Teaching Methodological Challenges of Indigenous African Languages in the Foundation Phase

The dialectic on the pedagogy of indigenous African languages in the Foundation Phase has occupied academic space lately. African language teachers seem to face the challenges of teaching the indigenous languages. The purpose of this study is to explore the challenges of teaching African languages at foundation phase and how they could be solved. The study adopted constructivist paradigm and qualitative approach. The paradigm holds that knowledge is a social Construction, therefore, there are multiple realities. Data were generated from the critical review of related literature for the past seven years on the teaching of indigenous African languages at the Foundation Phase. It was analysed thematically following Castle and Nolen’s five steps of thematic analysis namely; compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting and concluding in order to get to the depth of the phenomenon. Deconstruction theory formed the theoretical frame work for this study. The theory holds that there are always cracks, new ways of doing things, thus making changes from what is considered the norm. The findings point to insufficient indigenous language teaching materials. They are also archaic and not even digitalized. They are also not user friendly. Poor teacher training in African languages ia another finding. The study concludes that there is poor government financial support which results in insufficient teaching materials. Poor teacher training in African indigenous languages leads to ineffective teaching methods, thus poor learners’ performance. The study therefore, recommends effective teacher training for foundation phase and the government should fund the digitalization and accessibility of teaching materials.