Abstract
Background: Effective vocabulary instruction underpins learners’ oral and reading
comprehension; however, persistent comprehension difficulties in South African schools
linked to limited vocabulary teaching highlight the need to strengthen preservice teachers’
instructional capacity.
Objectives: This study examined how engagement in iterative cycles of practice, supported by
coaching and reflection within mixed reality simulation (MRS) microlessons, enhances
preservice teachers’ isiZulu vocabulary instruction in the Foundation Phase.
Method: A qualitative interpretive case study design was used, drawing on lesson
observations, coaching and reflection sessions, and focus group interviews. The study involved
19 second-year university students in Johannesburg preparing to teach isiZulu Home
Language reading in Foundation Phase classrooms.
Results: Preservice teachers initially struggled with appropriate word selection, systematic
instruction, and the provision of learner-friendly definitions, resulting in fragmented
explanations and limited learner understanding.
Conclusion: Engagement in MRS microlessons, coaching, and reflection discussions
improved participants’ ability to select, explicitly teach, and clearly explain vocabulary,
thereby enhancing learners’ contextual understanding.
Contribution: The findings of this study show that integrating MRS microlessons, coaching,
and reflection discussions strengthens preservice teachers’ vocabulary instruction and
supports their preparation to address comprehension challenges in South African classrooms
through simulated practice, feedback, and reflective approaches that transform teaching
practices into effective and inclusive ones.