Latest language policy proposals in education in the Valencian Country

15th International Conference of the Spanish Association of Language and Literature Education, 15th International Conference SEDLL, 19-21 November 2014, Valencia, SpainIn this paper, the language policy proposals included in the election programmes of the political parties and coalitions which obtained representation in the Valencian Parliament after the 2011 May elections are analysed. Their consistency and coherence is studied from a sociolinguistic perspective. From a critical discourse analysis perspective, these sets of proposals are compared to the language perception which appears in them. The comparison of the proposals of the different groups represented in the Parliament complements the study of the past and present Valencian language policy. Although the real possibilities to access the government of the different parties are not analysed, by including the parties which now represent the government and the opposition, the maximum and minimum threshold for language policy development in the mid-term are established. To analyse the Valencian language policy, it is necessary to consider Spanish, the other official language and common to the rest of the Spanish state, and see whether there are direct or implicit references to it. Regarding the educational environment, the presence of English and its importance in the school curricula in a generalised discourse context which advocates for its learning can be determining in the design and use of the teaching languages in the Valencian educational system.Mas Castells, JA.; Mestre-Mestre, EM. (2015). Latest language policy proposals in education in the Valencian Country. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences. 178:151-156. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.03.172S15115617

‘How, for God’s sake, can I be a good Muslim?' Gambian Youth in Search of a Moral Lifestyle

By analysing the case study of a young Muslim man's conversion within and between different expressions of Islam in the Gambia, this article challenges common understandings of conversion that see it as a transition from one form of religious belief or identity to another, as well as theories of Islam's place in Africa that distinguish between ‘local’ traditions and ‘world’ religions. The ethnographic case study illustrates that, for Gambian youth, conversion is not a unilinear path but entails the continuous making of moral negotiations and a preparedness to reflect on the ambiguity of selfhood – an inevitable result of the making of these negotiations

Preparing isiXhosa home language teachers for the 21st century classroom: Student teachers' experiences, challenges and reflections

The aim of the article is to identify the gaps between theory and practice in pre-service teacher training with special reference to the teaching of isiXhosa as a home language in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase (Grades 10–12) in some Western Cape high schools. The article is based on data that was collected from Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students taking isiXhosa (home language) as one of their teaching method subjects as part of their pre-service training. The data were collected by means of an open-ended questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and an analysis of student teachers’ reflective journals. The article provides an analysis of PGCE students’ experiences and reflections on the teaching of isiXhosa as a home language in schools. It argues that if there is a gap between theory underpinning initial pre-service training and actual practice in schools, there will be no significant improvement in the teaching of isiXhosa as a home language. It concludes by proposing ways of improving both pre-service and in-service teacher education practice to develop African languages as academic or intellectual languages at school level

Socioeconomic determinants of organic cotton adoption in Benin, West Africa

Organic cotton relies on ecological processes and the use of natural resources to sustain the production system, unlike conventional cotton, mainly characterized by massive utilization of synthesis chemicals. In West Africa, where rural livelihoods are particularly vulnerable, organic cotton is expected to contribute not only to poverty reduction but also to strengthen households’ resilience. The objective of this study was to assess institutional and socioeconomic factors determining farmers’ decisions to adopt organic cotton. For this purpose, we applied a probit model on empirical data collected from producers of the Centre and the Northern parts of Benin. Overall, we found that organic cotton adoption is mainly determined by farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics, the physical distance between farm and house, and contact with extension and advisory services. Organic farming is more attractive to women compared to conventional farming. This because such type of cotton farming enables women to hold a separate cotton farm and thus increase their economic independence, whereas with the conventional system they depend mainly on the farm of the (male) head of the household. Older, less educated and low-income farmers who express environmental concern are more likely to adopt organic cotton. Subsequently, organic cotton should be considered as a prospective policy option to reach the poor and strengthen their livelihoods conditions while contributing to preserve the environment and natural resources. Furthermore, farmers who have their farm near home are more likely to adopt organic farming than those who have the farm far from their home. It also came out that organic farmers have more contacts with advisory and extension services. Finally, the study noted that there is still a need to enhance the extension system by: (1) exploring, designing, and upgrading innovative pedagogic tools such as videos and mobile phone technology to foster learning; and (2) strengthening organic farmer’s organizations and the linkage with agricultural research organizations for technology development

