Making Setswana trendy for a new generation

A teacher is taking Setswana lessons beyond the classroom, using YouTube to make the language vibrant, accessible, and fashionable for a new generation.

By Tshidi Bokgwathile

Through her YouTube channel Ithute Setswana le Lorato, teacher and content creator Lorato Banda is using digital storytelling to make Setswana lessons lively, relevant, and enjoyable for pupils of all ages.

Better known online as Lorato Dooms, this teacher said she is making language learning both fun and culturally relevant.

Her approach is simple: merge modern digital tools with traditional teaching methods to keep Setswana alive among young pupils.

“In my classroom and on YouTube, learning Setswana should never feel like work. We play games, sing songs, act out words, and use pictures to make lessons enjoyable and memorable. Parents should encourage their children to join in and learn along,” she said with a warm laugh.

Banda’s videos are anything but ordinary. Each episode covers one or more of the five key language skills. Listening and speaking, reading and viewing, writing and presenting, reading aloud, and understanding language structures.

“The result is a complete learning experience that appeals to both beginners and fluent speakers who want to polish their skills,” she said.

Her lessons rely heavily on creativity. Instead of focusing solely on grammar and memorisation, she uses songs, rhymes, flashcards, and storytelling to help pupils remember new words. “Children learn better when they are enjoying themselves. Even adults respond to rhythm and repetition,” she explains.

She is also passionate about reading comprehension. “Mispronouncing or misspelling words often comes from not reading enough. That’s why I encourage learners to read Setswana books, practise writing, and use Thanodi, our Setswana dictionaries, to deepen understanding,” she said.

The idea for her YouTube channel began when she was helping parents whose children struggled with Setswana homework. One parent later told her how a short explanatory video she had made helped her daughter grasp a difficult topic in minutes. That single comment sparked a vision.

“It made me realise I could reach many more learners, teachers, and parents through video,” Lorato recalls. “That’s how Ithute Setswana le Lorato started.”

Today, the channel has become a valued resource for pupils across the North West and beyond. Teachers use it for inspiration, parents use it for homework support, and pupils use it to build confidence in their mother tongue.

Her influence extends to TikTok, where she shares short, energetic clips that showcase Setswana phrases in modern, relatable contexts. The feedback, she said, has been overwhelming.

“Parents tell me their children’s results have improved. University students say my videos help them, too. But the best compliment”, she adds proudly, “is when learners tell me Setswana has become cool.”