Effects of Language Status on Assessment and Educational Development of Basotho Learners from Minority Languages’ Backgrounds

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maboleba Agnes Kolobe ◽  
Lifelile Matsoso
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Educational Development ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
National Minority ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Language Background ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Linguistic Backgrounds

This paper provides a critical overview of the theoretical and practical questions that prevail in the teaching, learning, and assessment of learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds in Lesotho.  It investigates how far exclusion of minority languages affects both assessment and/or educational development of learners whose mother tongue is not Sesotho but other minority languages spoken in Lesotho. The paper advances a research-evidenced argument that the poor performance of students from such backgrounds is indicative of marginalisation and discrimination of such learners due to their language background. A constructivist qualitative study was adopted through use of focus group discussions with 246 learners and 142 teachers in 23 schools located in Botha Bothe, Mohale’s Hoek, Qacha’s Nek and Quthing districts in Lesotho. These places were selected based on their predominance of minority languages. The findings revealed diminutive if not absolute non-recognition of minority languages in teaching, learning, and assessment of learners from this linguistic background. Therefore, the study concludes that linguistically discriminative curriculum, teaching and learning and assessment educational practices can reasonably be associated with   poor performance of learners. Based on these findings, the paper recommends that Lesotho’s education system should respect and embrace existence of national minority languages. Again, the curriculum, its implementation and more importantly assessment should not be divorced from linguistic background of learners.

Minority Languages’ exclusion in the Lesotho School Curriculum: Perceptions of Teachers and Learners

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-149
Author(s):  
Maboleba Kolobe ◽  
Lifelile Matsoso
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
National Minority ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Learning Practices ◽  
Linguistic Backgrounds

The study sought to know why learners from linguistically disadvantaged backgrounds have low educational morale. A constructivist study  was adopted through the use of focus group discussions with 246 learners and 142 teachers in 23 schools located in Botha Bothe, Mohale’s Hoek, Qacha’s Nek and Quthing districts in Lesotho. The findings revealed minimal if not absolute nonrecognition of minority languages in the teaching and learning of learners from these linguistic backgrounds. Therefore, the study concludes that linguistically exclusive  curriculum, and teaching and learning practices can reasonably be associated with poor performance of learners. Based on these findings, the paper recommends that Lesotho’s education system recognise the existence of national minority languages. In other words, the  curriculum, its implementation and assessment of learners should not be divorced from the linguistic background of learners.

Strategic Interaction 2.0

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil H. Johnson ◽  
Jonathan deHaan
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Speech Acts ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Strategic Interaction ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Language Background ◽  
Context Sensitive ◽  
Foreign Language Learners ◽  
Teaching Learning

The potential of web-based 2.0 technology for teaching and assessing intercultural pragmatics has become an area of focus for language educators (Cohen, 2008; Belz, 2005, 2006). Research has highlighted that second and foreign language learners show significant differences from native speakers in language use, in particular, with the execution and comprehension of certain speech acts (Bardovi-Harlig & Mahan-Taylor, 2003). Without effective instruction, differences in pragmatics are evident in the English of learners regardless of their first language background or language proficiency. In EFL contexts, such as Japan, where learners have limited exposure to native speaker norms, teaching and learning pragmatic competence can be particularly challenging. The authors describe an ongoing curriculum development project in a Japanese university context, where the goal is to design and implement an effective approach to teaching interlanguage pragmatics. Digitally enhanced Strategic Interaction (SI) sequences (Di Pietro, 1987) provide opportunities for learners to engage in realistic interactive situations that are mediated by use of model conversations, an online wiki space, and digital video technologies. The online space provides opportunities for learner reflection, peer assisted feedback, and detailed intervention from the instructor. Data analysis from pre- and post- written discourse completion tasks suggests that learners are able to use language in more context sensitive ways having engaged with the teaching/learning cycle design.

scholarly journals The Ukrainian language in the polylingual space of Transcarpathia

2021 ◽  
pp. 3-19
Author(s):  
Halyna Shumytska ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Language Policy ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
The State ◽  
Border Region ◽  
National Minority ◽  
Minority Languages ◽  
Language Policies ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
State Language

