Staff Reporter
Language specialists and academia agree that language policy needs to be reviewed to enhance multi-lingual education and the importance of mother tongue teaching during the first six years of formal schooling.
During the engagement session, conference delegates and presenters acknowledged the complexity of translating policy into practice. They saw the Conference last week as an invaluable platform for role players and stakeholders to explore the potential and advantages of implementing multilingual practices in South African classrooms.
Presenting the Incremental Introduction of African Languages (IIAL) Strategy during the Conference, Chief Director for Curriculum Implementation and Monitoring, Dr Moses Simelane, indicated that “the IIAL strategy assisted the DBE in promoting the use of African languages within the schooling system by introducing learners incrementally to learning a previously marginalised African language, particularly the former model C Schools.
“This was aimed at ensuring that all non-African home language speakers were taught to speak an African Language for communicative purposes and to foster social cohesion in school communities. The strategy is, undoubtedly, a cornerstone in redressing the past linguistic imbalances focusing on all official South African languages”.
In his presentation on the rapid assessment of the Language in Education Policy (LiEP), Prof Leketi Makalela, Director for Hub Multilingual Education and Literacies at Wits University, indicated: “LiEP revealed an urgent need to support African Languages as Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) beyond Grade 3. Most Black African learners experience the transition to English as LoLT from Grade 4. However, research has shown that the transition to English is considered premature and disruptive to learning. Translanguaging which refers to using more than one language and teaching in the same lesson is the de facto classroom practice, but assessment regimes do not match it. For many Black African learners, English as a medium of instruction, when introduced too early, can become a barrier to learning. Yet, some myths overstate the importance of English as a language of learning and teaching”.
According to the Old Mutual Foundation, the partnership between the DBE and the private sector should be centred around Early Grade literacy and numeracy, Mother tongue teaching and learning;
Supporting the DBE’s Language Policy Unit and developing Xitsonga benchmarks.
“We pledge to collaborate with universities on an entry-level teachers’ course in early grade isiXhosa literacy; reading pedagogy course in isiXhosa, Sesotho and EFAL. We are currently implementing the LITNUM project that has already benefited 25,000 learners, 500 teachers, and 200 subject advisors with a reading for meaning focusing on strengthening Instructional Leadership in 3 provinces”.
In his presentation on the English Medium Education in Sub-Saharan Africa, rethinking the context, language, and quality of primary education, Dr Harry Kuchah highlighted: “There are 283 languages in Cameroon. Education is called bilingual, but this is English and French, which were perceived as neutral languages that could unite the country; instead, they proved to be divisive. Parents recognise the value of local languages but prefer an international language like English; however, it is easier for an isiXhosa child to learn through isiZulu than through English”.
The Conference culminated in five breakaway sessions where participants were expected to make valuable contributions to the review of the Language Policy implemented in the South African schooling system.
INSIDE EDUCATION
