https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/2877 2026-05-05T15:11:47Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32301 Academic literacy challenges of multilingual first-year students : a case study of university students in Namibia Kamwi, Beven Liswani Academic literacy, particularly academic reading and writing is linked to academic achievement. Students attending university should possess the necessary language and academic literacy proficiency to succeed in their studies. The purpose of this study was to examine the language and academic literacy challenges, especially of first-year students at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Namibia. The study investigates the nature of academic literacy difficulties that multilingual first-year students face while studying at NUST and the adaptation strategies they use; and thus establishes the implications for the design and teaching of the academic literacy programmes. The study was informed by the academic literacies framework (Street, 1984; Lea and Street, 1998) anchored in the New Literacy Studies (NLS) which conceptualises literacy as social practice across contexts, a shift of focus from just skills acquisition (Gee, 1991; Street, 1996). The NLS involves the recognition of multiple literacies, varying according to place and space, and contested relations of power (Street, 2003). A sample of 645 first year students who were attending the ‘English for Academic Purposes’ course and 6 English language lecturers who were teaching the course at NUST formed part of the study population. The student sample was selected through convenience sampling technique, while lecturers were chosen using purposive sampling. It is a case study set within mixed methods (convergent/parallel) research design centred on understanding the challenges of academic literacy of first-year students at NUST and the strategies they use to adapt. The quantitative data were collected through the closed-ended items of the survey, while the qualitative data were collected through the open-ended items of the survey, interviews, and a report writing task. Findings indicated that the first-year students at NUST encountered several language and academic literacy-related challenges. They mainly included lack of academic reading and writing skills, poor citation/referencing, research and information skills, and the inability to use technology including virtual/online learning platforms. The study concluded that the identified challenges seriously impeded the students’ academic progress. The study recommended that NUST should continuously revise and update the content and pedagogy approach of the current core courses including English for Academic Purposes to ensure that they are aligned to the literacy needs of students and to remain relevant to changing needs. Also, it recommended the university to enhance its early alert programme used to identify underprepared students, to ensure that students at risk are identified early enough and assisted. The study also proposed a model to improve academic literacy at NUST and higher education in general in Section 7.4. This was on the premise that academic literacy is firstly fundamentally intertwined with students’ transition from school to university and, secondly, how effectively students are inducted to the new norms and cultures at university. 2024-03-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32297 Language and political ideology : a critical discourse analysis of fourth Republic Nigerian Inaugural Presidential speeches between 1999-2015 Aninwe, Sandra Uloma Harry Language embodies the channel through which political beliefs and ideologies can be communicated. However, the extent to which this is manifested in the language used by politicians in inaugural speeches has not been sufficiently investigated in the context of a diachronic study and in the context of Nigeria as a nation. Hence, this study argues that Nigerian presidential inaugural speeches between 1999 and 2015 construct ideologies through discourse and discursive features that reveal the socio-political situation of Nigeria. The study employed two theoretical frameworks: Halliday's Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) and Wodak's Historical Discourse Analysis, which is a version of the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The CDA helps analyse the political ideologies, discourse features, discursive patterns, historical contexts and the manifestation of political power in the speeches. The chosen theories aid the study in accounting for modal and clausal functions of the speeches and the link between history and the speech being investigated. On the other hand, the SFG helps investigate the nature of the mood structure and patterns and how they help resonate with political ideologies. Six speeches by former Nigerian presidents were purposely sampled for the study. These include the inaugural speeches of Presidents Obasanjo in 1999 and 2003, Yar' Adua in 2007, Jonathan in 2010 and 2011, and Buhari in 2015. The study found that Nigerian presidents both explicitly and implicitly communicate ideology in the examined inaugural speeches. The historical accounts of the speeches show that each speech is special in its own right as they signal landmark changes and events in the political history of Nigeria. In terms of the explicit ideology, the study found out that Obasanjo and Jonathan in 1999, 2003, 2009, and 2011 greatly relied on the use of religious ideology as a rallying ground and ideological underpinning compared to Yar’Adua and Buhari in 2007 and 2015, whose speeches were more framed in a business-like pattern and straight to the point. On the implicit side, Obasanjo, in Obasanjo I, pushes the reformational and divinity ideologies; in Obasanjo II, the healer and the divinity ideology are foregrounded. In Yar’Adua, the self-diminishing and mitigation ideology that puts power in the government's institutions rather than individuals is deployed. Also, Yar'Adua deploys democratic reform, sincerity, and change ideologies. In Jonathan I, loyalty to Nigerians and political structures and personalities is communicated as an ideology. In Jonathan II, reformation and the people's motivation for unity and progress are communicated as the main ideologies. Then, in Buhari, the democratic reformation ideology is mainly communicated. 