Appreciative inquiry into good support strategies to enhance the acquisition of cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) for grade 8 and 9 english second language learners

D.Ed. (Educational Psychology)Abstract: English is seen as the discourse of economic and industrial dominance and empowerment in South Africa. Consequently, many black parents choose to enroll their children in ex-model C schools where the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) is English. In this context black learners have to master all learning areas using English as LoLT with little or no support in their first language. Thus, for the great majority of learners in South Africa, English as a second or even third language learnt solely in the classroom lacks any sustaining environment outside the school. To exacerbate matters many black learners have little exposure to printed material in English, and in addition, academic demands are made in English which is not their first language. Against the above background, English as LoLT has become a key barrier to learning in most South African schools. The most affected areas are general literacy (reading, spelling and writing) and mathematical competence. The aim of this study was to appreciate good support strategies in two selected ex-model C secondary schools in order to identify good practice and generate greater excellence in support strategies to enhance the acquisition of Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency for Grade 8 and 9 English Second Language (ESL) Learners. The support strategies emanating from the study were compiled in the form of guidelines and will be used by the District Based Support Team as well as School Based Support Teams to support educators who are faced with this enormous challenge. A literature study reviewed themes regarding inclusion, support structures and the difficulties experienced by ESL learners due to their limited proficiency in English. Special cognisance was given to the work of Cummins (2000). His Threshold Theory suggests that three critical levels of language proficiency influence learning. At the first threshold, learners have low levels of competence in both their languages and thus experience learning difficulties. At the second threshold, learners have age-appropriate competence in one language and, as long as this is the language they use for learning, they experience no benefit or disadvantage from their bilingualism. At the third level, learners have age-appropriate proficiency in two languages. One major educational implication of the threshold hypothesis is that support programmes must aim to promote an additive form of bilingualism where the first language will need to..