Analyzing the balance of power in the teaching of grade 10 english in multilingual classrooms of Muchinga province in Zambia.
Date
2025
Authors
Mwelwa, Wise
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
Zambia teaches English language as a foreign and second language within its broad framework of post-colonial multilingual Zambia and late-modernity. This scenario came about because of the fact that Zambia and many other countries in the Sub Saharan region of Africa were British
colonies in the early 1900s up to the late 1990s. Therefore, the legacy of British imperialism had left many countries including Zambia with English language thoroughly institutionalized in their courts, parliaments, civil service, schools and higher education, (Manchishi 2004). Therefore, numerous educational inquiry tasks within Zambia have been done and have shown that teachers are implementing CLT among these studies are; (Munakampe 2005, Chishipula 2016, Mwanza, 2017, Mumba 2019, Mwelwa 2020) and one of the critical tenets of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is learner centeredness. However, in all these reviewed studies there was no deliberate look at how teachers exercise, distribute, manage and balance their power as they teach English language in multilingual classes using the recommended Communicative Language Teaching and Text Based Integrated Approaches to the empowerment of student voices. Therefore, the research problem was: How do teachers exercise and balance power in the teaching of grade 10 English language in multilingual classrooms in Muchinga Province? The objectives of the study were to: Investigate teachers’ ideologies about balance of power, analyze how power was exercised and balanced in the teaching of English in multilingual classrooms, establish effects of the balance of power between teachers and learners in the teaching of English in multilingual classrooms and examine the drivers and impediments to the balancing of power in the teaching English. The purpose of this study was to analyze how teachers exercised and balanced power in the teaching of grade 10 English language in multilingual classrooms. The study employed a qualitative approach and a case study research design. Data was collected through interview guides, classroom observation guides and focus group discussion guides. The sample size consisted; 12 secondary schools, 60 teachers and 12 HODs and 48 grade 10 pupils. Data was analyzed thematically. Theoretically, this study was grounded on: Multimodality, Critical Discourse Analysis and Bernstein’s Code and Pedagogic Discourse theories. The main findings of this study; confirmation that multilingualism and linguistic diversity in Muchinga province was a reality. Secondly, the findings revealed that majority of the teachers had full
knowledge of the concept, balance of power, while a few others had some knowledge and others did not have clear understanding. Thirdly, the findings revealed some strategies teachers were employing in ensuring there was balance of power in classes and these were; teachers’ use of
familiar local language, use of learners centered classroom activities and teachers’ negotiation of multilingualism in classes. The study also revealed that balance of power between teachers and learners; aroused learning interests in the learners, built confidence in the learners, made both the gifted and less gifted learners access learning. It further established that: wish for the learners to own their own learning, the desire for the learners to grasp the concept easily, accommodating weaker learners, viewing local languages as resources to aid the learning of English and having compassion for the weaker learners drove teachers to balance power. While use of limited teaching and learning resources, mono-lingual kind of approach to teaching, learners’ lack of English proficiency, unrecognition of other languages present in the classes, some teachers’ lazy attitude of not staying in class during learners’ group discussions, impeded effective teaching of English in multilingual classrooms.
Key words: Text based integrated approach, Syllabus, Communicative competence, English.
Description
Thesis of Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Education in Applied Linguistics.