This article explores trends in language policies in the Transcarpathian region during 1991–2020 within the general Ukrainian sociopolitical context. It is argued that the status of the Ukrainian language as the state language in the region has become strengthened as evidenced by recent developments in language planning and language policy, including the adoption of the Law “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Lan-guage as the Official Language”. However, the manipulation of the language question in Ukraine, especially in the border regions, has taken on a political character, spreading beyond the borders of the state, threatening the constitutional order and the state sovereignty of Ukraine, in particu-lar in education, economics, and legal sphere. In Transcarpathia, a multi-ethnic border region in the extreme west of Ukraine, warrants attention of both scholars and politicians. This article looks into the changes in the Ukrainian language policies in the local state administration, and the importance of the Ukrainian president office in this regard. Specific features of the linguo-political situation in Transcarpathia, viewed at different periods of its development from the independence of Ukraine in 1991 on-ward, are presented. This study determines the role of the media in shaping a regional linguo-political situation, including the Internet media language space. The paper provides data of a comprehensive analy-sis of the results of the 2017–2019 external independent evaluation as an indicator of language competence of the participants of EIE, the results of research on the perception of educational language innovations in the region through a survey of different categories of respondents during 2018, the monitoring of experimental experience in implementing elements of multilingual edu-cation in educational institutions in Ukraine, particularly in Transcarpathia. The author outlines prospects for continued research in the framework of the project “Debat ing Linguistic Diversity: Managing National Minority Languages in Ukraine and Russia” (2020–2023). Keywords: language policy, language situation, state language, mother tongue, minority language, multilingual education, mass media.

scholarly journals Educating Progressed Learners in Times of COVID-19: How Can Bricolage Help?

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-36
Author(s):  
Bekithemba Dube ◽  
Xolisile P. Ndaba
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Main Argument ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Attitudes Towards Science ◽  
Thematic Approach

This paper discusses using bricolage to mitigate the struggles faced by progressed learners in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Most progressed learners perform poorly in many subjects, especially sciences. Their struggle has stimulated the need to find ways to enhance their performance. Reinvented artefacts and processes can be used for emancipation, and to transform agendas for improving the performance of progressed learners. To collect data, we used participatory action research, which uses a thematic approach to make meaning of data. We created a WhatsApp group to enable focus group discussions for collecting data, to circumvent COVID-19 restrictions. The group had 14 members, among whom teachers and learners from rural schools. The study found that the factors that contributed to poor performance were a lack of teaching and learning materials, too few teachers, less than optimal teaching methods and learners’ attitudes towards science subjects. The main argument of the article is that, in this time characterised by the COVID-19 pandemic, embracing bricolage has the impetus to mitigate challenges relating to the education of progressed learners. Thus, it is important to emancipate teachers, so that they can bricolise the environment for teaching and learning.

scholarly journals ESTRATEGIA PARA EL APROVECHAMIENTO DE UN ENTORNO VIRTUAL EN EL APRENDIZAJE DE UNA SEGUNDA LENGUA.

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iliana Real Poveda ◽  
Yonaiker Navas Montes
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Support Tool ◽  
Engineering Sciences ◽  
Teaching Learning

La Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (UNESCO), desde 1948, destaca la importancia del aprendizaje de una segunda lengua debido a las potencialidades que supone a nivel profesional, académico, social, cultural e incluso personal. Entendiendo que se avanza a una sociedad tecnológica, los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje rompen los esquemas tradicionales e incorporan entornos virtuales de aprendizaje que permiten la aplicación de tecnologías. Al aprender una lengua extranjera, se tiende a “traspasar” de alguna manera el conocimiento sobre las estructuras y rasgos de la lengua materna. A esta influencia de la lengua materna sobre la lengua extranjera se llama “transferencia” que en muchas ocasiones obstaculiza la producción en esta segunda lengua. El propósito de ésta investigación es describir una estrategia empleada para el aprovechamiento del entorno virtual en el aprendizaje de los módulos de inglés con el uso de la plataforma Moodle para los 114 estudiantes de Ciencias de la Salud y Ciencias de la Ingeniería, considerados parte de la generación “Y”, a través de un estudio de caso único, factual e intrínseco, teniendo un nivel descriptivo, heurístico e inductivo. Los resultados de la investigación determinaron que con el uso del entorno virtual a través de una estrategia el aprendizaje de una segunda lengua presenta mayores oportunidades ya que docente y alumnos pueden estar separados con respecto a la sincronía y esto no es obstáculo para que el aprendizaje se lleve a cabo con éxito, esta herramienta de apoyo ayuda a sellar el conocimiento adquirido para luego perfeccionarlo con la práctica.   Palabras clave: Entorno virtual de aprendizaje, Inglés, Proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, TIC   ABSTRACT   The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has highlighted since 1948 the importance of learning a second language because of its professional, social, cultural, academic, and even personal potentials. Understanding that it moves towards a technological society, the processes of teaching and learning break the traditional schemes and incorporate new virtual learning environments that allow the implementation of technologies. By learning a foreign language, it tends to “pass” in somehow the knowledge about the structures and features of the mother tongue into the foreign language. This influence of the mother tongue on the foreign language is called “transfer” which often impedes production in the second language. The purpose of this research is to create a virtual learning environment in the English modules using Moodle for 114 UNEMI students of Health and Engineering Sciences, who are considered part of the generation “Y” through a single, factual and intrinsic case study, with a descriptive, heuristic and inductive level. The results of this research determined that the use of ICT tools when learning a second language presents greater opportunities for the teacher and students because they both can be separated with respect to the synchrony and this is not an obstacle, so learning is conducted with success; this support tool helps the acquired knowledge to become perfect with practice.   Key words: Virtual Learning Environment, English, teaching-learning process, ICT   Recibido: febrero de 2015Aprobado: abril de 2015

scholarly journals A Literary Approach to teaching English Language in a Multi – Cultural Class - Room

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanju Choudhary
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Teaching Learning

<p>Literature is not generally considered as a coherent branch of the curriculum in relation to language – development in either mother tongue or foreign language – teaching. As teachers of English in Multi cultural Indian class rooms we come across students with varying degree of competence in English language learning. Though, language learning is a natural process for natives but the Students of other languages put in colossal efforts to learn it. Despite   their sincere efforts they face challenges regarding Pronunciation, Spelling and Vocabulary. The Indian class rooms are a microcosm of the larger society, so teaching English language in a manner which equips the students to face the cut-throat competition has become a necessity and a challenge for English language Teachers. English today has become the key determinant for getting success in their career. The hackneyed and stereotypical methods of teaching are not acceptable now. Teachers have no longer remained arbitrary dispensers of knowledge but they are playing the role of a guide and facilitator for the students. Teachers of English are using innovative ideas to make English language teaching and learning interesting and simple. Teachers have started using the literary texts and their analysis to explore and ignite the imagination and creative skills of the students. One needs to think and rethink the contribution of literature to intelligent thinking as well as its role in the process of teaching – learning. My paper would, therefore, be an attempt at exploring the nature of the literary experience in the present day class rooms; and the broader role of literature in life.</p>

scholarly journals Exploring the Influence of Teachers' and Students' Mother Tongue on the Use of National Language in L2 Teaching/Learning

2021 ◽  
Vol VI (I) ◽  
pp. 156-168
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ahsan ◽  
Muhammad Saeed Nasir ◽  
Tahira Asgher
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Cultural Factor ◽  
National Language ◽  
Classroom Setting ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Teaching Learning

The purpose of the current study was to explore the influence of teachers' and students' mother tongue on the use of national language in L2 teaching and learning. For a comprehensive understanding of the issue, the study focused on 156 teachers and the 577 students who were teaching and learning English at graduation level in different public sector colleges and universities of Southern Punjab. Two questionnaires were used for data collection. The data were analyzed through SPSS (statistical package for social sciences). Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), T-Test and Cronbach's alpha. The results of the study indicated that the teachers who have Saraiki as their mother tongue have a high inclination toward the use of it in their classroom setting due to the socio-cultural factor such as their multilingual aptitude and their emotional attachment with their mother tongue.

