Some South African student teachers began their first and only teaching practice for the year this week in schools. As well as the novel challenges that Covid-19 has thrown their way, they are faced with the usual questions about the language practices they observe in schools: Will the children understand me if I use English only? How can I teach English as well as my subject? Should I let them use their home languages in class? How and am I allowed to? In this resource, teachers will find some ideas which we recommend to start exploring translanguaging – the use of multiple language resources in the same activity.
We wish student teachers and their school mentors all the best for an unusual first experience of classroom teaching.