the example of Asia where indigenous languages are used in education.

(Sowetan 1998)

Bar Graph 12: English L1 learners' responses on the difficulty in speaking isiZulu

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Bar graph 12 illustrates that a majority of English L1 learners (57%) stated that isiZulu is difficult to speak. It is interesting to note that 39% of English L1 learners stated that isiZulu is not too difficult to speak. It could be that these learners have made some attempts to learn isiZulu and they find the language not too difficult to speak, or it could be that they speak Fanakalo, which they consider to be a standard form of isiZulu.

Bar Graph 13: Educators' responses on the difficulty in speaking isiZulu

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From the above Bar Graph, we observe that 48% of educators stated that they find it difficult to speak isiZulu. On the other hand, we notice that 38% of educators do not find it difficult to speak isiZulu. These educators, like their English L1 counterparts, may be speaking Fanakalo, which they do not find difficult to articulate.

4.2.12.2. Learners' and educators' responses on the difficulty in reading isiZulu.

Bar Graphs 14,15 and 16 present the findings of learners' and educators' responses to question Z.34.in the learner questionnaire and question Z.24.in the educator questionnaire.

Bar Graph 14: isiZulu L1 learners' responses on the difficulty in reading isiZulu

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Evident in the above Bar Graph is that majority of isiZulu L1 learners (56%) stated that they do not find it difficult to read isiZulu. It is important to note that 14% of isiZulu L1 learners find it difficult to read isiZulu. This is a cause for concern because it would appear that these learners probably attended former House of Delegates and former House of Assembly schools where they were taught through the medium of English. This could be the reason why they find it difficult to read isiZulu.

Bar Graph 15: English L1 learners' responses on the difficulty in reading isiZulu

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From the above Bar Graph, we observe that an overwhelming majority of English L1 learners (66%) stated that they find it difficult to read isiZulu. A possible reason for this could be that they did not have enough formal exposure to isiZulu in primary schools; or it could be that they learn isiZulu merely for communication where not much emphasis is placed on the technical aspects of the language. This could be the reason why they have not mastered their reading skills in isiZulu.

Bar Graph16: Educators' responses on the difficulty in reading isiZulu

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A striking feature of the above finding is that the majority of educators (73%) find it difficult to read isiZulu. It could be that they were not exposed to the formal aspect of isiZulu in the past. This has affected their ability to read the standard variety of isiZulu.

4.2.12.3. Learners' and educators' responses on the difficulty in writing isiZulu

Bar Graphs 17,18, and 19 present the findings to question Z.35 in the learner questionnaire and question Z.25.in the educator questionnaire.

Bar Graph 17: isiZulu L1 learners' responses on the difficulty in writing isiZulu

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The above bar graph indicates that a large percentage of isiZulu L1 learners (48%) do not find it difficult to write isiZulu. However, a significant percentage of isiZulu L1 learners (17%) have a major problem writing isiZulu. A case in point here is that township learners, who wrote the isiZulu first language paper in 1999, complained that the paper was too difficult and that they found some words difficult to understand. Their limited vocabulary could be attributed to the extensive use of slang, which is fashionable amongst the youth in the townships.

Bar Graph 18: English L1 learners' responses on the difficulty in writing isiZulu

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Again, we observe that the majority of English L1 learners (71 %) have a limited proficiency in writing isiZulu. 24% of these learners do not find it too difficult to write isiZulu. We have already stated that the majority of these learners were not exposed to isiZulu in the past and this could be the reason why they find it difficult to write isiZulu.

From the above discussion on learners' difficulties in speaking, reading and writing isiZulu, we have noticed that a significant percentage of isiZulu L1 and English L1learners find it difficult to speak, read and write isiZulu correctly.

That such a situation emerges is not surprising because African parents send their children to English medium schools because it may further their career prospects. Fishman (1989:206), cautions that" What begins as the language of social and economic mobility ends, within three generations or so, as the language of the crib as well, even in democratic and pluralism-permitting contexts".

Indigenous African languages are likely to disappear if African parents continue to have a high regard for English, at the expense of indigenous African languages.

Bar Graph 19: Educators' responses on the difficulty in writing isiZulu

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Majority of educators (75%) also stated that they find it difficult to write isiZulu.

The reasons for this linguistic scenario have been discussed in the foregoing paragraphs. It is also important that educators be retrained so that they can develop innovative ways of teaching the language, which will enable learners to develop a positive attitude towards the language.

4.2.13. Learners' exposure to isiZulu in the electronic, print media and in

Dalam dokumen A sociolinguistic investigation of the status of Isizulu at former house of delegates high schools in the greater Durban area. (Halaman 133-139)