Abstract
This paper explores the challenges faced by non-native English speaking learners in a public secondary school located in Cosmo City, Johannesburg, South Africa, of which English is the language of teaching and learning. It discusses various perspectives on English language education, highlighting its benefits for communication and access to better opportunities, and the difficulties faced by these learners.
Cosmo City secondary School is a school where learners and teachers speak various languages, including Tshivenda, Sesotho, Setswana, Sepedi, isiZulu, and isiXhosa. Although English is the main language of instruction in the school, the proficiency of several teachers and students in the language remains poor. Consequently, this language barrier could hinder understanding and academic success. This study aimed at understanding the experiences of black teachers and learners on the use of English as medium of instruction in the classroom at Cosmo City Secondary School. Multilingualism in education was explored as the conceptual framework of this study. It focused on how multilingualism enriches the educational environment by incorporating learners and teacher’s diverse linguistic backgrounds to improve creativity, communication and employment prospects.
The study utilised a qualitative approach as its primary research methodology to explore the experiences of black learners and teachers on the use of English as a medium of instruction in a multilingual secondary school setting. However, the use of questionnaires for data collection introduced a quantitative element to the study, thus making it a mixed-method type of a study; one that was located within an interpretivist paradigm. A case study methodology was employed to facilitate access to the culturally diverse school in Cosmo City. Using purposive sampling, 25 participants, including teachers, learners, parents, and the principal, were selected to provide a variety of perspectives. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, allowing participants to communicate in their preferred language to ensure rich and detailed data. Ethical considerations, such as anonymity and respect, were adhered to encourage participant openness and data quality.
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Findings showed one the one hand that teachers, regardless of background, struggled with English proficiency, and this affected their teaching and learning process. Learners, on the other hand, generally viewed English as beneficial, although some of them struggled with the language due to limited familiarity with it outside school. The study recommended more training and resources for teachers, language support services, parental workshops, peer mentorship programs, and professional development in multilingual strategies to better support learners.