Abstract
This study investigates the educational value of Google Translate as a writing support tool for Grade 10 isiZulu-speaking learners. The study sheds light on and attempts to address persistent challenges, especially in multilingual classrooms where students must produce high-quality English-language work despite limited language resources. This study is guided by Cognitive Load Theory, as proposed by John Sweller, and Second Language Acquisition Theory, as outlined by Stephen Krashen. It primarily examines how learners interact with GT, assess its usefulness and limitations, and develop methods to integrate it into their everyday writing process.
The study employed a qualitative case study design within an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected through pre- and post-GT writing tasks, a learner survey, and semi-structured interviews with participants from a multilingual secondary school. Data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase model to identify recurring patterns in learners’ experiences and writing development. Findings revealed that GT enhanced learners’ grammatical accuracy, vocabulary range, and confidence by reducing the cognitive demands of second-language writing. Learners reported that GT helped them complete tasks more efficiently and encouraged them to experiment with new expressions. However, the study also identified challenges including overreliance on GT, unnatural phrasing, and translation inaccuracies, especially for idiomatic and culturally specific expressions. Importantly, learners demonstrated emerging digital literacy by selectively revising and adapting GT outputs rather than copying them verbatim, signalling a shift toward more reflective and strategic tool use.
The study concludes that GT can serve as a pedagogical scaffold when integrated purposefully into classroom writing instruction. It recommends teacher-mediated approaches that encourage learners to critically evaluate, compare, and refine GT translations. By situating machine translation within process-oriented writing pedagogy, this research contributes to understanding how digital technologies can support equitable, multilingual language learning in South African schools.