Language and family trauma: the Impact of single-parent households on senior-phase learners' language proficiency

Abstract

During the early post-apartheid years, well-meaning policies and supportive institutions sought to promote multilingualism and enhance the languages spoken by the historically disadvantaged African majority. However, despite these commendable efforts, learners from disadvantaged areas in Cape Town, South Africa still struggle with English First Additional Language (FAL) proficiency. This study focused on investigating the impact of single-parent households on the English FAL proficiency of senior-phase primary and high school learners in Elsies River, Cape Town. The assumption was that learners raised in single-parent households were associated with poor academic performance, while those raised in nuclear families fared better academically, socially, and emotionally. Moreover, the study aimed to establish whether being raised in a singleparent household impacted learners’ language proficiency. In addition, the literature review focused on the relationship between language, language education, family trauma, and family structure. A case study Research design was employed, along with the Family Systems Theory and the Sociocultural Theory as Theoretical frameworks. Qualitative Research Methodology was utilised, adopting a qualitative approach, and data were collected through interviews. The findings revealed several key factors that impacted the English FAL proficiency of seniorphase learners residing in single-parent households. Limited parental support, often due to the dual responsibilities of single parents, significantly hindered English FAL proficiency. This lack of involvement, along with insufficient access to educational resources, created additional barriers to developing English FAL proficiency. Moreover, the psychological trauma and unsafe environments faced by many of the learners negatively affected their ability to focus and engage in language learning. The study also identified gender dynamics within parental involvement, suggesting that the presence or absence of a same-gender parent may have impacted learners’ proficiency in English FAL.