scholarly journals Switch from Mother Tongue to English: A Double Jeopardy

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. p22
Author(s):  
Berrington Ntombela
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
African Languages ◽  
The Status ◽  
Mother Tongue Instruction ◽  
Intellectual Capacity ◽  
The Moment ◽  
English Medium Of Instruction

This paper interrogates the sorry state of switching from mother tongue instruction to English medium of instruction in South Africa. Adopting a critical approach to literature review, it critiques the resistance mounted on the utility of African languages as viable media of instruction. It argues that the status quo is perpetuated by the dominance of English as a medium of instruction both in South Africa and abroad, and that this state of affairs can be traced back to a colonial system which presently works itself out as globalisation and internationalisation. The paper ends by demonstrating how switching from mother tongue instruction to English medium of instruction robs learners and teachers of their intellectual capacity, where they appear incompetent due to a language barrier. The paper concludes that the situation could only be rescued by promoting mother tongue instruction for the majority of South Africans which at the moment is enjoyed by a minority.

scholarly journals Funksionele meertaligheid in Suid-Afrika: 'n onbereikbare ideaal?

Literator ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Verhoef
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Final Report ◽  
North West ◽  
African Languages ◽  
The North ◽  
Mother Tongue Instruction ◽  
Education Act ◽  
Regional Languages

Functional multilingualism in South Africa: an unattainable ideal? Although much has been done on an official level to establish true multilingualism in South Africa, a tendency towards English monolingualism seems to exist in the country. The aim of this article is to describe the official stipulations in pursuit of multilingualism, as they appear in the Constitution (Act 108 of 1996), the School Act (Act 84 of 1996) and the final report of Langtag. In addition to the present demands, the article also responds to previous demands for multilingualism in the South African context, particularly as stated in the Bantu Education Act of 1953. It is argued that, because of the negative connotations associated with mother-tongue instruction in the past, contemporary mother-tongue instruction will also be contaminated. Apart from the theoretical investigation into multilingualism, the article reports on empirical research that has been done in this regard in the North West Province where the attitudes and perceptions of the school population towards the regional languages were measured. Although the subjects reacted positively to the official status granted to several South African languages, they expressed a preference for English as working language because of the access it gives to personal, economic and social development and empowerment. The article concludes with brief recommendations regarding language planning opportunities that derive from this situation.

scholarly journals FINANCIAL TRANSLATION IN SOUTH AFRICA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR THE INDIGENOUS AFRICAN LANGUAGES

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (15) ◽  
pp. 1456-1461
Author(s):  
Aaron Mnguni
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
National Development ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Identity Conflict ◽  
Financial Industry ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Role Translation ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Republic

In terms of the Census 2011 in South Africa, the majority of the South African population use indigenous African languages as mother tongue, compared to the minority that use English, Afrikaans and other languages. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996) declared Sepedi (N. Sotho), Sesotho, Setswana, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Afrikaans, English, Siswati, isiNdebele, isiXhosa and isiZulu as official languages of the Republic of South Africa. Even though in 1996 eleven languages were declared official by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996), English and Afrikaans have maintained their pre-1994 status as de facto languages in the technical and scientific fields. The anomaly of the dominance of English and Afrikaans, particularly in the financial industry, has implication for the development of the majority of the citizens in the country, especially in poverty-alleviation and national development interventions. Without paying a special focus on the dynamics in languages, it could be extremely difficult to understand how issues of power, identity, conflict and resistance are established and maintained within organisations and even governments. The purpose of this paper is to investigate reasons for the persistence of the status quo in the positioning of languages in South Africa in particular regarding financial documents. This paper also looks at some of the challenges the African languages are faced with in making inroads in fields such as the finance, as well as implications for the speakers of the African languages over the two decades after the new dispensation was ushered in. The polysystem theory championed by Even-Zohar assists in putting the role translation can play in the effort of developing African languages and putting African languages into perspective. It is also hoped that this paper will contribute towards the debate on intellectualisation of the African languages in South Africa. Keywords: African languages, financial translation, multilingualism, polysystem, poverty, South Africa.

scholarly journals Challenges of the Sudden Switch from Mother Tongue Instruction to English as a Medium of Instruction

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Shahinaz Abdullah Bukhari
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Standard English ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Classroom Communication ◽  
Mother Tongue Instruction

