“Kwesukasukela”- From many, many millet granaries ago to Once upon a time: Ubuntu’s 21 century skills intermingled with oral traditional storytelling

Abstract

The cynosure of this paper is to discuss the implementation of the Gamification pedagogy in the primary English learning context which may help to foster the development of 21st century skills (Cruz & Orange, 2016) and by also targeting on the Ubuntu’s philosophy which can be engaged within African oral tradition storytelling as a means of transformation and of accommodating diversity to foster social cohesion and sustainable development (Battiste, 2005; Themane, et al., 2011). An ethnographic methodological approach has been resorted to by including quizzes, project development and the expansion of creative and collaborative critical thinking skills. Results show the intermingling of gamified tasks with oral traditional storytelling requires a spiral curriculum for pupils’ enhancement, while embodying a learning community which provides a safety net for pupils’ exploration and practice. The main results show that the gamification approach can assist in the progression of dialogue, can promote critical cultural awareness and can expedite pupil’s cognitive and affective enthrallment and engagement, whereby fostering the development of 21st century skills (Shatz, 2015; Cruz, & Orange, 2016).

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