Cultural-historical basis of literacy practices in TshiVenda-speaking South Africa’s primary classrooms

The study examines literacy practices within TshiVenda-speaking Grade One classroom in rural South African primary schooling to uncover the evolving cultural-historical processes of classroom teaching and learning that regulate children’s learning and development, including reading acquisition.An experienced TshiVenda Grade One teacher was observed and subsequently interviewed on her approach to teaching reading.The analysis reveals complex multi-layered instructional practices which the teacher embodies and enacts in the ‘here and now’ of her schooling and literacy instruction; oscillating between two contradictory, historically-embedded approaches to literacy instruction.