FACTORS INFLUENCING PERFORMANCE IN THE LEARNING OF ISIZULU AT EKURHULENI SOUTH DISTRICT SECONDARY SCHOOLS BY SIBONGILE MARGARET MKHOMBO SUBMITTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF 1. MASTERS OF ARTS IN THE SUBJECT AFRICAN LANGUAGES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: DR M.R. MASUBELELE DECLARATION I declare that Factors influencing performance in the learning of IsiZulu at Ekurhuleni South District Secondary Schools is my own work. All the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references in the text and in the list of sources. This study has not been submitted previously for any degree or examination to any other university. ………………………. ………………………… Signature (MRS S.M MKHOMBO) DATE i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the Almighty for giving me strength and wisdom during the compilation of this study. Philippians 4:13 says:” I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me”. I would also like to thank my supervisors DR MR. MASUBULELE and DR N. MASUKU who took their time to assist me and also directed my studies. I want to thank all the people who assisted in conducting the research. Mostly, I want to give special thanks to my two beloved sons, Neo and Blessing, who gave me the moral support when I started writing this dissertation. I do not want to forget my late husband Bernado Antonio Tsoka, who stood by me when I started the whole process, may his soul rest in peace. Special thanks to my late parents Amos and Flora Mchunu including my family for giving me good foundation in my life. To my pastors, Felile Maseou and Billy Dali, from the Body of Christ Ministries for encouraging me through thick and thin. Finally, I would like to thank Dr Sam Ngobese, the principal of Lethukuthula Secondary School in Katlehong for encouraging me to pursue my post graduate studies. ii Table of Contents DECLARATION ........................................................................................................... i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................... ii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ vi KEY TERMS ............................................................................................................. vii ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................ viii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1: ............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 1.2 THE PROBLEM STATEMENT ...................................................................... 4 1.3 AIM OF THE STUDY .................................................................................... 5 1.4 METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................... 5 1.5 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................. 6 1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS .............................................................................. 8 1.7 DELINEATION OF CHAPTERS .................................................................. 11 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY ............................................................................... 13 2.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 13 2.2 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................ 13 2.3 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACH ................................................ 14 2.4 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH APPROACH ................................................... 15 2.4.1 Data collection ...................................................................................... 17 2.4.1.1 Sampling .............................................................................................. 17 2.4.1.2 Questionnaires .................................................................................... 18 2.4.1.3 Observations ....................................................................................... 21 2.4.1.4 Interviews ............................................................................................. 21 2.5 Statistical data ............................................................................................ 23 2.6 Data analysis ............................................................................................... 24 2.7 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................ 25 iii CHAPTER 3: STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF GRADE 12 ISIZULU RESULTS ......... 27 3.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 27 3.2 EDUCATION AND EXAMINATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA .......................... 28 3.3 GRADE 12 ISIZULU RESULTS IN THE EKURHULENI SOUTH DISTRICT ................................................................................................... 29 3.3.1 Thokoza schools ................................................................................... 33 3.3.2 Katlehong schools ................................................................................ 41 3.3.3 Vosloorus schools ................................................................................ 44 3.4 GRAPHS INDICATING SYMBOLS AND LEVELS ..................................... 53 3.5. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................ 59 CHAPTER 4: LANGUAGE VARIETIES AND ATTITUDES WHICH HAVE A BEARING ON LEARNER PERFORMANCE IN ISIZULU IN THE EKURHULENI SOUTH DISTRICT ................................................................. 61 4.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 61 4.2 LANGUAGE VARIETIES ............................................................................ 61 4.2.1 The influence of the other languages on the speech of isiZulu learners63 4.3 THE ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE LEARNING OF ISIZULU AND HOW THESE ATTITUDES INFLUENCE PERFORMANCE IN THE EKURHULENI SOUTH DISTRICT ..................................................................................... 73 4.3.1 Analysis of data drawn from observation ............................................. 75 4.4 THE INFLUENCE OF THE MEDIA ............................................................. 78 4.5 ATTITUDES OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC TOWARDS AFRICAN LANGUAGES ............................................................................................. 79 4.6 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................ 80 CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS ............... 81 5.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 81 5.2 THE AIM OF THE STUDY .......................................................................... 81 5.3 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................ 81 5.4 FINDINGS ................................................................................................... 81 5.5 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................... 83 iv 5.6 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................... 84 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................... 86 APPENDIX A: LETTER TO GDE/DISTRICT OFFICE, PRINCIPALS, EDUCATORS, LEARNERS AND PARENTS ................................................................................... 94 A CONSENT FORM FOR LEARNERS, EDUCATORS AND PARENTS .............. 95 APPENDIX: B QUESTIONNAIRES FOR THE LEARNERS ..................................... 96 APPENDIX: C SUMMARIES OF THE INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS ....................... 100 APPENDIX D: QUESTIONNAIRES FOR PARENTS ............................................. 106 APPENDIX E: INTERVIEWS OF PARENTS .......................................................... 111 APPENDIX F: QUESTIONNAIRES FOR EDUCATORS ........................................ 113 EVALUATION FORM TO BE FILLED IN BY EDUCATORS ............................... 114 APPENDIX G: WRITTEN CONSENT FORM FOR THE RESEARCH PROJECT FOR LEARNERS ............................................................................................................ 115 APPENDIX H: WRITTEN CONSENT FORM FOR THE RESEARCH PROJECT FOR EDUCATORS ......................................................................................................... 116 APPENDIX I: SECONDARY SCHOOLS FALLING UNDER EKURHULENI SOUTH DISTRICT ............................................................................................................... 117 v ABSTRACT SUMMARY The background in this study is that over the years analysis of grade 12 results in Ekurhuleni South District indicates that most secondary schools obtain 100% pass rate but not quality results isiZulu home language. IsiZulu home language quality results often range from 20% to