Download Lifelong learning: overcoming the language barrier at the Vaal

Lifelong learning: overcoming the language barrier at
the Vaal Triangle Technikon, South Africa
Noreen McFarlane, Jacques Vermeulen, Vaal Triangle Technikon,
South Africa
Paper presented at SCUTREA, 33rd annual conference, University of Wales, Bangor,
1-3 July, 2003
Introduction
The role of English as the medium of instruction at tertiary level in South Africa has been a
contentious issue for some time as South Africa has 11 legislated official languages. The
legislated language of instruction is English which gives rise to a number of problems related
to the learning process. To the vast majority of South Africans, English is a second or third
language of communication, which leads to problems pertaining to English language
proficiency within the learning environment. The aim of this paper is to discuss the
relationship between the problems related to the levels of English language proficiency of
learners and the method of teaching, applied within the context of lifelong learning.
The context of lifelong learning
McClelland (2001) states that lifelong learning reflects a holistic view of education and
recognises learning in and from many different environments. Based on this view the authors
describe lifelong learning as an all-purposeful learning activity, undertaken on an ongoing
basis with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence. Lifelong learning
contains various forms of education and training:-formal, non-formal and informal;
individually, in a group setting or within the framework of social movements.
The Unit for Lifelong Learning at the Vaal Triangle Technikon, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa,
has been involved in various training and developmental activities since 1991. These
activities include affordable short-term training and development programs, based on fitness
for purpose; in-house training on request from industry, commerce and the community with
the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence on an ongoing basis. The Unit prides
itself on offering courses that transfer directly usable skills thus engaging in meaningful
lifelong learning activities.
The barrier to English proficiency: the South African situation
The language policy of South Africa, as stated in the South African Constitution, Act 108 of
1996 (South Africa, 1996), aims to redress the injustices of the apartheid era, where two
languages, namely English and Afrikaans, were given status and privilege over all other
languages. Eleven languages made up of nine African languages together with English and
Afrikaans are now recognised as the official languages of the diverse South African
population (Barry, 2002). However as a result of the functional and economic value attached
to English both nationally and internationally, the economic survival of the African language
population requires high levels of proficiency in English.
As the legislated language of instruction at tertiary level is English and 80% of the South
African population also choose English as the language of learning and instruction (Barry,
2002), this gives rise to a number of problems related to lifelong learning. To the majority of
South Africans, English is their second or third language of communication, which leads to
problems pertaining to English language proficiency. These problems include interpersonal
communication skills, verbal expression and understanding; skills that impact on the
acquisition of skills and the demonstration of outcomes required within the social context in
which lifelong learning occurs.
Over the last six years 90% of the registered learners at the Vaal Triangle Technikon speak
English as a second language (Vaal Triangle Technikon, 2003). This has a significantly
negative impact on the academic success of the learners (de Beer & Raijmakers, 1997).
It stands to reason that learners cannot conceptualise or reason effectively if they are not
competent in communicating via the language of instruction. It is unrealistic to expect
learners to engage in the process of critical thinking if they can barely construct a sentence or
paragraph, or for that matter analyse a text and argue a point in a language which is not their
mother tongue (van den Berg, 2000). Language development is thus important, not only in
itself but also due to the role of language in learning and thinking, with regard to social
interaction and intellectual growth (Chamot, 2002).
Language, literacy and communication are intrinsic to human development and central to
lifelong learning (Wessels and van den Berg, 1998). Literacy is understood as a creative
activity, through which learners can begin to analyse and interpret their own experiences and
then make connections between these experiences and those of others (Narsee, 2001).
According to Freire (1973) it is in this sense that literacy is connected to language, grounded
in the historical and cultural background of the learner and centred in the personal and social
construction of meaning.
Overcoming the barrier to English language proficiency in lifelong learning
Due to the increasing number of learners from culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds and the lower achievement levels of these learners, educators now focus on more
effective learning and instructional approaches for these learners (de Beer & Raijmakers,
1997 and Waxman, Padron and Knight, 1991). These approaches are targeted towards
improving the learners’ higher-level thinking rather than just increasing a mastery of basic
skills (Waxman, Padron and Knight, 1991).
Language teaching within the South African context
In terms of the outcome-based approach to education as accepted by the South African
Qualification Authority (SAQA) (South Africa, 1995), the teaching of languages falls under
the learning area of Language Literacy and Communication. One of the outcomes that is
specified is that learners should display critical awareness of the way in which language is
used (South Africa, 2002).
The first specific outcome of the learner area is to develop the learner’s comprehension of the
way in which language is used to reflect and manipulate people’s convictions, actions and
relationships (Niemann, Swanepoel and Venter, 2000). The skills of reading, listening and
observing are emphasised. Clayton (2000) indicates that it is reading that promotes the
essential cognitive development skills one must process in order to succeed in adult life.
Comprehension is the focal point of the reading process as it involves relating vocabulary to
experience; understanding ideas, concepts and processes; recognising relationships; making
comparisons; drawing inferences; reflecting, interpreting and reading between the lines. As
these skills are mastered, comprehension occurs and leads to one being able to critically
evaluate ideas, which is necessary within all fields of learning (Pienaar, 2000).
The second important specific outcome of the learning area – Language Literacy and
Communication – is that learners use language in order to learn (South Africa, 1995). This
can be interpreted as the intrinsic value of language as an instrument for problem solving,
decision making and creative thinking – critical and evaluative –that needs to be developed
across the entire curriculum of further education (Niemann, Swanepoel and Venter, 2000).
Teaching methods applied
In lifelong learning environments, educators should put more control of the learning
environment into the hands of the learners (Wilson, 1995). The learning environment should
encourage learners to become active learners – learning material should be relevant and
connected to real life situations. Emphasis should be placed on outcomes: in other words
what the learners become and understand in the end (South Africa, 1997).
In order to help students master the cognitively demanding academic and abstract content of
instruction at tertiary level various developmental programmes have been introduced in South
African tertiary institutions. These programs typically include a course in English that runs
for one academic year of perhaps three contact hours per week for the academic year of 28
weeks (Ayliff, 2001).
However learners that register for lifelong learning activities, designed and presented by the
Unit for Lifelong Learning at the Vaal Triangle Technikon, South Africa do not have access
to the courses aimed at improving academic English for tertiary level learners. Thus to
overcome the English proficiency problems related to lifelong learners, as well as to attain the
outcomes specified by SAQA, the authors applied the method of Socratic teaching from a
constructivist perspective to the teaching of skills-based learning programs. Lifelong learning
instructional programs are aimed at the acquisition of skills and the demonstration of
outcomes, regardless of the language barrier.
From the constructivist perspective, educators should create learning situations where learners
can build their own knowledge through an active learning process. With active learning,
learners create patterns, rules and strategies through hands-on or imagined experimentation.
Learners become ‘self questioners’ as learners rely heavily on multiple sources of information
in the process of learning (Steffe & Gale, 1995). Constructivist learning experiences include
reflective thinking and productivity, including learner collaboration and consideration of
multiple perspectives. Constructivist orientated educators mediate between learner prior
knowledge and new knowledge, creating learning environments that help the learners to
develop increasingly complex understandings and skills (Richardson, 1997).
This leads to Socratic teaching; a method whereby educators encourage inductive learner
thinking and active learner participation by means of questioning (Friedlander, 2003).
Socratic teaching is the oldest teaching tactic for fostering critical thinking. In Socratic
teaching the focus is on giving learners questions not answers in order to develop an
enquiring, probing mind. The abilities gained by focusing on the element of reasoning in a
disciplined and self-assessing way and the logical relationships that result from such
disciplined thought, enable learners to connect to real life situations and events during the
learning process (Friedlander, 2003 and Anon, 2003).
Application of the teaching methods
To demonstrate the application of the teaching method employed by the authors, the Intro
Engineering program offered by the Unit for Lifelong learning at the Vaal Triangle
Technikon will be used as an example. Intro Engineering is a ten-week program presented by
the Unit for Lifelong Learning, which aims to improve prospective students mathematical,
science and communication skills.
Limited English proficient learners often experience difficulties in learning mathematics that
have little to do with processing mathematical ideas (Reyher & Davison, 2002). The
difficulties centre on the learner’s language processing ability (Reyher & Davison, 2002).
Davison and Pearce (1992) report that English and mathematics are usually treated as two
different subjects with teachers of mathematics rarely seeing part of their jobs as helping
students to improve their language skills. However as success in the field of Maths and
Science is related to the student’s ability to relate vocabulary to experience; to understand
ideas, concepts and processes; to recognise relationships; to draw comparisons and inferences;
to reflect, interpret and to read between the lines (Communication skills), an integrated
approach to teaching is thus utilised in the Intro Engineering program.
Table 1 identifies typical skills enhancement techniques used for the subject Mathematics,
linked to principles of Communication
Table 1: Typical skills enhancement techniques applied in Mathematics linked to
Communications
Method
Example
1. Direct use
Copying information from the board, the text or a worksheet
2. Linguistic/ translation
Writing the meaning of a formula in complete sentence meaning
3. Summarising/ Interpreting
Explaining how to solve a problem in the learner’s own words
4. Applied use
Having learners write their own story problems
5. Creative use
Having learners write a report on a mathematical project
Source: Davison, and Pearce, 1992.
Learners’ past experience with mathematical terms can assist in giving meaning to new
mathematical terms. The introduction of a new term should be carefully orchestrated through
repetition in a mathematical context, through saying the term out loud and spelling it (Reyher
and Davison, 2002). Questions relating to the context of the mathematical term should also
be asked thus enabling the learner to connect to real-life situations and events – an aim of
Socratic teaching.
Table 2 identifies typical skills enhancement techniques used for the subject Communications,
linked to scientific concepts. Students were asked to write a user’s manual on how to replace
a brake disc pad. The manual had to be clearly and logically structured.
Table 2: Typical skills enhancement techniques applied in Communications linked to
Science
Teaching aids
Learning techniques applied
Teaching methods

