Teaching and Learning of the Mother Tongue Siswati as a First and Second Language: A Comparative Study (original) (raw)

Entrenching the mother tongue siSwati in the education system of the Kingdom of Eswatini has become a concern over the past years. Finally, to fulfil the socio-linguistic needs of learners in the Kingdom of Eswatini, with all efforts exhausted in the senior level of schooling, the mother tongue siSwati is taught both as a first and second language. The major objective of the descriptive study was to compare the syllabus for EGCSE siSwati as L1 and L2 using content analysis in terms of the objectives, assessment strategies and teaching resources. Information from the content analysis revealed that both EGCSE siSwati L1 and L2 curricula are skills-based and learner-centred with L2 getting more into technology. However, the skills assessed in L1 are soft whilst, those assessed in L2 are visible and practical. Additionally, both L1 and L2 demand physical and electronic resources. The two curricula differ in terms of the content, objectives and assessment strategies. Significantly, the content for EGCSE siSwati L2 does not have the modern literature and culture as well as grammar components; the assessment objectives for L1 integrate language, literature and culture whilst L2 objectives are an integration of the practical receptive and productive language skills. Whilst, there are prescribed texts for L1, there are no prescribed texts for L2. The assessment for L1 is standardised and traditional whilst for L2, it is the alternative assessment. In conclusion, L1 is more of a knowing curriculum whilst, L2 is more of a doing curriculum. The study recommends that teaching and learning of L2 should offer a great opportunity for the inclusion of ICT in the teaching of siSwati and the need to improve the use of alternative assessment.