Translingual teaching of creative writing in grade four classrooms in the Shiselweni region of Eswatini
Date
2022-08
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University of Zululand
Abstract
This mixed-methods study was anchored on the theory translanguaging to explore the possibilities of using translanguaging in teaching creative writing in grade four (Grade 4) classrooms in the Shiselweni region of Eswatini. The study aimed to answer three research questions. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to help understand these questions. Qualitative data were collected through lesson observations and semi-structured interviews, while quantitative data were collected through a Solomon four quasi-experiment on learners’ competencies in creative writing. Two sampling techniques were used, namely random and purposive. From a population of nineteen schools (N=19), for the quantitative data, random sampling was used in selecting four schools. Purposive sampling, aligned with the qualitative aspect of the study, was used to get four teachers (n=4) whose classes participated as intact groups. Qualitative data analysis was through a thematic approach, while the statistical analysis of the quantitative was through the SPSS version 21 to establish measures of mean and standard deviations. A paired t-test of Levene's Test for Equality of Variances was used to determine the results to compare means and establish whether the results were statistically significant. Teachers reported being grounded in a monolingual stance while practically, they used both siSwati and English. During lesson observation, learners used siSwati in the English lesson covertly. The quantitative analysis showed that learners’ competency in creative writing was high when the language of input was English, and the language of output was siSwati. The study proposes a model for translingual pedagogy to be used in teaching creative writing in Grade 4.
Description
A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Curriculum and Instructional Studies in the Faculty of Education, University of Zululand, 2022.