Browsing by Author "Matsoso, Lifelile"

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    Challenges in the teaching and learning of reading comprehension in English Languages
    (National University of Lesotho, 2020-08) Likhoeli, Matemo B; Matsoso, Lifelile
    The reading skill is considered as one of the four fundamental language skills that every learner must possess. However, it seems to be not an easy task especially for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of challenges faced by ESL teachers and learners in the teaching and learning of reading comprehension in English Language. The inquiry further explored the contributing factors to those challenges. The focus of the investigation was on Grade10 English Language teachers and learners in two selected secondary school in the Quthing district. The study was underpinned by Vygotsky (1978) Socio-cultural theory. A case study qualitative design was employed where teachers’ interviews and students’ tests were used to generate data for the study. Data analysis procedure followed five phases of thematic coding as advocated by Robson (2011). The main findings revealed that teachers are incompetent to teach reading comprehension while learners have poor comprehension and limited vocabulary to comprehend written texts. From this discovery, the study proposes that teachers should go for in-service programs and learners should be exposed to print-rich environment.
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    Effects of language status on assessment and educational development of Basotho learners frm minority languages' backgrounds
    (International Journal of Language Education, 2020-11-01) Kolobe, Maboleba; Matsoso, Lifelile;
    This paper provides a critical overview of the theoretical and practical questions that prevail in the teaching, learning, and assessment of learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds in Lesotho. It investigates how far exclusion of minority languages affects both assessment and/or educational development of learners whose mother tongue is not Sesotho but other minority languages spoken in Lesotho. The paper advances a research-evidenced argument that the poor performance of students from such backgrounds is indicative of marginalisation and discrimination of such learners due to their language background. A constructivist qualitative study was adopted through use of focus group discussions with 246 learners and 142 teachers in 23 schools located in Botha Bothe, Mohale’s Hoek, Qacha’s Nek and Quthing districts in Lesotho. These places were selected based on their predominance of minority languages. The findings revealed diminutive if not absolute non-recognition of minority languages in teaching, learning, and assessment of learners from this linguistic background. Therefore, the study concludes that linguistically discriminative curriculum, teaching and learning and assessment educational practices can reasonably be associated with poor performance of learners. Based on these findings, the paper recommends that Lesotho’s education system should respect and embrace existence of national minority languages. Again, the curriculum, its implementation and more importantly assessment should not be divorced from linguistic background of learners.
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    Essay-Type Questions in Literature in English: What are the Challenges for Junior High School Students?
    (National University of Lesotho, 2020-11) Nchabeng, Simon Nchabeng; Matsoso, Lifelile
    The JC ECOL report for 2016 and 2017 reveal students’ underperformance in the Literature in English. The majority of JC students obtained low grades in Literature in English essay-type questions compared to the short questions. This study, therefore, investigated challenges faced by Literature in English junior high school students on essay-type questions. Three research questions inquired into challenges students in Lesotho encounter on LE essay-type questions, possible causes of those challenges and what pedagogical implications of those challenges are for teachers of LE at junior high school. The study adopted the quali-quantitative interpretive case study design. Three data generating tools were students’ tests, teachers’ open-ended questionnaires and teachers’ focus group discussions. Three schools, thirty students and seven teachers were purposively selected for this investigation. The Educational Productivity theory by Walberg (1981) was used for data analysis. The dominant theme emerging from findings falls under pedagogical factors; it has 4 variables (inadequate resources, motivation, writing practice and academic style). It occupies 54 % against students’ attributes of 27 % and 19 % of psychological factors. Diction and linguistic competence were grouped under the students’ attributes while poor foundation, class size and subject matter were grouped under psychological factors. Additionally, motivation, writing practice, poor foundation, limited time and language out of school surfaced as the main findings under research question two. Educational implications for the teaching of Literature in English were also established. The use of technology is recommended to enhance students’ knowledge and schools should provide adequate instructional material.
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    The role of diction instruction in enhancement of students persuasive writing
    (National University of Lesotho, 2021-08) Malataliana-Tikoane, Relebohile; Matsoso, Lifelile; Mataka, T.W.
    Diction is one of the requisites for clarity in communication, especially written communication. However, while most language researchers seem to have looked into other language aspects as contributing factors towards underperformance in essay writing, few have considered researching diction in this area. This dearth of research-appraised evidence leads to teachers’ negligence of diction instruction which, in turn, leads to students’ inappropriate word choice in writing persuasive essays, which, by their nature, need clear-cut diction for credibility. This inquiry seeks to fill some of that gap in research. The focus of this inquiry is on Advanced Subsidiary level (pre-tertiary) students and ESL educators in one Advanced Level School in Lesotho. The investigation was conducted from the personal experiential stance for improvement of professional practice. The reflective self-study was underpinned by Social Constructivism theory (Vygotsky 1978), and followed a pragmatic paradigm. The study adopted a classroom action research approach where classroom observations, tests, lesson plans, teachers’ interviews and reflective journal were used for data generation. Purposive non-probability sampling was used for convenience, accessibility and information richness of participants. Error analysis formed part of data collection in identifying the nature of diction-based challenges found in learners’ essays. Data was analysed based on a six step procedure adopted from Creswell (2014). Findings among others include errors found in students’ essays which were interpreted in terms of mismanagement of words and communication interferences in persuasive writing. It was therefore recommended that diction analysis be included in the local pre-tertiary English Language curriculum as a strategy with which learners learn how words are used for precision and specificity in writing persuasively to eliminate poor academic writing reflected in institutions of higher learning.
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    The role of traditional knowledge in acquisition of proficiency in academic English by students in a higher education institution
    (2012-11-20) Matsoso, Lifelile; Mapesela, 'Mabokang
    The study focused on the role of Sesotho traditional knowledge in the academic English of university students from a Sesotho-speaking background. To this end, the spotlight of the investigation was how knowledge from beliefs, values, attitudes, behaviours/practices and other conditions and scenarios of the livelihoods of the Basotho can benefit acquisition of academic English proficiency among Sesotho-speaking background students (SSBS) at the English-medium National University of Lesotho (NUL). Personal, social and academic reasons formed the background/rationale for the study.