Translations as a Transformative Form of Language Support to English Additional Language Speaking Students at a South African University

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Venicia McGhie
Karen Dos Reis

Abstract

This paper reports on a translation intervention strategy piloted in the first semester of 2017 in the business faculty at a historically black university in South Africa. The pilot study covered the implementation and monitoring of translating instructions, questions and explanations into two of the students’ first languages in the formative assessments in the first-year Management 131 module. The findings show that the translations in their home languages assisted the students in comprehending the instructions and course content. In so doing, it levelled the playing field and enabled them to perform optimally, which aided the pass rate in the module. Additionally, the English-speaking students felt the intervention was a good idea; at the same time, the other additional language-speaking students also requested translations to be done in their languages. The findings provide evidence that students who are English additional language speakers need additional language support to succeed in their respective degree programmes at post-school institutions.

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Research Articles