Compilation of a user manual
Language proficiency.
Language techniques applied included: thesaurus,
alternatives, basic structure of a sentence, spelling,
punctuation, abbreviations, grammar and report
writing
Real life application.
Write a manual on how to replace a brake disc pad,
based on the teaching material received.
Research application.

The topic had to be researched in the library, or on
the internet and conduct interviews with workshop
mechanics.
Life skills orientation.
Life skills applied included: time management,
conflict resolution, assertiveness, problem-solving,
planning and listening skills amongst others.
Source: Sutherland, McFarlane & Vermeulen, 2002.
Images of a
motor
vehicle
brake
system
distributed
to the
students.
A short
descriptive
explanation
accompanie
d the
images.






Question and
answer sessions
Whole group
discussions,
Lectures,
Buzz groups,
Small group
discussions and
Problem-based
learning.
It can be seen that the integration of mathematics, science, reading, writing, speaking and
listening activities fits the whole language approach to instruction (Reyher & Davison, 2002)
and that a learning situation is created through which the learner acquires knowledge and
skills through active learning – the constructivist perspective.
Findings and conclusions






The Socratic teaching method as applied from a constructivist perspective, appears to not
only lead to the acquisition of lifelong learning skills but also to overcome the language
barriers experienced by limited English proficient learners.
The success rate of learners that have registered with the Unit for Lifelong Learning,
measured via continuous assessment and client feedback, has increased since the
implementation of these teaching methods.
Empirical data relating to the success of the teaching method outlined in this paper are
presented in the poster entitled ‘Demonstration of the relationship between meaningful
lifelong learning, English language proficiency and teaching methods.’
In conclusion the study of language should form part of a curriculum in order to
overcome the language barrier faced by limited English proficient lifelong learners.
Effective instruction should activate or assess learners’ prior knowledge; model or
illustrate appropriate learning strategies and connect both prior knowledge and learning
strategies to new learning objectives such as the acquisition of new skills.
The goal of effective instruction should be to shift the responsibility of learning from the
educator to the learner.
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