Exploring the Teaching of Reading for Comprehension in IsiZulu Home Language:A Bibliometric Review
Sindisiwe Cynthia Msani 
Issue: Vol.5 No.5 Issue Article 15 pp.768-783
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20245515 | Published online 21st May, 2024
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Reading literacy has attracted the attention of a growing number of researchers in recent times. Though it is seen as an essential competency, thorough bibliometric analyses on the subject are lacking within a few African contexts, one of which is reading for comprehension in the isiZulu home language. This study attempted to fill this gap, by selecting 95 articles through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol (PRISMA-P) method and leveraging tools such as VOSviewer, CitNetExplorer’s visualization citation network, and counting techniques. The results indicated that South Africa is a central player, experiencing a notable increase in publications over the past decade. Authors such as Probert, Paulsrud B., Tian Z., Toth J., Port R.F., McKinney C., Tyler R. Moodley V., and Wildsmith-Cromarty R. stand out, alongside prolific journals like English-Medium Instruction and Translanguaging, Language Learning, and Language Teaching. Crucial topics identified include Cultural Context, Language Proficiency, Interactive Read-Alouds, and Differentiated Instruction. The results emphasized the pivotal role of reading motivation in formal education, highlighting the complex nature of online activities. The study concluded that the field of research on teaching reading for comprehension in isiZulu has evolved into a well-established and cross-disciplinary field, with South Africa leading in contributions and collaborations, and anticipates continued growth which will solidify isiZulu reading instruction as a promising and enduring subject of study.
Keywords: isiZulu, Home Language, Reading Comprehension, CitNetExplorer, PRISMA-P, Bibliometric Review, Community Involvement
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Sindisiwe Cynthia Msani has a Bachelor of Education from the University of KwaZulu-Natal; B. Ed Honours from the same university specialising in isiZulu; and a Masters in Education in Language and Arts, specializing in isiZulu. She has been awarded a PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand in May 2024, graduating in July, 2024. She is a former educator (2010-2018). Since December 2018, she has been working as a lecturer at higher education institutions (private and public). She has participated in many programs to promote African languages. She is the first person to write PhD thesis in isiZulu at Wits School of Education. She is currently working as a lecturer at Wits School of Education, teaching isiZulu FAL and Home Language. She is very passionate about promoting African Languages. Her research interests include code-switching, multilingualism, multiculturalism, inclusive education, sociolinguistics, teaching pedagogies, and language policies.
Msani, Sindisiwe Cynthia. “Exploring the Teaching of Reading for Comprehension in IsiZulu Home Language: A Bibliometric Review,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 5, no.5 (2024): 768-783. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20245515
© 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/).
