I also demonstrate the implications of the attitudes of these stakeholders for the implementation of the current language-in-education policy. This is followed by a discussion of the language-in-education policy in South Africa, from 1953 to the present day.
Introduction
Research methodology
In the next chapter, I discuss the data collection methods I used in this study. As Cohen and Manion wrote, "triangulation can be defined as the use of two or more methods of data collection in the study of some aspect of human behavior". In order to ensure the reliability of my results, I therefore adopted a questionnaire as a means of collecting data of a factual nature and semi-structured interviews as a means of verifying the findings.
I believed that these were the most appropriate instruments for this study considering time, expense and, most importantly, their potential reliability. In the next section, I will explain in detail the different methodologies I used, their rationale, advantages and disadvantages.
Questionnaires
The pilot study
Before the pilot phase, the draft questionnaires were submitted to my supervisor for further input, as suggested by Kidder & Judd (1986:233). Thus, one of the goals was to eliminate any ambiguity or difficulty in wording, to check whether the instructions were clear and whether the questions were too long or too short, too easy or difficult. Another purpose of conducting a pilot study was to control how much time would be spent.
As part of the pilot study, I then asked the same students who completed the questionnaire to ask their parents to complete it as well. After analyzing the answers, I made some adjustments to the student and parent questionnaires, as there were some misunderstood questions.
Design of the questionnaires
This choice serves to emphasize the preference for early introduction of English as a medium of instruction. As shown in Table 5, the majority of respondents from Ridge Park (73%) show a strong preference for English to be used as the medium of instruction instead of isiZulu. Approximately half of the respondents from Mziwamandla prefer English to be used as the medium of instruction, rather than isiZulu.
The majority of respondents from both schools now show a strong preference for isiZulu to be taught as an examination subject rather than as a medium of instruction. To me, the responses of respondents especially from Mziwamandla, show mixed feelings about the medium of instruction issue.
Administration of questionnaires
Interviews
Administration of the interview
At the end of the pilot test, the questions and answers were reviewed to correct omissions, revise the order of the questions and mainly to identify ambiguities or points where there had been confusion. I was lucky because the annual schedule of both schools was suitable for the last parent meeting of the year at the end of September. Before interviewing the respondents, I explained the purpose of the interview and emphasized that I would not tape-record their conversations.
Nisbet and Entwistle (1974:42) note that at the beginning of the interview "the most important task is to build rapport, establish contact and allow the subjects to feel at ease". Another advantage was the flexibility the interview offered, in that I could ask for an elaboration or redefinition of the answer if it seemed incomplete or ambiguous.
Conclusion
On the other hand, the majority of respondents from both schools indicated that they are good at all four skills in isiZulu. From the previous presentation of the findings, it is clear that respondents from both schools have mixed feelings about the role that English/isiZulu should play as a medium of instruction. The table above reveals that a significant majority of respondents from both schools choose to introduce English and isiZulu as medium of instruction as early as Year 1.
Most of the above reasons were consistent with those given by students from both schools for introducing English as a medium of learning in grade 1. Most importantly, teachers, as the main stakeholders, should actually play a crucial role in the implementation of language -in the education policy.
DATA ANALYSIS
Background information on the two schools where
It is clear that, according to these statistics, the majority of students at this school are black and are native IsiZulu speakers. The school caters for students from grades 8 to 12, and isiZulu is taught as a second language. The school caters only to black students, boys and girls, whose first language is mainly isiZulu.
Like Ridge Park College, the school caters for students from Years 8 to 12, but isiZulu is taught as a first language.
Learners' questionnaire
On the other hand, 33% of Ridge Park respondents would also prefer isiZulu to be introduced as LOL T in the same grade, while 37% of respondents from Mziwamandla would also prefer English to be introduced as LOL T in grade 1. 30% of respondents from Ridge Park College and only 7% of respondents from Mziwamandla High School believe that isiZulu should not be introduced at all as the language of learning across the entire curriculum. This response is consistent with the vast majority of respondents, especially from Ridge Park College (93%) and 37% from Mziwamandla who choose English to be introduced as early as Grade 1 as the LOL T and the reasons they provided for such a choice, as discussed above.
