Comparison of educational facilitation approaches for Grade R English second language learning in Mpumalanga

[摘要] According to South African Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements, learners'first language should be the language of learning and teaching in Grade R.However, there is a mismatch between policy and practice since English is thelanguage of Grade R learning and teaching in rural schools in Mpumalanga. TheECD manager should provide evidence-based guidance on the best facilitationapproach to follow in a particular context.The study is underpinned by:‐ Cummins' distinction between Cognitive Academic Language Proficiencyand Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (Cummins, 2000)‐ Cummins' interdependence hypothesis (Cummins, 2000)‐ Distinction between Implicit versus Explicit learning (Dekeyser, 2003)‐ The Mediated Learning Experience Theory within the poverty context ofSouth Africa where the role of the teacher is seen as the mediator(Feuerstein, 1980)The literature overview focuses on the development of the Grade R curriculum,and two prominent facilitation approaches used in Grade R, the play-based andformal instruction. Research on the effectiveness of each method and languagedebates both internationally (Wong-Fillmore (1991), Bialystok (2006), Cummins(2000) and nationally (MacDonald (1990), Heugh (2000), Alexander (2005),Balfour (2007) and Jordaan (2011) are provided.The aim of the study was to determine the effect of facilitation on Grade Rperformance scores in E-L2 learning in rural schools in Mpumalanga. Teachers'first language, teachers' qualifications, learners' first language, learners' gender, teachers' age and teachers' experience on Grade R learners' performancescores were also tested for interaction effects. Research was conducted in tenrandomly selected schools, equally divided between the play-based and formalinstruction approaches, and five different languages used in the province. Therewere 175 Grade R learners and ten teachers in the study sample. The English Language Proficiency standards assessment tool (ELP) was used to collect dataand is reported to have no cultural bias.A quantitative methodology was followed, using a two-group comparison design.Participants were matched according to learners' age, similar exposure period toE-L2 learning, similar rural upbringing, culture, poverty level and mainstreamlearners. A one-way and two-way ANOVA was used to analyse the data.It was found that the formal approach contributes to better E-L2 learner scoreswhen compared to the play-based approach. The differences in participants'performance scores were mostly observed in the listening scores and not somuch in the speaking scores. IsiNdebele speaking teachers and youngerqualified teachers, who were better trained, achieved better learner E-L2 scoresthan other teachers. Although learners in formal instruction classrooms achievedbetter results, they still did not achieve competency in basic interpersonalcommunicative skills in English after three months in Grade R. There was nointeraction effect between the gender of the learners and the facilitation approachthat was used.A hybrid model, i.e. combination of the play-based and the formal instructionalapproach is proposed to be implemented in rural Grade R classrooms inMpumalanga. Further recommendations are to train teachers in educationallinguistics, teach listening skills to learners and inform parents about the benefitsof first language proficiency before a second language is acquired.

[发布机构] University of Pretoria