2022-08-15T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32288 Translation strategies employed in Kgosi Henry wa bone by M. O. M. Seboni: a focus on cultural and linguistic nuances Ditsele, Pemla Translations of existing literature into other languages were one of the tactics employed by early authors to bridge the area that has not yet been explored or is under-explored in the literature of various African languages. Setswana is no exception in the matter. The aim of this study is to analyse the translation strategies used by Seboni in the drama, Kgosi Henry wa Bone . The objectives of the study include to examine how the translation strategies used by Seboni to address cultural and figurative nuance differences between English and Setswana and evaluate the impact of the translation strategies used by Seboni on Setswana culture and language preservation. To achieve this, the study employed two theories that will serve as the theoretical foundation for this investigation, namely: the Skopos theory and Descriptive Translation Studies theory. The study is qualitative in nature. Data was collected through document analysis of both the English and Setswana drama books. The study reveals that Seboni used both domesticating and foreignising strategies to balance cultural authenticity and linguistic accessibility in preserving the source text’s essence while enhancing reader understanding and engagement. The study concluded that successful translation balances cultural fidelity and linguistic clarity, with Seboni’s work demonstrating how strategic choices foster meaningful cross-cultural understanding.; Phetolelo ya dikwalo tse di setseng di le teng mo dipuong tse dingwe e ne e le nngwe ya maano a a neng a dirisiwa ke bakwadi ba bogologolo go kgabaganya lekala le le iseng le batlisisiwe kgotsa le le batlisisitsweng go le gonnye mo dikwalong tsa dipuo tse di farologaneng tsa SeAforika. Setswana ga se tlhaolege mo kgannyeng e. Maikaelelo a thuto e ke go sekaseka mekgwa ya phetolelo e e dirisitsweng ke Seboni mo terameng ya Kgosi Henry wa Bone. Maikaelelo a thuto a akaretsa go sekaseka gore mekgwa ya phetolelo e e dirisitsweng ke Seboni e samagane jang le dipharologanyo tsa setso le tsa tshwantshiso fa gare ga Seesimane le Setswana le go tlhatlhoba seabe sa mekgwa eo ya phetolelo e e dirisitsweng ke Seboni mo setsong sa Setswana le mo tshomarelong ya puo. Go fitlhelela se, patlisiso e e dirisitse ditiori tse pedi tse ng jaaka motheo wa tiori wa patlisiso e leng,Tiori ya Skopos le Tiori e e Tlhalosang Phetolelo. Patlisiso e, ke ya mokgwa wa khwalitatifi . Dinewana di kgobokantswe ka go tlhatlhoba ditokomane tsa dibuka tsa terama ya Seesimane le Setswana. Patlisiso e senotse gore Seboni o dirisitse mekgwa e mebedi, e leng, mokgwa wa go dirisa mokwalo wa tshimologo mo selegaeng le mokgwa wa go dirisa mokwalo wa selegae wa naga e sele go lekalekanya boammaaruri jwa setso le phitlhelelo ya puo, a boloka botlhokwa jwa mokwalo wa tshimologo fa a ntse a tokafatsa tlhaloganyo le seabe sa mmuisi. Patlisiso e sweditse ka gore phetolelo e e atlegileng e lekalekanya boikanyegi jwa setso le bophepafatsi jwa puo, mme tiro ya ga Seboni e supile gore ditshwaelo tsa mekgwa di tsweletsa pele kutlwisiso e e nang le bokao ya ditso tse di farologaneng. Abstract in English with Tswana translation 2025-11-01T00:00:00Z https://ir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/32269 The impact of translanguaging in the teaching and learning of Xitsonga in selected private schools in the Collins Chabane local municipality in the Vhembe district of Limpopo province Maluleke, Risenga Paulos Translanguaging has emerged as a dynamic pedagogical approach in multilingual classrooms, particularly in contexts where indigenous languages intersect with dominant languages. In South Africa, the teaching and learning of Xitsonga in private schools presents unique challenges and opportunities for language development, identity formation, and academic achievement. This study examined the Impact of translanguaging practices on the teaching and learning of Xitsonga in selected private schools within the Collins Chabane Local Municipality in the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province. The primary aim of the study was to investigate the impact of translanguaging on the teaching and learning of Xitsonga. Specific objectives included examining how teachers and learners engage in translanguaging during classroom interactions, understanding the pedagogical strategies employed to facilitate translanguaging, evaluating the cognitive and social implications of translanguaging for learners, and assessing the role of translanguaging in promoting linguistic inclusivity and academic performance. The study adopted a qualitative research design. Data was collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews involving 18 learners and 6 Xitsonga teachers from six private schools across two circuits in the Vhembe District which were sampled through a purposive sampling method. Thematic Content Analysis was employed to interpret the data, allowing for the identification of recurring patterns and insights. The analysis was guided by two theoretical frameworks: the Semantic-Cognitive Theory, which focuses on meaning-making and cognitive processing in language use, and the Social-Pragmatic Theory, which emphasizes the social context and communicative functions of language. The findings revealed that translanguaging was a prevalent and effective strategy in Xitsonga classrooms. Teachers and learners fluidly alternated between Xitsonga and English to clarify concepts, scaffold learning, and foster deeper understanding. Translanguaging supported learners’ cognitive development by linking prior knowledge with new content and enhanced classroom participation by validating learners’ linguistic identities. However, challenges such as inconsistent policy support and limited teacher training in translanguaging pedagogy were noted. The study concluded that translanguaging positively impacted the teaching and learning of Xitsonga by promoting inclusivity, comprehension, and learner engagement. It recommended the integration of translanguaging strategies into teacher training programs and curriculum development to support multilingual education in South African schools. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z