The Impact of Teaching All Subjects in Mother Tongue in the Foundation Phase of Selected Schools in Warmbaths Circuit, Waterberg Education District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to critically examine the challenges faced by foundation phase educators when attempting to teach the various learning areas in the mother tongue of the learners and how these can possibly be overcome. Potential solutions should consider the respective roles that can be played by learners, educators, parents and the Department of Education. The study intends to contribute valuable empirical data on the significance of all role-players in the implementation of mother-tongue education in schools in the Waterberg circuit. The study also aims to contribute to the potential overall improvement of educator performance in the instructional process. The population of this study is comprised of selected managers (principals and heads of departments (HODs), educators, and learners, who are the primary role players in the context of this study. The study was limited to three schools and one circuit in the Waterberg Education District, which were randomly selected.

To conduct this study, the researcher used the qualitative approach, using structured questionnaires and interviews to collect the relevant data from the selected participants within their respective schools. Additionally, this study used the interpretivist research paradigm, which acknowledges the subjective diversity of how learners process and interpret the pedagogical information they are provided with in the classroom during the educational process. Once the data was collected, it was analysed and categorised in terms of the emergent themes.

The most significant finding of this study was the major significance of mother tongue in the education of foundation phase learners and how mother tongue usage evidently improved the learners’ overall educational and personal development. The transition to mother tongue instruction will undeniably be a major challenge to all role-players, but the potential benefits should outweigh all the short-term obstacles. Given the right training and materials, as well as extensive managerial and departmental support, educators and learners should be able to achieve tangible results in the medium to long-term academic years.