DO THE LANGUAGE ERRORS OF ESL TEACHERS AFFECT THEIR LEARNERS?

South Africa, the majority of the practising teachers who enrolled as students (henceforth referred to as teacher students) for the practical component of the Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE): Inclusive Education (Learning Difficulties) for the year 2008 lacked English proficiency. Because these students ’ primary language is not English, they found it difficult to master this course, as reflected by the low throughput rate of 44 per cent in 2008. The question arose: Does poor proficiency in English of English second-language (ESL) teacher students influence ESL learners ’ progress during learner support lessons taught by teacher students as part of their teaching practice for the ACE: Inclusive Educatio