Use of Peer Collaboration in Enhancing Learners’ Multilingual Competence in Vocational Education and Training Institutions in Temeke Municipality

Abstract

This study examined the use of peer collaboration in enhancing learners’ multilingual competence in Vocational Education and Training (VET) institutions in Temeke Municipality. The study was guided by Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and employed a quantitatively dominant mixed-methods approach using an explanatory sequential design. Data were collected from students and teachers using questionnaires, interviews, classroom observations, and documentary review. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings indicated that peer collaboration enhanced learners’ opportunities to interact, exchange ideas, negotiate meaning, and practise multiple languages in meaningful learning contexts. Collaborative activities were also associated with improved communication skills, vocabulary development, learner confidence, and active participation in classroom activities. However, variations in learners’ language proficiency, limited instructional resources, and inadequate opportunities for structured collaborative learning constrained the effective use of peer collaboration. The study concludes that peer collaboration is an important pedagogical strategy for enhancing multilingual competence among VET learners. It recommends that teachers integrate structured collaborative activities, such as peer tutoring, group discussions, and cooperative learning tasks, while VET institutions provide professional development and appropriate instructional resources to support multilingual learning.