Cross-curricular connections: The use of an integrated and theme-based approach for grade 3 isiXhosa home language literacy in selected Western Cape primary schools
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Date
2024
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University of the Western Cape
Abstract
The current South African curriculum, known as the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), aims to produce learners who can communicate effectively using visual, symbolic and/or language skills in various modes (DBE, 2011). CAPS encourages an integrated and theme-based approach to teaching and learning in the Foundation Phase (Grades R–3) literacy curriculum. However, it does not give guidelines to teachers on how to integrate different subjects or use themes for effective teaching and learning in these grades. Given the low levels of literacy and numeracy among Foundation Phase learners in many South African schools, and the evidence for the efficacy of the integrated theme-based approach, it is important to understand how teachers use the approach, and what may be done to enhance their use of it. In addition, given the value of home language teaching in the Foundation Phase, it is important to know whether or not teaching and learning are in fact taking place in learners’ home language in all three subjects of the Foundation Phase – Literacy, Mathematics and Life Skills. In order to investigate these aspects, this study examined the use of the integrated themebased approach (ITBA) for isiXhosa Home Language Literacy in two Grade 3 classrooms in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
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Keywords
Literacy, Home language, isiXhosa, Grade 3, Foundation Phase, Integrated Theme-Based Approach (ITBA)