Abstract

The teaching of English as a First Additional Language (EFAL) in historically disadvantaged schools in South Africa is a serious challenge for teachers. The researcher conducted a study to determine the extent to which classroom interaction was implemented in the teaching of English in the intermediate phase (grades four, five, and six) in the rural areas of Limpopo province, South Africa. Eight African teachers participated in the study, which employed semi-structured interviews and classroom observation to collect data. The researcher found that the majority of the participants had not been trained to teach English while those who had been trained to do so had not received training in classroom interaction. Consequently, teachers spoke most of the time while learners passively listened to the teacher, except occasionally when the teacher asked a question requiring a short answer and the learners answered in a chorus. Teachers commonly used the lecture method, rather than teaching strategies that promote classroom interaction. It is recommended that EFAL teachers, in particular, be trained in classroom interaction strategies.