Principles of task-based course design for a Zulu second language course on socialization for businesss people

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concept of exploring principles for designing a Zulu language learning course for business people stemmed from the need that there is not enough course material available for learners wanting to learn a second language. The preliminary component of the thesis is based on the theoretical framework for language learning theory advanced by Naam Chomsky, which is theory-driven and derives from an in-depth analysis of the properties of languages in an effort to determine the highly abstract principles of grammar. This study reviews the different definitions of second language learning and teaching employed by various linguists, for example, Cook, Odlin and Sharwood-Smith. It presents the different kinds of grammar explored in the analysis of a second language. Following the discussion of principles of grammar, a broad definition of the term 'universal grammar' (UG), is explored and how this UG model relates to views on teaching of Zulu, is identified. The thesis demonstrates the relation between second language learning and language teaching and the influence that UG has on language teaching. It will be argued that the theory of Chomsky and the knowledge of second language acquisition is suitable as a framework for language teaching because it incorporates the essence of second language learning that may be useful to a second language educator. Finally, this study will present the principles of task-based course design which will be followed by a discussion of the types of syllabuses required for the construction of communicative Zulu tasks. It is hoped that the conclusions arising from this study will assist in the development of research material and teaching aids for second language Zulu task-based courses, thus providing the field of second language teaching with efficient and successful language teachers and researchers.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konsep van die ondersoek van beginsels vir die ontwerp van 'n Zulu taalvaardigheidskursus vir sakemense het ontstaan uit die behoefte aan gepaste onderrigmateriaal vir Zulu-tweedetaal onderrig aan die sakemense. Die aanvangskomponent van hierdie tesis is gegrond op die teoretiese raamwerk vir taalaanleer soos voorgestaan deur Chomsky. Die Chomskiaanse teorie van taalkennis is ontwikkel uit 'n in-diepte analise van die eienskappe van taalkennis ten einde die hoogsabstrakte beginsels van taal te bepaal. Die studie bied eers 'n oorsig van verskillende definisies van tweedetaalleer en -onderrig soos aangewend deur verskillende taalkundiges soos Cook, Odlin en Sharwood-Smith. Daar word 'n bespreking gegee van die verskillende sieninge van die aard van grammatika in tweedetaalonderrig. Na die bespreking van die beginsels van grammatika-onderrig in tweedetaalleer en -onderrig word die implikasies van die Chomsky se Universele Grammatika benadering beskou vir die tweedetaalonderrig van Zulu. Die tesis ondersoek ook die verband tussen tweedetaalleer en -onderrig en die invloed wat Universele Grammatika op taalonderrig het. Daar sal aangevoer word dat die UG teorie van Chomsky en die verband daarvan tot tweedetaalonderrig gepas is as 'n raamwerk vir tweedetaalonderrig omdat die essensiële beginsels van tweedetaalleer wat bruikbaar kan wees vir die taalonderrigpraktisyn. Die studie sal, laastens, die beginsels van taakgebaseerde kursusontwerp ondersoek, wat gevolg sal word deur 'n bespreking van die tipes sillabusse benodig vir die konstruksie van kommunikatiewe take in Zulu. Die gevolgtrekkings wat voortspruit uit hierdie studie kan bydra tot die navorsing van tweedetaalonderrig vir Zulu en die ontwerp van taalonderrigmateriale vir taakgebaseerde kursusse vir Zulu. Hierdeur kan 'n bydrae gemaak word tot die lewering van bekwame navorsers en taalonderrigpraktisyns vir Zulu tweedetaalonderrig.IQOQA ZULU: Umqondo wokuhlela izifundo zesiZulu zomabhizinisi wavezwa isidingo esikhombisayo ukuthi akukho obekulotshiwe maqondana nabafundi bolimi Iwesibili. Ingxenye yokuqala yophando igxile esakhiweni senqubo Iwazi yokufunda nokufundisa ulimi Iwesibili eyaqhutshwa nguNoam Chomsky, eqhutshwa yinqubolwazi futhi isukela ocwanigweni olunzulu zezilimi emizameni yokuthola imigomo enzulu yohlelo lolimi. Lolu cwaningo luhlola izincazelo ezehlukene zokufunda nokufundisa ulimi Iwesibili ezisetshenziswa abahlaziyilulimi esingabala kubona, uVivian Cook, Terence Odlin kanye noSharwood Smith. Lwethula izinhlobo ezehlukene zohlelo lolimi ezihlolwa ekucwaningweni kolimi Iwesibili. Kulandela izingxoxo ngemigomo yohlelo lolimi, incazelo ebanzi yetemu 'Universal Grammar' (UG) iyahlolisiswa nokuthi lemodeli ye-UG isetshenziswa kanjani esiZulwini. Loluphando lukhombisa ubudlelwano phakathi kokufundwa nokufundiswa kolimi Iwesibili nomthelela omuhle kumbe omubi we-UG ekufundiseni ulimi. Kuzobhekisiswa ukuthi inqubolwazi kaChomsky nolwazi lokufunda ulimi Iwesibili kulungile yini ukuba yisakhiwo senqubo yokufundisa njengoba luhlanganisa ingqikithi yokufundisa ulimi Iwesibili okungenzeka ukuthi ayijwayelekile kumfundisi wolimi Iwesibili. Okukugcina, lolu cwaningo luzokwethula imigomo yezifundo ezihlelelwe phezu komsebenzi othile kuyolandelwa ukuxoxisana ngezinhlobo zamasilabhasi ezidingekayo ukuhlanganisa imisebenzi yesiZulu yokuxhumana. Kuyathembakala ukuthi iziphetho eziyovuka kulolucwaningo ziyosiza ekuthuthukisweni kwezinto eziwusizo ophandweni kanye nezinsiza kufundisa zolimi Iwesibili zezifundo ezihlelelwe phezu komsebenzi othile wesiZulu, kanjalo bese ziletha kulendima yokufundisa ulimi Iwesibili othisha nabacwaningi abawenza ngempumelelo umsebenzi wabo

