DISCREPANCY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SUBJECT AND ENGLISH CONTENT USED FOR SCIENCE SUBJECTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TANZANIA

Authors

  • James Tennyson Mwaipyana Doctor of Philosophy Candidate, The Open University of Tanzania, Tanzania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejel.v10i3.6268

Keywords:

discrepancy, English language subject, English language content, science subjects

Abstract

The mediating role of the English language in all subjects for secondary schools, except for the Kiswahili subject, is the driving factor for this study. Thus, the study sought to determine the discrepancy between the English language subject and the English content for science subjects in secondary schools. The following objectives were formulated herein: to examine the discrepancies in teaching pedagogies for English Language subjects and Science subjects in secondary schools, and to evaluate the effectiveness of language content used for English subjects and Science subjects in relation to overall Grade Point Average in examinations. A case study research design was incorporated in this study, and the qualitative research approach was dominant here, except for simple descriptive statistics used for demographic information of respondents. The study was conducted in six districts within the Mbeya region. Here, a simple random sampling technique was used for selecting schools, and the same purposive sampling method was employed for teachers and subjects taught in secondary schools. Selected English language teachers and selected Science teachers were interviewed, and classroom observation and documentary review were the primary data collection tools used for this study. Data were qualitatively analysed through coding of related information and subjecting it to themes. From the study findings, it was established that active learning, cognitive strategy, assessment and evaluation and differentiated instruction formed the basis for the discrepancy in English Language subjects and English content used for Science subjects. The findings suggest that Science subjects utilise comparatively less English content, and assessment tools for these subjects require alternative practices, such as practical items and fill-in-the-blank exercises. Therefore, there are differences in their performance.

 

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Author Biography

  • James Tennyson Mwaipyana, Doctor of Philosophy Candidate, The Open University of Tanzania, Tanzania

    James Tennyson Mwaipyana is a Linguist and Assistant Lecturer at the Institute of Accountancy Arusha (IAA), Tanzania, where I am teaching and researching in the fields of sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, semantics, communication skills, and applied linguistics. My scholarly work explores the intersections of language, society, and power, with a focus on how linguistic practices shape identity and communication in diverse contexts. As I pursue my doctorate in linguistics at Tanzania's Open University, I am constantly looking for new ways to improve the quality of language education. In addition to my academic work, I also participate in various workshops and conferences on topics such as discourse analysis and language pedagogy. Most of my research focuses on the development of effective communication strategies in multilingual communities.

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Published

2025-09-09

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 3 (2025)

Section

Articles

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