Investigating phonics instruction, meaning making, and heteroglossia within Grade 2 foundation phase isiXhosa classrooms

Abstract

Background: Early literacy teaching in South Africa has been shaped by policy reforms aimed at improving Foundation Phase reading outcomes. Although the revised national framework for teaching reading in African languages addressed longstanding curricular inconsistencies, concerns remain about its strong emphasis on phonics and the implications for reading for meaning in African language classrooms.
Objectives: This study examined how a phonics-centred orientation shaped Grade 2 isiXhosa Home Language literacy practices and its implications for meaning making, learner creativity, and the use of learners’ multilingual resources.
Method: A qualitative case study was conducted in two mother tongue-based multilingual primary schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Data were generated through classroom observations, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews with three Grade 2 isiXhosa Home Language teachers. Data were analysed using a social practices perspective on literacy.
Results: Literacy instruction strongly privileged phonics and code-breaking, with limited opportunities for sustained meaning making, learner creativity, and heteroglossic engagement. Despite teachers’ commitment and close adherence to curriculum guidelines, classroom interactions largely prioritised standardised language and teacher-led instruction.
Conclusion: A dominant focus on phonics may unintentionally constrain socially situated literacy practices by positioning reading primarily as a technical rather than a meaningful communicative activity.
Contribution: The study contributes empirical evidence to debates on early literacy teaching in African languages by demonstrating the pedagogical implications of phonics dominance and highlighting the need for more balanced literacy practices that integrate decoding, meaning making, and learners’ linguistic resources.