scholarly journals Cooperative Learning (CL) in Promoting Oral Group Lessons

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-306
Author(s):  
Wondwosen Tesfamichael Ali
Keyword(s):  
Text Analysis ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Junior Secondary School ◽  
Group Lessons ◽  
Oral Group ◽  
Almost All

The purpose of this study was to assess whether or not the oral group lessons in the student English textbook of grade seven promoted CL. The study involved in the textbook, two English language teachers and one hundred twenty students who have been teaching and learning the English language, respectively at Muke Turi Primary and Junior Secondary School in Northern Shoa, Ethiopia. The data for the study were gathered through text analysis. In order to see the actual happening and to triangulate the findings of the text analysis, interviews were conducted and classrooms were observed. The results of the study showed that the oral group lessons in the textbook of grade seven fulfilled almost all the criteria of CL; the teachers and the students who were interviewed understood the benefits of sharing ideas through group work which in turn promotes CL though the number of the students in the class was large, and the students had poor background knowledge of English. The classroom observations proved that the number of students in the class was large; the desks were fixed; the students frequently used their mother tongue rather than English during group discussions; the teachers did not set a time limit for the discussions, and there were few practices of evaluating the oral group lessons after group discussions. The findings of this study indicate that the oral group lessons in the textbook helped to promote CL though there were problems to practice them in the classrooms.

scholarly journals The Code Switching of Singkil Language in Indonesian Language Learning Process at Junior High School of Aceh Singkil and Its Usefulness as Student Reading Material

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 2024-2035
Author(s):  
M. Khairunsyah ◽  
Abdurahman Adisaputera ◽  
Marice Marice
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Reading Material ◽  
Code Mixing ◽  
Student Reading ◽  
Teaching Learning

In teaching learning process at SMP Darulmuta'alimin Tanah Merah Aceh Singkil, code switching and code mixing are useful in some events. This does not only happen to students, but also teachers who have the same background (mother tongue) as students. A teacher at SMP Darulmuta'alimin Tanah Merah Aceh Singkil uses the local language or mother tongues so that the students are being taught understand. In accordance with the explanation of Article 36, Chapter XV, of the 1945 Constitution, it can be seen that the language of instruction is used in the teaching and learning process in the Indonesian class. This type of research is qualitative analytical descriptive, which seeks to describe the characteristics of the data in accordance with the actual situation. The description is described as it is systematically, factually, and accurately regarding the data and characteristics of the phenomena under study. The data shows that the code switching event in Indonesian language learning in grade VII-A SMP Darulmuta'alimin Tanah Merah Aceh Singkil, which is from the Singkil language to Indonesian. Since the beginning of the conversation in the learning process, the teacher and students communicate using Singkil and the end of their conversation using Indonesian.

scholarly journals Coursework for Promoting Teaching and Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Tesila Chandrakanthi Kandamby
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
High Impact ◽  
Proper System ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Teaching In Higher Education ◽  
The Impact

Teaching in higher education is to give knowledge to students to understand the principles and apply them in given situations. Method of teaching is to be amalgamated with learning environment where students attend work with interest. By considering this phenomenon, coursework was designed and conducted for Quantity Surveying module from 2014 as a study because of the poor performance shown by the students for both attendance and yearend written paper in 2012. Necessary data was collected from 2012 to 2016 to analyze the impact of this exercise and found that this exercise has supported for promoting teaching and learning. It has improved students’ attendance, built good relationship with the teacher and gained knowledge to achieve high performance at yearend paper. It was found by this study that encouragement made only for improving attendance is not sufficient to obtain high performance in teaching without proper system for learning. With developed coursework in 2016, students have obtained high marks for yearend paper reaching to grades A and B by 35% and 46% respectively. In addition, students have expressed comments by rating 88% and 77% saying this method was at satisfactory and good level respectively. High impact shown in 2015 and 2016 may be due to the experience gathered by the teacher implementing this learning process from 2014. Therefore application of this coursework for teaching and learning process benefited not only to the students but also to the teachers as both parties are able to achieve their objectives with high performances.Key wards: teaching, learning, coursework, attendance, performance

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