Academic literature on the topic 'Kuanyama (Langue)'

This study is about Continuous Assessment (CA) in teaching and learning, a new concept and approach in independent Namibia. The country's education system was reformed shortly after independence in 1990 to fulfill the intention for Education for All. The Namibian education system then moved from a behaviorist to constructivist philosophy of education. The move made from one philosophy to another resulted in many changes in teaching and learning including changes in assessment in education. CA is born out of a constructivist philosophy. It is believed to facilitate learning with understanding. In this study I explored the understanding of Oshikwanyama teachers and their practice of CA in teaching and learning. Interviews, classroom observations and document analysis were used. The research focused on 10 participants in the Ohangwena and Oshana regions. The participants ranged from a Head of Department to members of the curriculum panel, subject advisors and Oshikwanyama subject facilitators as well as teachers at the classroom level. It was revealed that generally speaking, CA as a term is understood, but the practice is not well implemented. In the practice of CA, instead of learners being assessed for further learning, the emphasis is on scored marks without further assistance in learning. Further, the collection of marks during CA is often seen as largely for the purpose of contributing to the marks for summative final marks. Informal assessment which is part of CA was not given attention, which is a key factor preventing the effective use of CA in teaching and learning. Methods such as marking grids that are provided in the syllabus, as well as portfolios and learners' profiles, were not mentioned in the interviews nor observed as being in use. Participants in the study did acknowledge that they did not fully understand how best to implement CA. Overall, the evidence pointed to a conclusion that the identified shortcomings in the implementation of formative assessment is limiting the realization of the rich potential for CA as a day-to-day tool to facilitate learning for understanding in the observed classes.

The study investigates how rural Grade 4 teachers and learners experience the transition from Oshikwanyama to English as a medium of instruction. The study was conducted at a rural school in Oshana region in northern Namibia. The research site and participants were purposefully selected. Grade 4 teachers and learners were interviewed and observed. Relevant documents were also analyzed. The purpose was to understand participants’ experiences, perceptions and practices in relation to their experience of the transition to English medium instruction. The study revealed out that both Grade 4 teachers and learners are struggling to teach and learn through the medium of English. This was borne out by participants’ responses, classroom practices and document analysis, especially learners’ oral presentation and written work. The conclusion is drawn that limitations in English proficiency overshadow the good intentions of the curriculum. This was evident in the fact that Grade 4 learners at a selected school found it difficult to cope with the demands of the curriculum. In addition, most of the learners have poor literacy skills even in their mother tongue, Oshikwanyama. In the linguistic sense, proficiency in the first language can pave the way for second language to flourish. If the reverse is the case then the learner might find it difficult to acquire linguistic skills in the second language. The study concludes that for the sake of effective learning, an intervention on professional development needs to be in place. This might help rural lower primary teachers to upgrade their existing skills particularly in terms of the English language proficiency as well as how to prepare learners for the transition to English.

The integration of Information and Communication Technology in the indigenous language classroom lags behind compared to other subjects. In many ways, indigenous language teachers find it difficult and to some extent, impossible to integrate ICT into their classroom activities. The focus of this study is to explore the ways in which ICT could be used as a learning tool in an Oshikwanyama First Language classroom. I investigated the use of Wikipedia translation as an additional teaching and learning tool. I concentrated on the impact that ICT tools have on learning, and the motivation it has on learners to learn Oshikwanyama. This qualitative case study was conducted in an urban school in northern Namibia. The adoption of ICT at the school is good as there is a full-fledged computer lab with unlimited wireless internet access. This was a requirement for the project to enable the participants to work online. I purposefully chose higher-level learners (Secondary phase) for this study. I conducted a survey with them on their access to and use of ICT devices in their daily lives, and thereafter conducted a basic computer workshop and a Wikipedia translation project with them. My research findings show that although the use of ICT is part of the learners’ lives, most of the communication through ICT devices is done in English not Oshikwanyama. Wikipedia translation offers a stimulating learning platform for learners to learn Oshikwanyama and English at the same time and this improved their performance in both languages. Furthermore, the Wikipedia translation, which was done collaboratively, gave learners the confidence to work with other learners to create knowledge. Lastly, Wikipedia translation motivates learners to learn Oshikwanyama and use it in their daily ICT interaction.