English–Sepedi code-switching in FET Geography teaching: Effects on learner achievement in Capricorn District, Limpopo Province, South Africa

This paper focuses on code-switching use between English and Sepedi in Further Education and Training (FET) Geography classrooms in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. It investigates how teachers manage language policy instructions while at the same time considering the multilingual nature of their classrooms and how this impacts learner performance. The research combined quantitative and qualitative methods through classroom observations, teacher interviews, learner assessments, and document analysis. It involved 8 teachers and 120 Grade 10–12 Geography learners from four secondary schools. The findings revealed that code-switching, when used strategically, greatly clarifies difficult geographical concepts for learners. Learners in the code-switching classrooms scored 23% higher than those in English-only classes. Teachers use code-switching as an instructional aid to explain jargon, provide background information, and fill cultural knowledge gaps. Nevertheless, there are contradictions between the official language-in-education policies and the real classroom situation, where teachers worry about preparing learners for assessments and their own teaching identity. This paper deepens the understanding of translanguaging practices in the South African educational system and gives concrete suggestions for aligning policy and curriculum development to acknowledge multilingual learners’ linguistic resources as an asset.