Many university students who are native speakers of isiXhosa struggle with academic proficiency in their mother tongue due to inadequate formal grammar instruction. Despite fluency in everyday communication, their limited understanding of linguistic structures negatively impacts academic writing and comprehension. This issue stems from the historical marginalization of African languages in education, where English dominates as the primary language of knowledge production. Consequently, isiXhosa is often relegated to informal use, leading to weak grammar knowledge and an over-reliance on English syntax.

Additionally, isiXhosa grammar instruction remains influenced by Eurocentric frameworks, emphasizing rigid, prescriptive methods rather than interactive, contextualized learning. Colonial era standardization has further alienated students from their natural linguistic norms, creating a gap between spoken and formal isiXhosa. To address this, the paper advocates for a decolonial approach to grammar teaching, one that integrates indigenous linguistic norms, African epistemologies, and communicative pedagogy.

Drawing on Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and Critical Pedagogy, the study explores innovative methods such as corpus-based analysis, task-based learning, and metalinguistic awareness activities. These approaches encourage students to analyze real life isiXhosa texts, engage in meaningful communicative tasks, and reflect on language structures. Project based learning, including research on language change and dialectal variations, fosters a deeper connection between grammar and social realities.

By shifting from Eurocentric prescriptivism to an Afrocentric, student-centered model, isiXhosa can be repositioned as a tool for academic inquiry and intellectualization. Curriculum reforms, teacher training, and collaboration with communities are crucial for sustainable change. Ultimately, this approach enhances grammatical proficiency while fostering linguistic pride, critical thinking, and the broader decolonization of African language education.

Keywords: Prescriptivism, Reconceptualization, Grammar, Mother Tongue, Teaching Approaches.