Students’ perceptions of the Moodle Quiz E-assessment tool in an isiZulu language course

MOODLE, a free open source software, is the official Learning Management System (LMS) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). The institution’s mandate to all academics to integrate Moodle into their respective disciplines for teaching and learning, created a space for the researchers to experiment with the Quiz tool as an alternate assessment method, as part of routine formative and summative assessments. Whilst there are many research studies that endorse e-assessments at tertiary institutions, this is an uncharted area of research within the field of teaching and learning of isiZulu in South Africa. As a result, there is a lack of empirical evidence to assist with curriculum integration and implementation thereof. The purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceptions and experiences on such integration and implementation of e-assessments. A questionnaire was administered to sixty first year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) students enrolled for isiZulu. Permission to conduct the research was sought from all relevant gatekeepers. This study is set against the behaviourist, cognitive and constructivist learning frameworks. Findings from this study affirmed the numerous benefits of including e-assessments as part of the assessment method. However, further improvements to the design of the isiZulu quiz e-test were suggested.Keywords: e-assessment; second language isiZulu; student perceptions;Moodle; Learning Management Systems

Cognitive and linguistic complexity in an isiZulu task-based computer-assisted language-learning syllabus for health sciences students

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Effective doctor-patient communication is one of the key components entrenched in health sciences curriculum of universities in South Africa. With most patients speaking isiZulu as their mother tongue language, it is imperative that effective healthcare is provided in the patients’ language. The inclusion of the teaching of African languages in health sciences programmes is crucial. Whilst efforts are made to improve the status quo of second language (L2) teaching and learning of African languages within South African higher education institutions, the need for research based on scientific and principled theories of second language acquisition (SLA) is still required. This study, therefore investigates an isiZulu task-based syllabus design for doctor-patient communication for health sciences students studying at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study adopts a multifaceted approach to the teaching of isiZulu L2 that invokes key principles of task-based language learning and teaching (TBLT), language for specific purpose (LSP) and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) related to second language acquisition. The aim of this study is to explore a procedure for a task-based CALL syllabus design based on a design-based approach. To prepare students for the realities in a healthcare context, it was essential that the investigation on syllabus design focused on real authentic communication tasks. Medical students registered for a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa participated in a needs analysis, an essential first step towards the investigation of the design of the