The teaching of literature in English in selected senior secondary schools in the Manzini region of Eswatini = Ukufundiswa kwemibhalo yobuciko ngesiNgisi ezikoleni zamabanga aphakeme esifundeni iManzini Eswatini.

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the teaching of Literature in English in selected senior secondary schools in the Manzini region of Eswatini. The study aimed at addressing three research questions: 1. What literary competencies are taught in Literature in English in the selected schools? 2. How do the teachers teach Literature in English in these selected schools? 3. Why do the teachers teach Literature in English the way they do? This qualitative case study was conducted in three underprivileged senior secondary schools in the Manzini region of Eswatini and was guided by the interpretive paradigm. Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory was employed as the study’s theoretical framework and data was generated through four methods namely: semi-structured Zoom interviews, audio recorded lessons, document analysis and focus group discussions through Zoom. Through qualitative methods of data analysis, three broad themes emerged. These were: literary competences taught in the Literature in English subject, approaches and instructional strategies used, and lastly reasons behind the participant teacher’s way of teaching. The literary competences taught were: content knowledge, language and critical thinking skills, and lastly values and attitudes. The participant teachers employed a number of approaches in their teaching which included: the eclectic approach, learner-centred approach, information-based approach, moral-philosophical approach, reader response approach, and the language-based approach. Teachers’ knowledge and belief on the effectiveness of their instructional strategies coupled with their desire to make a positive contribution to humanity influenced them to use learner-centred methods and taught skills, moral values and desirable attitudes to their learners. However, due to several reasons such as, learners’ poor English language proficiency, lack of resources, inadequate lesson preparation and time constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their teaching was more teacher-centred. It was recommended that teachers strive to prepare well for their lessons and employ more learner-centred strategies, while schools and the Ministry of Education work jointly to avail basic resources such as the literary texts. It was also recommended that a larger study in a different context be conducted in order to get deeper insights in the phenomenon of teaching Literature in English.

Iqoqa.

Lolu cwaningo luhlose ukuphenya ngokufundiswa kwemibhalo yobuciko yesiNgisi ezikoleni ezikhethiwe zamabanga aphezulu esifundeni saseManzini eSwatini. Ucwaningo luhlose ukuphendula imibuzongqangi emithathu elandelayo: 1. Yimaphi amakhono okufundisa imibhalo yobuciko yesiNgisi afundiswa ezikoleni ezintathu ezikhethiwe? 2. Othisha bayifundisa kanjani imibhalo yobuciko yesiNgisi kulezi zikole ezintathu ezikhethiwe? 3. Kungani othisha befundisa imibhalo yobuciko yesiNgisi ngendlela abenza ngayo kulezi zikole ezintathu ezikhethiwe? Lolu cwaningo oluyikhwalithethivu futhi olungolwesimo lwaqhutshwa ezikoleni ezintathu zamabanga aphezulu esifundeni saseManzini kwelaseSwatini. Lezi zikole azinayo ingqalasizinda ngokwanele.Ucwaningo lungaphansi kwepharadaymu yomhumusho. Kusetshenziswe injulalwazi kaVygotsky i-Social constructivism njengensizakuhlaziya kulolu cwaningo. Imininingo yocwaningo yakhiqizwa ngalezi zindlela ezilandelayo: Izingxoxo ezisakuhleleka ezaqhutshwa ngobuchwepheshe beZoom; izifunjwana zothisha eziqoshiwe, uhlaziyo lwemibhalo kanye nezingxoxo zamaqembu. Ngobuchwepheshe be-Zoom, nangenxa yokusetshenziswa kwezindlela zokuhlaziya zocwaningo oluyikhwalithethivu, kwabe sekuvela izindikimba ezijulile ezintathu okuyilezi: amakhono okufunda imibhalo yobuciko esifundweni sesiNgisi, izindlela namasu okusetshenziswayo; kanye nezizathu zokwenza kothisha ekufundiseni imibhalo yobuciko yesiNgisi. Phakathi kwamakhono avelayo ekufundeni imibhalo yobuciko okwatholakala ukuthi ayafundiswa yilawa: ulwazi lwesifundo; yilokho okungamagugu emphakathini; nesimomqondo sabafundi. Othisha ababengabahlanganyeli babesebenzisa izindlela ezahlukene ekufundiseni imibhalo yobuciko yesiNgisi, okuhlanganisa: Indlela ye-eclectic, indlela yokugxila kumfundi kube nguye osemqoka esifundweni; indlela egxile ekunikezeni umfundi ulwazi; indlela ebhekelela ukuziphatha okwamukelekile kanye nesimilo esihle; indlela yokucatshangwa ngumfundi, kanye nendlela egxile olimini. Kwavela ukuthi ulwazi lukathisha kanye nezinkolelo anazo mayelana nokusebenza kahle wamasu nezindlela zokufundisa kwakuhambisana nentshisekelo anayo ekugqugquzeleni ubuntu kubafundi nokuyinto eyayidala ukuthi ezindleleni abazisebenzisayo othisha bagxile kumfundi, futhi basebenzise nezindlela ezithuthukisa amakhono okufunda imibhalo yobuciko kumfundi, ngenhloso yokugqugquzela ubuntu kuyena. Nokho-ke, ngenxa yezizathu ezahlukene, ezinjengokuba phansi kwamazinga abafundi ekwazini ulimi lwesiNgisi, ukuntuleka kwengqalasizinda, ukulungiselela isifundo okungenele kanye nokwentuleka kwesikhathi sanele sokufundisa ubunzima obalethwa wubhubhane lwekhovidi-19, ukufundisa kwabo kwakugxile ngqo kumfundi, njengoba othisha babethatha umfundi njengokuthi nguye ophakathi nendawo, nosemqoka esifundweni esifundiswayo. Ucwaningo luncoma ukuthi othisha bazilungiselele ngokwanele basebenzise nezindlela ezigxile kumfundi, ezibuka yena njengosemqoka lapho kusuke kufundiswa. Ngaphandle kwalokhu, ucwaningo luphinde luncome ukuthi izikole kanye noMnyango WezeMfundo kumele kusebenze ngokubambisana ekutholeni ingqalasizinda eyanele ezosiza abafundi, okuhlanganisa nezincwadi zokufunda. Ucwaningo luphinde luncome ukuthi kube khona ucwaningo olubanzi kunalolu, oluzobheka eminye iminxa esondelene nokufundisa kwemibhalo yobuciko yesiNgisi ukuze kutholakale ulwazi olujulile nesithombe esicacile mayelana nokufundiswa kwemibhalo yobuciko yesiNgisi, efundwa ngolimi lwesiNgisi.