Reflection on students’ use of English and isiXhosa in meaning-making at a higher education institution

Abstract

Translanguaging has emerged as an effective pedagogical method in various educational settings where the language of instruction differs from the students’ native languages. In this article, I explore the use of English and isiXhosa in teaching and learning for meaning-making at a higher education institution. Through a task-oriented approach, the study analysed the feedback provided by third-year students enrolled in a communication module about an assignment topic Language and gender. The assignment questions focused on Lakoff’s thoughts on language and gender, and where students were expected to discuss the theory and relate it to their everyday sociocultural situations. The study employed linguistic ethnography techniques to collect data from 12 isiXhosa mother tongue third-year students at a university in the Western Cape, South Africa. From the 12 students only six assignments were selected for the purpose based on their responses which implemented the use of translanguaging in the discussions of the theory of language and gender. The findings reveal that students were inclined to employ both isiXhosa and English in their discussions to enhance comprehension and conceptualisation effectively. Students further demonstrated the ability to apply their cultural knowledge to interpret theory, validating and legitimising their cultural repertoire in academic learning. To enhance multilingualism in South Africa’s higher educational institutions, it is imperative to incorporate indigenous languages into the teaching and learning process to foster equal linguistic opportunities. The study suggests that a translanguaging pedagogical approach can be utilised effectively by educators to evaluate the efficacy of knowledge acquisition and meaning-making. Furthermore, the article illustrates that translanguaging pedagogy establishes an inclusive and enriching learning environment that serves the best interests of all students while also addressing matters of social justice.