Abstract:
The achievement of learners in mathematics is unsatisfactory. There are a number of factors that
contribute to this poor performance in the subject. One of these factors is the fact that many learners
in South Africa learn mathematics through medium of English while it is not their main language.
This research discusses the relationship between language, thought and social environment against
background of the constructivist theory. Special attention is paid to mental connections and sociocultural
theories that are important for the study. The significance of language in algebra learning
and geometry reasoning levels provides insight into how mathematical language is used in learning.
The importance of language in mathematics is highlighted, as well as the use of the mathematics
register in multilingual classrooms. The language strategies and techniques used in the multilingual
mathematics classrooms are discussed.
Case studies were conducted at three schools to investigate the language situation. At these schools
Setswana, the learners’ main language, and English are both used in the teaching and learning of
mathematics. Three lessons from each school were recorded, transcribed and interpreted, using
different constructs that emerged from literature.
The study revealed that code–switching is practised as a language strategy in all three schools in the
teaching and learning of mathematics. When switching to Setswana teachers often used
transliterated words, as well as direct English terminology. Known Setswana terminology was
seldomly used. The researcher observed decoding of language to facilitate construction of concepts,
but only English mathematical terminology was decoded. Because teachers often code–switched in
one sentence, the modelling of both the correct English and Setswana mathematical language was
obstructed, and little language teaching took place as teaching styles of the teachers did not allow
much learner discourse. Learners were not often required to formulate written explanations or
conjectures, and never in Setswana.
Recommendations include that language teaching in mathematics should be part of teacher
education programmes, and in–service workshops should be conducted to inform teachers about and
sensitise them to different language strategies and techniques. A future study could also focus on
the use of bilingual teaching materials in mathematics teaching and learning.