On the other hand, the average percentage of respondents from Mziwamandla who prefer English to isiZulu as a language of learning surprised me as the majority indicated earlier that their comprehension of English was not as good as IsiZulu (Table 1 & 2), and the majority respondents from this school chose isiZulu to be introduced as the medium of learning already in grade 1 (Table 3). 16% of respondents from each school expect to use both languages for both private and public domains.
Educators' questionnaire
It must be assumed that educators with longer teaching experience are likely to be more aware of issues related to the choice of teaching medium. It is clear that they both view the medium of learning and teaching in terms of future "job interviews" and "market opportunity". 34; It is not practical to use isiZulu as a medium of learning given the books, resources etc.
As can be seen from the above table, the majority of respondents from both schools clearly prefer English as the medium of instruction. A large number of respondents from both schools prefer isiZulu to be taught as an examination subject rather than as a medium of learning.
Parents' questionnaire
I decided to include in this piece some reasons in favor of isiZulu as a medium of learning and teaching, to emphasize that teachers see the need to raise the status of indigenous languages in this country, which I see as a step towards recognizing multilingualism. There was a similarity between the responses of parents and students regarding the level of understanding of English, with the majority of respondents from Ridge Park College claiming to understand everything, while the majority from Mziwamandla indicated that they understood most and not all. , this was said in the English medium when they were still in school. As with student responses, the validity of parent responses is questionable.
This perception echoes some of the tenets of what has come to be known as the "English-only argument". In the last part of the questionnaire, responses revealed that the majority (80%) of parents from Ridge Park College and half (50%) from Mziwamandla foresee their children mainly using English in their future occupations, while isiZulu will not is used at all in this situation, but will mostly be used in private domains.
Interviews
While most choose English as LOL T, some see the need to raise the status of indigenous African languages. In the concluding chapter I use the analysis of the data presented in this chapter to discuss the implications of these language attitudes for the implementation of language-in-education policy in general. I will then describe the implications of the findings for the implementation of language policy in education in general.
34; the preference for English as a medium of instruction is the result of strong pragmatic incentives due to the socio-economic mobility associated with the language and its traditional place in commerce." Based on the findings of this thesis, it is clear that the implementation of the current language policy in education is still problematic.
Conclusion
IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
Summary of the findings
It is clear from the overlap between the answers made by learners, educators and parents in their choice, that both languages are introduced as the teaching medium as early as grade 1. There is a clear commonality in learners', educators' and parents' responses in their strong support for English as the LOL T across the curriculum and isiZulu as an examination subject. The responses given by learners, educators and parents from both schools during the interviews also show higher support for English than for isiZulu as the medium of instruction in all subjects.
English is considered by educators and parents as a language that will dominate their children's future lives. This suggests that students, educators and parents envision a future in which the status quo will not change in terms of language hierarchy.
Implications of these language attitudes for the implementation
Recommendations to policy makers with regard to the
African languages should be promoted for administrative and working purposes at the highest levels of this country to raise the status of these languages. This means that competence in one of the African languages should become one of the requirements for access to employment in both the public and private sectors. It is of great importance that people become aware of the economic, political, cultural and educational value of their languages.
In support of this position, De Wet notes with concern that "a policy to develop and promote indigenous African languages is unlikely to be successful without the active support and participation of the community it targets". To do this successfully, they need to gain a better understanding of the policy, what it aims to achieve and how to achieve it, so that they can give it their full support.
Limitations of study and further research
Conclusion
1995) National additive bilingualism: towards a language plan for South African education. eds), Multilingual Education fo,-South Africa. Would you prefer English: (Tick in cross) to be taught as an exam subject at your school to be taught as a non-exam subject at your school. Would you prefer isiZulu : (Tick) to be taught as an exam subject at your school to be taught as a non-exam subject at your school.
Would you prefer English: (Tick) to be taught as a sub-examination in schools to be taught as a non-examination subject in schools. Would you prefer isiZulu : (Tick) to be taught as an examination subject in schools to be taught as a non-examination subject in schools.
