Secondary school Setswana teachers’ experience in linguistically diverse classrooms

Language plays a critical role in the teaching and learning process, particularly in the transfer of knowledge and skills. In South Africa, where the Constitution recognises 12 official languages, many classrooms are linguistically diverse. Research shows that learners often struggle to understand academic content when the Language of Learning and Teaching differs from their home language. This study investigated the experiences of Setswana Home Language teachers working with linguistically diverse Grade 11 classrooms in the North West province. A qualitative research approach was employed, with participants selected through purposive sampling. The study included six Grade 11 Setswana Home Language teachers and 100 learners from three peri-urban secondary schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers, questionnaires administered to learners and classroom observations. The findings reveal that teachers and learners frequently engage in code-switching and code-mixing during lessons to enhance comprehension of subject content. While these practices support understanding, they also impact the standard use of Setswana as the language of learning and teaching. Teachers reported using these strategies due to the varying levels of proficiency in Setswana among learners. The study recommends implementing structured, extensive reading programmes to improve learners’ pronunciation and language proficiency. It also suggests professional development initiatives to equip teachers with strategies for managing multilingual classrooms while preserving the integrity of the language of learning and teaching.