IMPROVING QUALITY OF PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES IN ENGLISH AS A LANGUAGE OF LEARNING INSTRUCTION

Abstract

The issue of language of learning and instruction in communities with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, globally and in South Africa, is always shaped by socio-economical, political, ideological and hegemonic factors. The language of instruction and learning in South Africa is politically charged, not only because of colonial legacy, but more profoundly because of the apartheid legacy. This article reports on the results of the pedagogies of teachers teaching in English. The researcher found that most non-native English teachers use their native language pronunciation when teaching English, which results in mother tongue interference. On-native speakers end up transferring articulation habits of first language to second language. There is thus a need to improve quality in pedagogical practices in this diverse South African background since the language of instruction is different from the learners' first language for the majority of the population. The research in this article aims to investigate current pedagogic practices engaged by teachers from different cultural backgrounds when teaching English as a medium of instruction and how their practices affect learners in acquiring knowledge of the English language. The study uses an interpretive paradigm and in particular, adopts social constructivism to embed discussions. The study mainly implements a qualitative approach although the quantitative approach is used to quantify biographical data. The researcher found that two educational systems seem to exist in South African schools: some educators use English as a medium of instruction only, whereas others allow code switching. Education thus becomes a reproductive mechanism of social class differences.