task-based CALL syllabus. The purpose of the analysis was to ascertain the proficiency levels of the students, gather information regarding their current knowledge about isiZulu, or lack of knowledge thereof, and digital skills to be learnt and developed to acquire isiZulu skills to conduct a successful doctor-patient consultation. To create an organic learning environment that allows students to learn isiZulu in a real communicative sense, it was necessary to design relevant, locally produced authentic learning material that reflect doctor-patient communication, based on the students’ needs analysis. Hence, simulated and authentic doctor-patient interviews were used to create communication target tasks appropriate for healthcare professionals at a basic-intermediate proficiency level of isiZulu. The communication target tasks were used as the unit of analysis for the investigation into syllabus design. Communication tasks were graded and sequenced in terms of their cognitive complexity and linguistic complexity, which was then used to design isiZulu pedagogic tasks for enhancing second language development of students. Insights and perspectives on how to include focus on grammatical form in a communicative way were also considered. The findings of the study indicated that most of the communication target tasks were cognitively complex in terms of Robinson’s (2005) Cognition Hypothesis. It also showed that the tasks exemplified high syntactic complexity. Target tasks were simplified by descaling/decomplexifying the target tasks, using Robinson’s SSARC Model (2010) to ensure that the pedagogic tasks are more manageable for students to perform. The study is concluded that the design of a task-based CALL syllabus for isiZulu L2 health sciences students is a complex process and the success of such a syllabus design is dependent on several key elements.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Doeltreffende dokter-pasiënt kommunikasie is een van die sleutelkomponente vasgelê in die gesondheidswetenskappe kurrikulum van universiteite in Suid-Afrika. In die lig daarvan dat die grootste getal pasiënte isiZulu as hul eerste (moeder) taal praat, is dit noodsaaklik dat doeltreffende gesondheidsorg in pasiënte se taal voorsien word. Die insluiting van die onderrig van Afrikatale in die gesondheidswetenskappe programme van universiteite is dus noodsaaklik. In die lig van pogings wat aangewend word om die huidige stand van tweedetaalonderrig en –leer van die Afrikatale aan universiteite te verhoog, bestaan daar ‘n behoefte aan navorsing gebaseer op wetenskaplike teorieë van tweedetaalverwerwing. Hierdie studie ondersoek dus Taakgebaseerde sillabusontwerp vir dokter-pasiënt kommunikasie vir die onderrig van gesondheidswetenskappe studente aan die Universiteit van KwaZulu-Natal, Suid-Afrika. Die studie gebruik ‘n multi-faset benadering tot die onderrig van isiZulu as ‘n tweedetaal wat sleutelbeginsels ontgin van taakgebaseerde leer en onderrig, taal vir spesifieke doeleindes, en rekenaargesteunde onderrig soos dit verband hou met tweedetaalverwerwing. Die doel van die studie is om ‘n prosedure te ondersoek vir taakgebaseerde rekenaargesteunde sillabusontwerp gebaseer op ‘n ontwerp-gebaseerde benadering. Ten einde studente voor te berei vir die kommunikasie werklikhede van die gesondheidsdienstekonteks, was dit noodsaaklik dat die ondersoek na sillabusontwerp fokus