The present study explored the challenges encountered through the transition from using the mother tongue as a medium of instruction at schools to using English as a medium of instruction at universities. Two focus groups were conducted with Saudi undergraduates and faculty members from different Saudi universities. The focus groups investigated how participants perceive this experience, what difficulties they face and how they cope. Participants expressed their preference for using English as a medium of instruction in higher education to maximise students’ future and international opportunities. Participant students reported difficulties in lecture comprehension, taking notes while listening and classroom communication. Participant content lecturers reported difficulties related to students’ reluctance to speak in English, lack of English terminology and insufficient lecture comprehension. Some suggestions that have been offered to overcome these challenges include the following: designing adequate trainings for content lecturers on teaching their content in English; using Arabic-English bilingualism as medium of instruction; giving emphasis to academic literacy and communication skills over the use of standard English models and enhancing the collaborative work between English language teaching practitioners and content lecturers.

scholarly journals ‘They say we are crèche teachers’: Experiences of pre-service mathematics teachers taught through the medium of isiZulu

Pythagoras ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Van Laren ◽  
Busisiwe Goba
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Language Policy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
School Of Education ◽  
Language Of Instruction ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
The Status

Language of instruction, both in schools and higher education institutions (HEIs), is a contentious issue in South Africa. At our university in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa a language policy was approved in agreement with the Language Policy for Higher Education, recommending promotion of isiZulu as a medium of instruction for teaching and learning. In complying with this policy the School of Education of our university offered three education modules (Numeracy, Life Skills and Literacy) in the Foundation Phase (FP) Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) through the medium of isiZulu. Against this background we conducted a qualitative study with 16 FP PGCE pre-service teachers selected purposefully from the 2011 cohort who completed the FP numeracy education module in isiZulu. Participants were generally positive about their experiences of being taught in isiZulu, but highlighted challenges related to isiZulu as a medium of instruction for academic concept explanations, translation of teaching and learning materials, and the status of isiZulu as an instruction medium at a HEI.

scholarly journals The Efficacy of the Application of Mother Tongues Education in Pakistan

sjesr ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 257-261
Author(s):  
Shah Nawaz Khan ◽  
Dr. Abdul Karim Khan ◽  
Dr. Ihsan Ullah Khan
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Primary Level ◽  
The Future ◽  
Mother Tongue Instruction ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Basic Concepts

No doubt, the importance of English cannot be denied, but at the same time, mother tongue has also due importance concerning one's culture and understanding basic concepts at schools at primary level. This paper is an attempt to prove the importance of mother tongue as a medium of instruction at the primary level in District Bannu. The data were collected from students’ focal groups of fifty classrooms from ten schools. Two questions were asked in each subject from the focus groups to check their concept of the subject. Similarly, among the teachers, thirty respondents were interviewed in the Parents-Teachers Meeting (PTM) to find out their views about the efficacy of mother tongue instructions at the primary level. In this connection, parents were also interviewed. The results showed that among the students whose concept was clear, eighty percent of students were those who were taught in their mother tongue whereas twenty percent of students were those who were taught in English. Again, among the thirty teachers, eighty-five percent felt comfortable with teaching in the mother tongue whereas fifteen percent of teachers showed positive inclination towards teaching in a second language. Lastly, parents also felt at ease with the mother tongue instructions as they conveyed that their children go to school with zeal. Thus, mother tongue instruction proved helpful at the primary level. This study will also prove helpful to other researchers in the future for conducting similar studies in other districts.

scholarly journals The Medium of Instruction in a Multicultural Classroom: Teachers’ Perspectives in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 342-355
Author(s):  
Matshikiza Spokazi ◽  
Simon Luggya ◽  
Magdaline Tanga
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Multicultural Education ◽  
English Language ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Multicultural Classroom ◽  
Universal Language ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

The South African Government has instituted a policy of multicultural education (ME) to ensure inclusivity and equal learning opportunities for all learners. This paper aimed to explore teachers’ perspectives on the medium of instruction in a multicultural classroom. The paper was extracted from a thesis that examined multiculturalism in selected schools in South Africa. A sample of 18 participants was purposively selected from two urban schools that have learners from different socio-cultural backgrounds in the Eastern Cape. The paper used the interpretive paradigm, which aligns with the qualitative approach. Data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that as a universal language, most participants preferred using English in the classroom. However, they sometimes code-switch to IsiXhosa and/or Afrikaans (two of the 11 official languages in South Africa) if the need arises. The participants also revealed attempts at balancing the use of English with learners’ first language, mostly during breaks, sporting, and cultural events, but they admitted this does not equal ME. Finally, the participants indicated that preference to teach in English was due to its universalism. Consequently, African languages have become receptors and not creators of knowledge. The paper concludes that despite the ME policy, teachers are not keen to practice it because of a lack of skills. It is recommended that the country be zoned into language areas and teachers be taught in at least two dominant languages of each region, excluding the English language, to ensure equal educational opportunities.

