Browsing by Author "Groenewald, Karin"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Zu Lernmotivationen fur Deutsch im sudafrikanischen Kontext am Beispiel einer Fallstudie : Stellenbosch
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2019-04) Groenewald, Karin; Von Maltzan, Carlotta; Altmayer, Claus; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Modern Foreign Languages.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The following thesis focuses on the identification of tendencies in the motivation for learning German as a foreign language in South Africa, and the implicated power structures of these tendencies. Theories regarding the research on L2 motivation and postcolonial studies, in particular knowledge production and the discourse around decolonising the curriculum are therefore taken into account. The history and development of the subject and its curricula in South Africa are also shown. A case study is presented to support theoretical findings on the subject, which focuses on three high schools in Stellenbosch and third years and Honours students of Stellenbosch University. The results of this study have shown that the learning of German is seen as being beneficial to the future lives of its learners, unlocking career and study opportunities that would otherwise not have been possible. It has also shown that German as a European foreign language is regarded as having more practical value (value in use) than African languages spoken in South Africa. This perspective leads to the establishing of hierarchies between languages in South Africa. It is recommended that the teaching of German as a subject takes into account these power structures, in order to adjust itself in relation to the language politics in South Africa.