Factors constraining Grade 12 learners' achievement in Sesotho Home Language

[摘要] English: This study was undertaken upon the realisation that Grade 12 learners at a Secondary School in the Xhariep District throughout the years continued to promote Sesotho Home Language, however, their academic performance in the subject is disquieting. Given that learners have been proficient in Sesotho and have been using the language for purposes such as elicitation of knowledge and communication for almost two decades, the expectation is that learner's cognitive knowledge of the language is sufficient to have learners achieve more that it is apparent. This study set out to find out both linguistic and extra-linguistic factors constraining meritorious learner' achievement in Sesotho Home Language in Grade 12. The study employed a qualitative research approach, using three varying methods for data elicitation: questionnaires, interviews and observation. The data for this study was gathered from learners, parents and a single teacher. The study found out that factors impeding meritorious achievement in SHL include amongst others the inability of parents to voluntarily and constantly help learners with school work, learners attitude towards SHL, the unavailability of reference sources for learners, and linguistic factors such as learners tendency of using multi-codes in their speech has affected their ability to maintain monolingual speech especially in SHL lessons, thereby limiting learners' Sesotho vocabulary. It has also been established that using methods such as code switching and code mixing have negative impact on learner's education for the language under study. Recommendations aimed at addressing identified factors have also been proposed.

[发布机构] University of the Free State