Revitalizing Teacher Development Programs for Indigenous African Languages at a South African University

Insights from Qualitative Research

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the challenges of teaching Indigenous languages, focusing on English and isiXhosa instruction at one South African university. The research seeks to assess the effectiveness of teacher development programs in preparing educators for multilingual and culturally diverse classrooms. Guided by an interpretive paradigm, the study employed a case study approach to gain in-depth insights into the participants' experiences. The three lecturers—one teaching English and two teaching isiXhosa—were purposively sampled from the Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching and the Diploma in Adult and Community Education and Training programs. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, allowing participants to reflect on their pedagogical practices and institutional challenges. Thematic analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti, identified four key themes: integration of indigenous languages, incorporation of cultural content in pedagogy, institutional support and professional development, and proposed curriculum enhancements. The findings reveal significant challenges, such as the predominance of English as a medium of instruction, the complexities of linguistic diversity, insufficient institutional support, and a lack of culturally relevant teaching resources. Despite these obstacles, the study highlights opportunities for improvement, including adopting multilingual teaching strategies, increased collaboration across faculties, and the need for curriculum flexibility to accommodate diverse student needs. The study concludes that addressing these challenges requires enhanced professional development programs, more significant investment in resource creation for Indigenous languages, and more vital institutional collaboration. These efforts are essential for promoting a more inclusive, culturally responsive, and linguistically diverse education system in South Africa.