op outentieke kommunikasietake. Mediese studente wat geregistreer is vir ‘n Baccalaureus in Geneeskunde (MBChB) by die Nelson R Mandela Skool vir Geneeskunde aan die Universiteit van Kwazulu-Natal, Suid-Afrika, het deelgeneem aan ‘n behoefte-analise, ‘n noodsaaklike eerste stap in die ondersoek na die ontwerp van ‘n taakgebaseerde rekenaar-gesteunde sillabus. Die doel van die analise was om die taalvaardigheidsvlakke in isiZulu van die studente te bepaal, inligting te verkry van hulle bestaande kennis van isiZulu, of afwesigheid van taalkennis, en digitale vaardighede wat hulle nodig het om te leer en te ontwikkel, ten einde isiZulu taalvaardigheid te verwerf benodig vir ‘n doeltreffende dokter-pasiënt konsultasie. Ten einde ‘n organiese leeromgewing te skep wat studente in staat stel om isiZulu in ‘n werkliikheidsgetroue kommunikatiewe sin te leer, was dit nodig om relevante, plaaslik geskepte outentieke leermateriaal te ontwerp wat dokter-pasiënt kommunikasie weergee, soos gebaseer op studente se behoefte analise. Dus is gesimuleerde en outentieke dokter-pasiënt onderhoude gebruik om kommunikasie teikentake te skep wat toepaslik is vir professionele gesondheidspersoneel met ‘n basiese-intermediêre taalvaardigheidsvlak in isiZulu. Hierdie kommunikasie teikentake is gebruik as die eenheid vir analise in die ondersoek van sillabusontwerp. Die kommunikasietake is gegradeer en georden in terme van hul kognitiewe kompleksiteit en linguïstiese kompleksiteit, wat daarna gebruik is in die ontwerp van pedagogiese take vir isiZulu ten einde die tweedetaalontwikkeling van studente te bevorder. Insigte en perspektiewe rakende die insluiting van fokus op grammatikale vorm op ‘n kommunikatiewe wyse, is ook beskou. Die bevindings van die studie het aangedui dat die meeste van die kommunikasietake kognitief kompleks is in terme van Robinson (2005) se kognisiehipotese. Dit het ook aangetoon dat die take ‘n hoë mate van sintaktiese kompleksiteit vertoon. Teikentake is vereenvoudig deur die afskaling/dekompleksiefisering van die teikentake, deur gebruik van Robinson (2010) se SSARC model, ten einde te verseker dat die pedagogiese take meer toepaslik is vir leerders om uit te voer. Die studie het tot die slotsom gekom dat die ontwerp van ‘n taakgebaseerde isiZulu tweedetaal sillabus vir gesondheidswetenskappe studente ‘n komplekse proses is en dat die doeltreffendheid van so ‘n sillabus ontwerp afhanklik is van verskeie sleutel elemente.IQOQA LESIZULU: Ukuxhumana ngendlela efanele phakathi kukadokotela nesiguli kuyisakhi esibaluleke kakhulu ohlelweni lwezemfundo lwesayensi yezempilo emanyuvesi aseNingizimu Afrika. Njengoba iningi leziguli zikhuluma isiZulu njengolimi lwazo lwebele, kubalulekile ukuthi ukunakekelwa kwazo ngokwezempilo kunikezelwe ngolimi lwazo. Ukufakwa kokufundiswa kwezilimi zase-Afrika ezinhlelweni zesayensi yezempilo kubaluleke kakhulu. Nakuba ikhona imizamo eyenziwayo ukuthuthukisa isimo sokufundiswa nokufundwa kolimi lwesibili (L2) lwase-Afrika ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme eNingizimu Afrika, isidingo socwaningo olusekelwe ezesayensi nemigomo yezinjulalwazi zokufundiswa nokufundwa kolimi lwesibili (SLA) kusadingeka. Ngakho-ke, lolu cwaningo luhlola kabanzi uhlelo lokufundisa isiZulu olwesekelwe ukwenza oluveza indlela yokuxhumana phakathi kukadokotela nesiguli olwenzelwe abafundi bezesayensi yezempilo abafunda eNyuvesi YaKwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo luthathe izindlela ezahlukene zokufundisa isiZulu njengolimi lwesibili okuhlanganisa imigomo ebalulekile yokufundiswa nokufundwa kolimi okusekelwe indlela yokwenza, ukufundiswa kolimi kwenzelwa imigomo ethile kanye nokufunda nokufundiswa kolimi lwesibili (TBLT), ukufundiswa kolimi kwenzelwa izinhloso ezithile kanye nokufundiswa kolimi kulekelelwa usizo lwamakhompyutha (CALL) okuhlobene nokufunda nokufundisa ulimi lwesibili. