Shades, Voice and Mobility: Afar pastoralist and Rift Valley communities (re)interpreting literacy and linguistic practices

In this paper, narrative data from remote communities in Ethiopia reveal in intimate ways how ‘linguistic citizenship’ (Stroud 2001) is claimed and exercised to resist educational decisions which are insensitive to the rhythms of pastoral or rural life. Even where communities are distant from the discourses and resources of the centre, individuals and community spokespersons express powerful views which resonate with contemporary global and local concerns of linguistic diversity, literacy and migration. While conventional representations suggest that such communities lack agency and voice, are require externally delivered aid and to be ‘spoken for’, this article reveals a matrix of articulate positions on language/s, literacy/ies and participation in both primary school and adult education. Amongst the challenges of (re)interpretation for the researcher is a discordant intersection of fluid temporal and spatial positions of researcher and respondent, simultaneously translocal and transnational. Agitated shifts in time and space recast shades and voice for both respondent and researcher. This paper raises questions for research procedures and interpretation of narrative accounts of literacy(ies), linguistics and educational practices on the margins. In particular, the discussion suggests that an understanding of and sensitivity towards the linguistic citizenship of informants as well as the multilayered positions of the researcher, including the researcher’s own linguistic citizenship, offer productive theoretical and methodological approaches to ethnographic research

Underlying ideologies of language medium policies in multilingual societies with particular reference to Southern Africa

Bibliography: pages 305-319.Colonisation has left Africa with a collection of multilingual states· whose physical lines of demarcation bear little relation to linguistic or cultural boundaries. Furthermore, the colonial period has left behind it a legacy of the colonial languages. As these states gained independence, the new political hierarchy has defined its language policy in accordance with its political ideology. This dissertation has been set out to examine the effects of the political ideology behind language medium choice during the British colonial rule in selected African states, on that which followed after independence. Secondly, there has been an attempt· to investigate possible connective links in the language policies of independent states on those of states which gain later independence. This has been undertaken with the aim of building up a set of criteria which might make it feasible to make certain predictions for the likely course of language policy in a future Namibia and South Africa. The question of instruction through the medium of the mother tongue as opposed to the arguments in favour of instruction through the medium of a language of wider communication (English in most cases here) is addressed. The role and nature of nationalism as the most significant political ideology of post-colonial African states i.s explored in as far as it determines language choice

Multilingual education in South Africa: the role of publishers

The South African constitution and related legislative tools provide a supportive framework for multilingual education. Successful implementation, however, requires appropriate learning materials and questions remain as to the vision and commitment of publishers to producing them. Based on an analysis of currently available books for children and interviews with publishers and key figures in the book value chain, this paper explores both the educational rationale for African language publishing and the issues that constrain expansion. These issues include the heavy dependence on the schools market in a society where the majority of the population cannot or do not buy books, the consequences of the slow implementation of the government language-in-education policy, and the particular challenges faced by small publishers. It argues that in order to move beyond dependence on the schools market, publishers need to look critically at the content of the materials they are producing, methods of reaching the huge, untapped markets, and pricing strategies. It also considers differing opinions about the usefulness of translation in increasing the amount of reading material in African languages. Finally, it concludes that responsibility for finding a way out of the current impasse lies with both government and the publishing industry

Shades,voice and mobility: Afar pastoralist and Rift Valley com- munities (re)interpreting literacy and linguistic practices

In this paper, narrative data from remote communities in Ethiopia reveal in intimateways how ‘linguistic citizenship’ (Stroud 2001) is claimed and exercised to resisteducational decisions which are insensitive to the rhythms of pastoral or rural life. Even where communities are distant from the discourses and resources of the centre, individuals and community spokespersons express powerful views which resonate with contemporary global and local concerns of linguistic diversity, literacy and migration. While conventional representations suggest that such communities lack agency and voice, are require externally delivered aid and to be ‘spoken for’, this article reveals a matrix of articulate positions on language/s, literacy/ies and participation in both primary school and adult education. Amongst the challenges of (re)interpretation for the researcher is a discordant intersection of fluid temporal and spatial positions of researcher and respondent, simultaneously translocal and transnational. Agitated shifts in time and space recast shades and voice for both respondent and researcher. This paper raises questions for research procedures and interpretation of narrative accounts of literacy(ies), linguistics and educational practices on the margins. In particular, the discussion suggests that an understanding of and sensitivity towards the linguistic citizenship of informants as well as the multilayered positions of the researcher, including the researcher’s own linguistic citizenship, offer productive theoretical and methodological approaches to ethnographic research

Multilingual Education and Literacy: Research from sub-Saharan Africa

In this article, I discuss some of the most recent, large-scale research conducted on literacy and multilingual education systems in Africa; I believe they may offer comprehensive findings which may be relevant for countries where multilingualism and multilinguality (Agnihotri, 2007) are the norm, rather than the exception. Kenyan scholar Alamin Mazrui (2002) argues that solutions to the current failure of education to meet the needs of school pupils in Africa include the dissemination of research regarding what works well and what does not work. He further emphasizes the importance of multidirectional exchange of information, research and experience, i.e., from Africa to the diaspora (South-South and South-North), rather than the mono-directional North-South exchange which has undermined development in Africa since the nineteenth century

Language and learning science in South Africa

South Africa is a multilingual country with 11 official languages. However, English dominates as the language of access and power and although the Language-in- Education Policy (1997) recommends school language policies that will promote additive bilingualism and the use of learners' home languages as languages of learning and teaching, there has been little implementation of these recommendations by schools. This is despite the fact that the majority of learners do not have the necessary English language proficiency to successfully engage with the curriculum and that teachers frequently are obliged to resort to using the learners' home language to mediate understanding. This research investigates the classroom language practices of six Grade 8 science teachers, teaching science through the medium of English where they and their learners share a common home language, Xhosa. Teachers' lessons were videotaped, transcribed and analysed for the opportunities they offered learners for language development and conceptual challenge. The purpose of the research is to better understand the teachers' perceptions and problems and to be able to draw on examples of good practice, to inform teacher training and to develop a coherent bilingual approach for teaching science through the medium of English as an additional language

Enhancing student wellbeing and student belonging in university through a gamification approach to rewarding and recognising extracurricular activities

Increasingly public health issues around poor mental wellbeing of university students is gaining international attention (Johnson & Crenna-Jennings, 2018; Baik et al., 2019), further highlighting the need for early interventions to reduce/prevent the development of mental illness in university students (Stallman, 2010, Laracombe et al. 2016, Anon, 2018; Heugh et al., 2019a). The case study example discussed here is a work in progress. Its focus is a post-92 urban institution where the student body is culturally diverse with 69% falling into the Office for Students (OfS) defined Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) category and two-thirds of students are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, falling into the bottom two centiles of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) (QS, 2018). The case study chimes with those that underline the importance of developing student belonging and the need for managing challenges to wellbeing presented by a crisis such as Covid-19

Macro-language planning for multilingual education : focus on programmes and provision

This overview identifies some common features of macro-level language planning and briefly summarises the changing approaches to the analysis of macro-planning in the field. It previews six cases of language-in-education planning in response to linguistic diversity presented by the contributors to this issue. The cases show how macro-planning can either fail to recognise diverse ethnolinguistic identities or work to acknowledge them. Three common themes in language planning for multilingual education can be identified from the contributions: (i) top-down definitions of what counts as mother tongue can have both intended and unintended outcomes; (ii) language-as-problem responses to linguistic diversity can work to reinforce social exclusion; and (iii) the acknowledgement of diversity and minority language rights needs to flow through from statements of intent to on-the-ground implementation if they are to become a reality