‘We think in isiXhosa first’: Medium of instruction preferences in Rural Eastern Cape mathematics classrooms
Michael Allie Makupe & Masilo France Machaba
Abstract
This study investigates the medium of instruction preferences in mathematics classroom discourses among rural secondary school learners in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, where isiXhosa is widely spoken as a home language and English is the official medium of instruction. Anchored in Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the research explores how language influences learners’ engagement, comprehension, and achievement in mathematics, particularly within under-resourced rural contexts. Using a qualitative case study design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 Grades 10–12 learners from three high schools. Thematic analysis revealed that learners overwhelmingly prefer a bilingual approach that integrates both isiXhosa and English. While English is valued for assessments and future academic opportunities, learners reported enhanced understanding, participation, and confidence when instruction included their home language. Challenges identified include limited English proficiency, reduced classroom participation, and increased cognitive load when mathematics is taught solely in English. The study highlighted a critical tension between policy and practice in South Africa’s rural mathematics classrooms. While English serves as the official medium of instruction, learners’ voices point towards the necessity of isiXhosa for achieving real understanding, equity, and participation in mathematics education. It recommends the adoption of bilingual pedagogical strategies, development of isiXhosa-English mathematics support materials, and further research into long-term academic outcomes of dual-medium instruction. This research contributes to the discourse on language policy in education and offers practical insights for fostering equitable and linguistically inclusive mathematics teaching in rural South African schools.
Keywords
bilingual teaching, code-switching, isiXhosa, language policy, medium of instruction, translanguaging
Author information & Contribution
Michael Allie Makupe. Master in Mathematics Education. PhD Student, Department of Mathematics Education, College of Education, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. Email: 50796305@mylife.unisa.ac.za
Masilo France Machaba. PhD. Head of Mathematics Department, Department of Mathematics Education; College of Education, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. Email: emachamf@unisa.ac.za
"Author 1 and Author 2 conceptualized and finalized the research framework. Author 1 and Author 2 drafted and revised the manuscript. Author 1 and Author 2 gathered, analyzed and interpreted the data. All authors contributed to the writing of the final version of the manuscript."
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Funding
This work is funded by the University of South Africa and the APC is paid by the University of South Africa.
Institutional Review Board Statement
This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines set by Tshwane University of Technology. The conduct of this study has been approved and given relative clearance(s) by Tshwane University of Technology.
AI Declaration
AI tools were not used in writing this paper.
Notes
Acknowledgement
References
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Cite this article:
Makupe, M.A. & Machaba, M.F. (2025). ‘We think in isiXhosa first’: Medium of instruction preferences in Rural Eastern Cape mathematics classrooms. International Journal of Educational Management and Development Studies, 6(4), 226-249. https://doi.org/10.53378/ijemds.353295
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