Abstract:

During weekly sessions over a period of six months, starting in May 2018, the researcher studied the socio-linguistic challenges that six female African domestic workers from Pretoria, Centurion experienced with their English writing. They were enrolled for English First Additional Language (L2) for Grades 10-12 (Further Education and Training - FET) via the government’s Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) program. By conducting a qualitative case study through observation and focus group interviews, the researcher found that the learners' challenges were comparable to those observed in the Kha Ri Gude community literacy project for adult learners in Limpopo, i.e. social exclusion, globalisation, and lifelong learning, as reported by Zeelen, Rampedi and van der Lindin (2014). Typical adult learners are those who were socially excluded as a result of a disadvantaged youth and deprived education, as is mostly the case with this ABET domestic population. This exclusion resulted in these learners not being exposed regularly to the mostly Western environment portrayed in the English texts and visuals provided to them according to the syllabus.

Nielsen (2015:147-148) reasons that adult multimedia integration should take place when learners edit their written work on a computer and conduct basic internet searches. Zeelen et al (2014:24-25) rightfully observes that a lack of exposure to technology has led to unemployment and poverty; yet globalisation can become an inspiration for lifelong learning and hence self-empowerment. Nielsen (2015) confirms that (English) writing, in particular, forms part of this empowerment. Sepua (2014) proves, in her research study about Sepedi (an African language) L2 learners, through error analysis (EA), that many writing errors can be traced back to the influence of previously acquired languages. Thus, when writing English, these adult female learners tend to revert to their previously acquired African language (L1), whose structure differs substantially from that of English. Furthermore, these learners, who are multilingual, know (speak) other African languages far better than English, which could be their third or fourth, rather than their second language. This indicates that while adult learners might successfully use spoken English in their everyday communication, they might nevertheless not have academic language proficiency in written English at the FET level. These are challenges to be investigated from both a linguistic and a social perspective.

Keywords:

Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET), social exclusion, globalisation, multimedia integration, lifelong learning, English L2 writing, self-empowerment.