scholarly journals Dreams and Realities for South Africa: Use of Official Languages Act, 2012

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Aaron Mnguni
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Implementation Challenges ◽  
The Status ◽  
Official Languages ◽  
The Republic ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
South African Constitution

Language policies are the cornerstone that establish and maintain communication amongst people. Proper communication, particularly amongst speakers of many languages in a country such as South Africa hinges heavily on perceptions regarding the status of the languages used in that specific country. According to the Republic of South African Constitution (Act 108 of 1996), South Africa has eleven official languages. Nine of these official languages (the indigenous African languages), are regarded as historically disadvantaged, while the remaining two, viz. English and Afrikaans enjoyed official recognition under the then ‘apartheid’ era that lasted until 1994. The previously disadvantaged African languages still lag in terms of development, when compared to English and to a lesser extent, Afrikaans. To address this challenge and reverse the status quo, several measures have been undertaken by government, including the passing of an Act called, Use of Official Languages Act, 2012. This Act aims at managing the use of the official languages optimally, with special emphasis on the previously marginalised languages. South Africa is known for developing good language policies but often criticised for producing such good policies for one good purpose only - to display them in office shelves. Following this state of affairs, this article therefore examines the implementation challenges regarding this Act and suggest what could be done to successfully implement it in South Africa. Second, the article also seeks to alleviate the perceived apathy in implementing language policies, particularly in South Africa, and with implications for Africa as a whole.

scholarly journals Grade R teachers’ experiences with the implementation of the mother-tongue-instruction policy for pre-reading skills in Lesotho

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arone C. Koloti ◽  
Thuthukile Jita
Keyword(s):  
Reading Skills ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Adequate Knowledge ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Mother Tongue Instruction ◽  
Multiple Case

Background: Over the years, the majority of the Basotho nation and many countries have known Lesotho as a country which has Sesotho and English as the only spoken languages and as medium of instruction in schools. Whereas, in reality, Lesotho has many spoken languages. Many tribes have their own spoken languages which, hitherto, have not been considered in the education sector of Lesotho.Aim: This article aimed to demonstrate the Lesotho Grade R teachers’ experiences with the implementation of the mother-tongue-instruction policy in teaching pre-reading skills.Setting: This study was conducted in Lesotho at three different schools. Three Grade R teachers were chosen and studied in their respective classrooms.Methods: Employing qualitative research methods in this study, the multiple case study research design was used to explore the reality of classroom teaching practices. Document analysis, non-participatory classroom observation and semi-structured interviews and thematic content analysis were employed to generate data.Results: Teachers in early childhood education (ECE) do not implement medium of instruction policy appropriately because they are not well-informed about it.Conclusion: Grade R teachers are willing to operationalise the mother-tongue-instruction policy effectively, even though they do not have adequate knowledge of the policy.

scholarly journals Die invloed van taalhoudings op onderrigmediumkeuse in Suid-Afrika

Literator ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 37-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. De Wet
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Language Attitudes ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Political Empowerment ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Masses

The influence of language attitudes on the choice of the medium of instruction in South Africa The South African Constitution (Act 108 of 1996) recognises language as a basic human right and emphasises the right of choice of every individual with regard to the language of learning and teaching (LOLT). In exercising their democratic language choice, the majority of South African learners and their parents reject their right to mother-tongue education and disregard research findings that emphasise the benefits of mother-tongue instruction. From a study of subject-related literature it has become clear that the masses in South Africa believe that a knowledge of English is the key to economic and political empowerment. Against the background of these findings, the article reports on an empirical study on the language attitudes of undergraduate Education and B.Ed. students at the Bloemfontein and Queenstown campuses of the University of the Free State. The study confirms the findings of the subject-related study to a large extent, namely that English is seen as the key to economic and political empowerment. The opposite is, however, proven by literacy and poverty figures, as well as by studies on blacks’ proficiency in English. Proceeding from the economic, political and educational realities, the article offers a few suggestions for the development of African languages as LOLT.

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