An analysis of the strategies teachers use to integrate children’s home languages in the teaching process in selected preschools in Luampa district of Zambia.
Date
2025
Authors
Zulu, Peggy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
The study analyzed the strategies teachers use to integrate children’s home languages in the teaching process in selected preschools in Luampa district of Zambia. The study sought to address five research objectives: the first aimed to establish the language situation in preschool classes of Luampa district of Zambia. The second was to determine the strategies teachers use to integrate children’s home languages in their teaching processes in preschools of Luampa. The third was to ascertain the print language environment in the school settings. The fourth was to determine language application challenges that teachers and learners face in the teaching and learning processes and the fifth was to propose guidelines that teachers can use on the integration of children’s home languages in the teaching processes. Using a qualitative mode of inquiry, the study adopted a descriptive research design. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires, interview guides, class observations and document analysis. The study used a homogeneous and convenient type of purposive sampling technique and was restricted to 6 preschools. The total sample size was 36 respondents comprising 6 Headteachers from each preschool, 12 preschool teachers (all teachers from the six preschools), and 18 parents to preschool learners. Lessons were also observed from 6 classes of preschool learners comprising 28 to 42 learners in each class. Content analysis was used to analyze the data where themes, codes and key words were generated from. The findings of the study show that Luampa district has several local languages spoken including Silozi, Mbunda, Chokwe,Luchazi, Luvale and Nkoya. Mbunda has the highest number of speakers and it is the majority language. The study also show that teachers used a number of strategies to integrate children’s home languages and these included translanguaging, codeswitching, creation of learning corners, storytelling and picture reading as well as translation. The results on the third objective show that much of the print environment in Luampa is Silozi Language. The results for forth objective show that some learners of Mbunda background had challenges learning in Silozi and some teachers were unable to codeswitch from Silozi to Mbunda and others did not even know both Mbunda
and Silozi. The study recommended that the government should consider a trilingual language in education policy in Luampa where Mbunda, Lozi and English can be used simultaneously in classes to reflect what is happening on the ground.
Keywords: translanguaging, codeswitching, translation, bilingualism, multilingualism
Description
Thesis of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics.