CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS
4.2 AN ANALYSIS OF DATA FROM SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
4.2.8 Resources for Teaching isiZulu Literacy
The question posed to the teachers was: “What other teaching resources do you use when teaching isiZulu literacy in the Grade 1 classroom?” The aim of this question was to understand the factors that influence teachers when teaching isiZulu literacy and to know the different resources used when teaching literacy. Teachers responded by stating that, they did use different resources, e.g. DoE workbooks, big books, small books/readers, pictures,
56 magazines and textbooks. However, some challenges were identified with using some of the resources as shown below.
DBE workbooks
All teachers mentioned that they used DBE workbooks as one of the resources when teaching literacy in Grade 1. They identified some challenges they had experienced regarding the workbooks. The challenges included insufficient time for learners to do workbook activities at school, and, as a result, these were given to them as homework.
Teacher A: Enye inkinga ngawo ukuthi asikho kahle isikhathi sokwenza ama activities e workbook eskoleni, noma sibanika as homework, abanye abazali bamane bababhalele nje ikakhulukazi laba abangakakwazi ukuzifundela ngabodwana. (The other problem we have been having is that there is not enough time to do the workbook activities at school, and when you give them as homework, some parents write for them, especially those who cannot read on their own.)
Another finding, observed by teacher B, was that workbooks were written in a dialect different from the standard isiZulu. Teacher B, in a response regarding the workbooks, commented that:
Teacher B: Siyawasebenzisa impela ama workbooks kodwa enye inkinga yawo ukuthi abuye angeneli zonke izingane. Abuye abhalwe ngolimi oluhlukile olungafani ncamashi nalolu olusethsenziswa kulendawo. Nezinyanga zonyaka kwazona bazibhala ngeSingisi esiyisiZulu njengokuthi uDisemba bangasho ukuthi uZibandlela. (We use learners’ workbooks but we sometimes experience problems of shortages. The other challenge we have seen is that they sometimes use language that is not the same as the language used in this area. They also write months of the year by just translating from English to isiZulu like “Disemba” instead of writing it in isiZulu as “uZibandlela”.) Big books
All six teachers mentioned that they also used big books in the teaching of literacy in Grade 1.
They mentioned that the big books were at the appropriate level for the learners and that they had many pictures and less print. Teachers C, D, E, and F identified the shortage of these
57 books as a problem. As a result, they shared the books with other teachers, and they repeated the stories many times. Teacher C responded as follows:
Teacher C: Sisebenzisa nama big books akwi level yabantwana ukufundisa ukufunda nge shared reading, noma ke enganele siwasherisha nabanye othisha kwa Grade 1 siphinde siyifundise siyiphinde nangaphezu kuka 3 nje ngonyaka. Sikhetha ama big books anezithombe eziningi nombhalo olula ongemuningi futhi. (We also use big books when teaching reading in isiZulu. We choose big books that are at their level, with a bold print, more pictures, and less print. The challenge we have been having is that there are not enough, which results in us sharing with other teachers in Grade 1 and also repeating the same book even more than three times.)
Small reading books
All teachers stated that they also used small reading books at the end of the second term.
These are used when learners can read most of the words on their own. They further stated that they used small books for group guided reading and individual reading. They commented that the small books were similar to the big books they had.They are in a group of six books that can be used by individual learners in a group. Teacher B responded as follows:
Teacher B: Uma sekophela I term yesibili, sebekwazi ukufunda amagama amaningi sisebenzisa ama small books ukwenzisa I group guided reading kanye ne individual reading. Ama small books ahamba nga six. Ayincwadi encane kodwa ethathelwe encwadini enkulu eyi big book. (At the end of the second term when they can read, we then use small books for group guided reading and individual reading. The small books are in groups of six which is the small book version of the big book.)
Pictures and newspapers
All teachers mentioned that, in addition to the books, they also used pictures from magazines and newspapers when teaching literacy in Grade 1.
They used the look-and-say method when teaching phonics. Below is the response from teacher B:
58 Teacher B: Sibuye sisebenzise izithombe from ama magazines noma from u newspaper ukufundisa abantwana. Ngingathatha isithombe sikatamatisi, ngibabuze ukuthi babonani, futhi lelogama liqala ngamuphi umsindo. (We also teach by using pictures from magazines or newspapers where maybe you teach the letter “t”. I show learners the picture of a tomato and ask them what is in the picture. The learners will respond that they see “utamatisi” (tomato). That is when the teacher tells them that this is the sound –t- as in tomatoes “umsindo katamatisi”.)
Textbooks
All teachers reported that they also used textbooks for reading. They all stated that the textbooks are used when learners have mastered the sounds well. They read short stories made of words from the sounds they have learned. The teachers stated that learners read short stories in the textbooks that are based on the sounds learned. This gives them the skills to read independently. Teacher F stated as follows:
Teacher F: Sibe sesibanika incwadi uMasihambisane ukuba bafunde ndatshana enalolohlamvu akade belufunda. (We then give them a short story to read from uMasihambisane that is based on those sounds they were learning.)
Teaching resources such as pictures, newspapers, the DBE workbooks, big books, textbooks, were an important factor in teaching literacy in isiZulu. Hence, teachers reported challenges in the shortages of resources.