Exploring the Role of Teaching Using Folklore in Developing Grade R Learners’ Mother Tongue

This paper aims to explore the role and significance of teaching using folklore in developing Grade R learners’ repertoire of skills in their mother tongue. Grade R is the reception class to formal schooling at the foundation phase. It is perceived to be the most pivotal class in developing learners’ language usage, precisely that of the mother tongue. Folklore is ascertained to be one of the best pedagogies because it promotes oral communication and is believed to be ideal for bridging the gap between home and school. This is a desktop study grounded on engagement and examination of various literature sources on the role of teaching using folklore to develop young learners’ mother tongue during foundation phase schooling. Existing folklore is provided to illustrate their role in the development of young learners’ mother tongue. The key contribution of this paper to the South African basic education is to equip teachers with the understanding of the significance of teaching using folklore to develop Grade R learners’ mother tongue.