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukuhlola indlela yokufundisa okusekelwe indlela yokwenza okusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bamakhompyutha okunesisekelo sendlela yokuqamba. Ukuze ulungiselele abafundi ukuze bakwazi ukubhekana nobunjalo besimo endaweni enakekela ngezempilo uma sebephothule iziqu, kwakubalulekile ukuba ukuhlolwa kohlelo lokufunda oluhlongoziwe lugxile emaqinisweni emisebenzi yezokuxhumana. Abafundi bezempilo ababhalisele iziqu zobudokotela (MBChB) eNelson R Mandela School of Medicine, eNyuvesi YaKwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika babamba iqhaza ekuhlaziyeni izidingo, okuyigxathu lokuqala elibaluleke kakhulu ekuhloleni uhlelo lokufunda olusekelwe indlela yokwenza (CALL) kusetshenziswa ubuchwepheshe bamakhompyutha. Inhloso yokuhlaziya kwakuwukuthola amazinga abafundi okukhuluma isiZulu ngokuhululeka, ukuqoqa ulwazi olumayelana nokuqonda kwabo isiZulu njengamanje, ukuntuleka kolwazi lwaso kanye namakhono okubhala ngekhompyutha okumele afundwe futhi athuthukiswe ukuze bathole amakhono esiZulu okuxhumana okuyimpumelelo phakathi kukadokotela nesiguli uma kudingeka. Ukuze kwakhiwe isimo sokufunda esiphilayo esivumela abafundi baziqeqeshe olimini lwesiZulu ekuxhumaneni kwangempela, kwakunesidingo sokuba kwakhiwe izinsiza-kufundisa eziqondene ngqo nakho, ezakhiwe ngalo ulimi lwesiZulu ezikhombisa ukuxhumana phakathi kukadokotela nesiguli, ezakhelwe ukuhlaziya izidingo zabafundi. Ngakho-ke izingxoxo ezifanele futhi eziyiqiniso phakathi kukadokotela nesiguli zasetshenziselwa ukwenza imisebenzi yokuxhumana ehlosiwe kubasebenzi bezempilo abenza umsebenzi abawufundele emazingeni ayisisekelo aphakathi okukhuluma ngokukhululeka ulimi lwesiZulu. Imisebenzi yokuxhumana ehlosiwe yasetshenziswa njengeyunithi yokuhlaziya ukuhlola ukwakhiwa kohlelo lokufunda. Imisebenzi yokuxhumana yakalwa futhi yalandelaniswa ngokujula bokuqonda nobolimi, obabe sebusetshenziswa ukwakha imisebenzi yokufundisa isiZulu ukuthuthukisa ulimi lwesibili lwabafundi. Kwabhekwa ukuhlola nokuqonda ukuthi kungafakwa kanjani ekugcizeleleni igrama ngezindlela zokuxhumana. Okutholakele kulolu cwaningo kukhombise ukuthi imisebenzi eminingi ehlose ukuxhumana yayinokuningi okuthinta ingqondo ngokukaRobinson’s Cognition Hypothesis (2005). Okutholakele kuphinde kwakhombisa ukuthi imisebenzi ikhombise ukuhleleka kwemisho okusezingeni eliphezulu. Imisebenzi ehlosiwe yenziwa lula ngokuba kuhlukaniswe imisebenzi ehlosiwe, kusetshenziswa indlela kaRobinson iSSARC (2010) ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imisebenzi yokufundisa ulimi ilula futhi ayimningi ukuze abafundi bakwazi ukuyenza. Lolu cwaningo luphethe ngokuthi ukwakhiwa kohlelo lokufunda olusebenzisa obuchwepheshe bamakhompyutha olugxile ekwenzeni lolimi lwesibili kubafundi bezesayensi yezempilo kuwuhlelo olujulile kanti impumelelo yohlelo lokufunda olunjalo incike ezintweni eziningi ezibalulekile

