Challenges faced by student teachers when teaching through the medium of mother tongue during school based studies

a case for Katima Mulilo campus bachelor of Education 4 (Pre and Lower Primary) students

Abstract

This paper reports on a study that investigated challenges faced by Bachelor of Education (Pre and Lower Primary) final year University of Namibia students at Katima Mulilo Campus when they taught through the medium of mother tongue during School Based Studies (SBS). The study is located in the interpretive paradigm and is an intrinsic case study. It is shaped by the school of thought that supports the use of mother tongue as the medium of instruction in lower primary classrooms. Two students at two different School Based Studies support schools were studied. Data were collected by using interviews and classroom observation. One student teacher taught in Grade 2, and the other one taught in Grade 3. Both were interviewed and their lessons were observed. Interviews and observations were transcribed and translated into English. The results of the study show that Pre and Lower Primary Bachelor of Education final year student teachers faced various challenges with regards to the use of mother tongue as medium of instruction during SBS. The challenges ranged from their inability to express themselves fluently in the target language (Silozi in this case); difficulties in translating concepts from English into Silozi (mother tongue) since the curriculum is in English; writing words; planning lessons in the target language; a lack of materials in line with topics, more especially topics of integration. The study recommends that the Silozi orthography should be made available to all the schools in the region; teachers should receive intensive training on how to teach through the medium of Silozi; lessons that are taught through the medium of Silozi should be planned in Silozi and not in English; there should be Silozi dictionaries to assist teachers with translation. Finally, there should be relevant Silozi teaching and learning materials.