Reading Strategies of isiXhosa Home Language in the Foundation Phase in Chris Hani East District, South Africa

Xolelwa Marongo ORCID iD, Pretty Thandiswa Mpiti ORCID iD & Kufakunesu Zano ORCID iD

Issue: Vol.5  No.16 Issue Article 28 pp.3032-3042
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202451628 | Published online 24th December, 2024
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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The learners’ poor reading performance is a culmination of a couple of factors because teachers are deficient in subject understanding that is needed to teach initial reading in African languages, including the isiZulu home language, effectively. Thus, this study explored the reading strategies of isiXhosa Home Language (HL) in the Foundation Phase (FP) in Chris Hani East District, South Africa. Data was gathered through individual semi-structured interviews with two Foundation Phase teachers in one primary school in Chris Hani East District, the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants. The findings revealed that learners can experience success through practising and consolidating new skills and understandings while also receiving appropriate support from home if homework is moderately given to them. Moreover, parental influence and parental involvement in children’s reading often result in positive achievement for the child. Besides, participating in teaching workshops and observing the methods used by others could be very beneficial. The study concluded that there is low interest in reading among FP learners in isiXhosa HL, and the study’s contribution is that this low intake of isiXhosa HL can be enhanced by a strong collaboration between FP teachers, the Department of Education, and parents or guardians. The study recommends that foundation phase teachers need adequate training in teaching reading isiXhosa HL in the FP to enhance their knowledge of phonological awareness and their inability to teach it effectively.

Keywords: Reading Strategies, Isixhosa Home Language, Foundation Phase, Phonological Awareness, Parental Involvement

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Ms Xolelwa Marongwe is an isiXhosa teacher in the Foundation Phase and a linguistics specialist. She is actively engaged as both an educator and a postgraduate student at Walter Sisulu University, contributing to the advancement of language education.

Dr. Pretty Thandiswa Mpiti is a linguist and Deputy Executive Dean at Walter Sisulu University. She specialises in teaching and researching First Additional Languages, with a focus on integrating digital literacy and technology into language education. Her work emphasises innovative approaches that combine linguistic expertise with technological advancements to enhance learning outcomes.

Dr. Kufakunesu Zano is a researcher at Walter Sisulu University, Faculty of Education, South Africa. His research interests include English first additional language, translanguaging, multilingualism, code-switching and translation.

Marongo, Xolelwa, Pretty Thandiswa Mpiti, and Kufakunesu Zano. “Reading Strategies of isiXhosa Home Language in the Foundation Phase in Chris Hani East District, South Africa,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 5, no.16 (2024): 3032-3042. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202451628

© 2024 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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