IsiZulu task-based syllabus for medical students: Grading and sequencing doctor-patient communication tasks

The task-based language teaching approach related to the second language learning process is a widely  researched area across many global languages. Yet this approach is given scant attention in South African tertiary education. This study, therefore, explores an isiZulu task-based syllabus design for doctor-patient communication aimed at enhancing communicative skills in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  Specifically, the study investigates the use of tasks in a task-based syllabus design, the process involved in grading, and sequencing tasks based on cognitive complexity analysis. The cognition hypothesis and the  stabilise-simplify-automatiserestructure-complexify (SSARC) model proposed by Robinson posits that  pedagogical tasks should be sequenced by gradually increasing cognitive complexity. Following this view and by invoking Robinsons’ SSARC model, this article investigates how target tasks may be sequenced by  manipulating task features of doctor and patient pedagogic tasks. This theoretical analysis intends to  demonstrate how second language syllabus designers can advance and strengthen more widely in tertiary education the teaching and learning of isiZulu – or other African languages – for health sciences students and professionals

Second language teaching of vocation-specific isiZulu communication skills to health sciences students

The importance of integrating teaching of the previously disadvantaged languages of South Africa in the mainstream courses offered in higher education is widely acknowledged. IsiZulu is taught formally to first-year health science undergraduates, complying with the 2006 University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Language Policy. However, in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme, this has been shown to be inadequate to equip students with the necessary language skills to engage meaningfully with patients in a consultation when they reach the clinical years. Consequently, the College of Health Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal is in an early stage of teaching vocation-specific isiZulu communication skills to second language health sciences students. This is necessary as good communication is considered essential for clinical competence. This position paper refers to relevant theories of second language acquisition and the teaching methods that have been used to integrate the teaching of isiZulu communication skills into the three preclinical years of the medical curriculum. This interprofessional collaborative initiative is intended to prepare students for the clinical years of study. Recommendations are made for full vertical integration of isiZulu communication skills throughout the six-year programme, with specific assessment in either simulated or clinical settings, to motivate students and drive learning of isiZulu for clinical communication

Medical students’ views on the use of video technology in the teaching of isiZulu communication language skills and cultural competence

Background. The role of communicator has been included as a key competency for health science students in South Africa. Owing to the population’s diverse language and cultural backgrounds, communication between patients and healthcare professionals is challenging. In this study, the Attention, Generation, Emotion and Spacing (AGES) neurocognitive model of learning was used as a framework to create videos for language teaching for the vocational needs of students. Objectives. To explore students’ views on the use of videos of simulated clinical scenarios for isiZulu communication and language teaching and the development of cultural awareness. Methods. Videos were developed using first- and second-language isiZulu speakers with scripts (verified by the university’s Language Board) based on authentic clinical settings. Videos were shown to a target group of students, who were then interviewed in focus group discussions. Audio recordings from the discussions were transcribed and analysed thematically in three categories, i.e. communication, language skills, and cultural awareness, using deductive coding based on the objectives of the research. Results. Students affirmed numerous benefits of the videos and commented on their use and further development. Benefits described related well to the AGES model of learning and fulfilled the learning requirements of communication teaching, language acquisition and cultural awareness. Conclusion. The videos represent an innovative teaching method for the resource-constrained environment in which we work and are relevant to the 21st century learner. Further evaluation and development of the tool using different scenarios and African languages is recommended