Multilingual examinations: towards a schema of politicization of language in end of high school examinations in sub-Saharan Africa

In many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the release of each year’s results for the end of high school examinations heralds an annual ritual of public commentary on the poor state of national education systems. However, the exoglossic/monolingual language regime for these examinations is infrequently acknowledged as contributing to the dismal performance of students. Even less attended to is the manner in which the language of examinations, through shaping students’ performances, may be exacerbating social inequalities. This article politicizes the language of examinations in the region in the hope of generating policy and research interest in what is arguably an insidious source of inequality. The article makes three arguments. Firstly, it is argued that current exoglossic/monolingual practices in these examinations constitute a set of sociolinguistic aberrations, with demonstrable negative effects on students’ performance. Secondly, it is argued that the gravity of these paradoxical sociolinguistic disarticulations is better appreciated when their social ramifications are viewed in terms of structural violence and social inequality. Thirdly, in considering how to evolve a more socially equitable examination language regime, it is argued that the notion of consequential validity in testing positions translanguaging as a more ecologically valid model of language use in examinations

Banc d’essai des machines de pression positive continue autopilotée pour le traitement du syndromed’apnées du sommeil

Le syndrome d’apnées du sommeil est une pathologie fréquente qui se manifeste par l’obstruction (de plus de 10 secondes) des voies aériennes supérieures chez l’homme pendant le sommeil. Pour le traiter, le patient dort avec un masque nasal raccordé à une machine auto-pilotée qui délivre une pression positive continue adaptée en permanence au degré d’obstruction des voies aériennes supérieures. Dans cette étude, nous avons évalué l’efficacité de ces machines sur un banc d’essai assez représentatif du circuit respiratoire d’un patient, et fonctionnant en boucle fermé. Cette étude a également permis l’extension du banc d’essai au traitement du ronflement. Les résultats issus de cette étude permettront aux constructeurs d’évaluer les qualités de leurs équipements, de découvrir leurs défauts et d’y apporter des solutions en modifiant les algorithmes de traitement.Mots clés : Banc d’essai, machine de pression positive continue, obstruction des voies aériennes supérieures, apnée de sommeil.English AbstractThe syndrome of apnea of the sleep is a frequent pathology which appears by the obstruction (more than 10 seconds) of the human upper airway during the sleep. To treat it, the patient sleeps with a nasal mask connected to an auto-adjusting device which produces a continuous positive pressure adapted permanently to the degree of the upper airway obstruction. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of these devices on a bench testing rather representative of the respiratory circuit of a patient, and functioning in closed buckle. This study also allowed the extension of the bench testing to the treatment of the burr. The results obtained will allow the manufacturers to evaluate qualities of their equipment, to discover their defects and to bring solutions there by modifying the treatment algorithms.Keywords: Bench testing, auto-adjusting positive airway pressure device, upper airway obstruction, apnea of sleep

Gender roles in cotton production and management of related organizations in Benin

Women’s productive roles have generated important debates, heuristic as well as practical, in the scientific and development community. In Benin, women farmers are playing a key role, particularly in agriculture and cotton production, where they are involved throughout the production process. However, only a handful of them are involved in the management of farmer organizations. This article aims to identify factors that constrain or enable women’s representation in the management of cotton organizations. It uses survey data and the life history method to meet its objectives. The life history method was applied to two women leaders who are exceptions to the rule, to document their experience as board members of organizations. Both were cajoled into their positions, and then ousted unceremoniously. The results suggest that gender myths and stereotypes still determine the involvement of women in managing organizations. And the male motive in involving women in management continues to remain questionable

Generating Income and Conflicts: Profitability and Social Cohesion in Benin’s Cotton Sector

This paper is based on field research in the northern Benin, West Africa. The research aimed to investigate how interpersonal and intra-organisational conflicts disrupted cotton production and froze collective action. Cotton has proven to be the lifeline for farmer organisations, and has driven collective action in rural areas. The struggle to control these organisations and their economic and social benefits created mismanagement and free-riding reactions. The greed for resources, in the end, led to hatred, disruption of ties, and conflicts within and between farmer organisations, which resulted in the decline of cotton production and the freeze of collective action. Results from case studies show that social relations based on kinship and friendship deteriorate when financial stakes are high, and that cooperation within large groups requires legal sanctions to be sustainable