An Investigation into the Use of the New approved Silozi Orthography at high school level in selected schools in Mongu District

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Date
2011-12-07
Authors
Mwendende, Bostor Mundia
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Abstract
This study involved investigating the extent to which the new Approved Silozi Orthography was being used by both teachers and learners in the teaching and learning of Silozi at Grades 10 to 12 in selected schools in Mongu district. Specifically, the research sought to determine whether or not the new Zambian Languages Orthography was being used by both learners and teachers, the availability copies of the new Zambian Languages Orthography in the schools and the attitudes, opinions and views of the teachers and learners towards the new Silozi Orthography. In this study, ten High School teachers provided the data. The data was highly qualitative and the researcher only used quantitative techniques to display tables. Twenty learners’ documents and seven class observations were used too. Simple random and purposive sampling strategies were used in the selection of the required sample. Stratified random sampling was used to select the five High Schools out of the seven in the district. Instruments used included interview schedule and a guide for Focus Group Discussion (FGD), and checklists for documents used by the learners and teachers as well as for lesson observations. In the five High Schools visited, it was evident that none of them authoritatively taught or used the orthography satisfactorily. Most of the teachers did not really seem to accept the new orthography. This negative attitude revelation could also imply that policy issues should never be prescribed to the implementers but be done together with them from the start as stakeholders. Not even a single copy of the new orthography book existed in any of the High Schools. It was evident that learners were not encouraged to use the new approved Silozi orthography in their class work. Some evidence showed that High School teachers, especially those teaching Silozi did not know that government provided funds for procurement of textbooks. The study revealed that where attempts were made, the methods used by the teachers were all testing instead of teaching learners. Some schools did not even have the High Schools Zambian Languages Syllabus. The study also revealed clear mixture of both the new and the old orthography. The study revealed that most teachers of Silozi needed to be given some in-service education on how to teach the new approved orthography. Therefore, though small in size, this study has raised significant facts regarding the use of Silozi orthography namely; under qualified teachers, non-correct teaching and usage by both the teachers and learners. It revealed that the non-availability of copies of the orthography book may have contributed to poor teaching and learning of the orthography in High Schools visited. Most importantly, that curricula issues or changes should never be prescribed to teachers.
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Applied linguistics(silozi)--Study and teaching , Language and languages-orthography spelling-Zambia
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