You are teaching Grade 10 Physical Sciences at a township school in Soweto. Your class of 45 learners includes: • 20 learners who speak isiZulu as their home language. • 15 learners who are Sesotho speakers. • 5 learners who speak Xitsonga. • 5 learners who are immigrants from Zimbabwe and ...
HED4814 Assessment
PORTFOLIO
(COMPLETE
ANSWERS) 2025 -
DUE January 2025
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, Scenario 1: Language Barriers in a Township School (Grade 10 Physical
Sciences)
1. Language Barriers Analysis
1. Scientific Terminology in English:
o Many scientific terms are abstract and unfamiliar. Learners often lack prior exposure to
such vocabulary, leading to difficulty connecting these terms to their real-world
contexts.
o Example: Learners may not understand "photosynthesis" because they lack both the
linguistic and conceptual grounding in English.
2. Class Participation Challenges:
o Fear of judgment and limited English proficiency prevent learners from confidently
sharing ideas.
o Overuse of English-only teaching excludes learners from expressing themselves fully.
3. Group Division Along Language Lines:
o Shared home languages create a comfort zone in group work, but this limits cross-
language collaboration and exposure to English.
4. Parent Communication Barriers:
o Parent-teacher interactions are hindered by language gaps, leaving parents uninformed
about how to support their children academically.
2. Psychological Theories Application
Cummins' BICS and CALP Framework:
o Learners often have conversational fluency (BICS) but struggle with the cognitive
academic language proficiency (CALP) needed for science learning.
Vygotsky's Socio-Cultural Theory:
o Emphasizes that language learning is socially mediated. Home languages and peer
support are critical scaffolds.
3. Practical Strategies for Multilingualism
1. Create Multilingual Resources:
o Provide bilingual/multilingual glossaries with scientific terms translated into isiZulu,
Sesotho, Xitsonga, and Shona.
o Include images or diagrams to reinforce understanding.
2. Encourage Code-Switching:
o Allow learners to explain concepts in their home languages during discussions, then
gradually transition into English.
3. Peer Collaboration Across Language Groups:
o Form mixed-language groups and assign roles, such as a "translator" or "reporter," to
promote interaction.
4. Use Visual and Experiential Learning:
o Demonstrate concepts using models, videos, and experiments, which minimize reliance
on language.
5. Teacher Professional Development:
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