Exploring the Implementation of Sesotho Home Language Curriculum Content and Pedagogy in Higher Education Classrooms

Abstract

This study examines the practical realities of teaching Sesotho through direct classroom observations, which is essential for understanding how pedagogical strategies, curriculum goals, and linguistic practices align or fail to align in actual teaching environments. The study explores the implementation of the Sesotho home language (HL) curriculum content and pedagogy within higher education institutions. It uses the Curriculum Alignment Theory (CAT), which focuses on aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment. A qualitative case study approach was adopted to focus on four lecturers from the Faculties of Humanities and Education at a single university. Data were gathered through classroom observations and analysed using thematic analysis. Lecturers highlight a significant tension between the sequencing of curriculum content and pedagogical approaches, as well as between shifting policy objectives and the practical realities of the classroom. The findings underscore the lecturers’ need for varied strategies to align curriculum content with pedagogy, supporting curriculum reform that equips preservice teachers with the necessary knowledge to teach Sesotho effectively.