Language of instruction: a question of disconnected capabilities

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the issue of language of instruction, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, and considers the persistent preference for monolingual learning environments in multilingual societies. The perception that the use of African languages in education interferes with the acquisition of a global language is shown to be incongruous with current research and theories about multilingual learning and translanguaging. Moreover, drawing from an empirical study in Tanzania, it is observed that the rigid separation of different languages not only has implications for effective language acquisition, but is also associated with negative social consequences for learners. This paper argues that the capability approach can contribute to improved understanding and analysis of these phenomena. In particular, it suggests that several issues relating to language of instruction can be usefully reframed as a problem of disconnected capabilities.

摘要

本文聚焦于教学语言问题，特别是在撒哈拉以南非洲地区的教学语言，并关注在多语社会中对单语学习环境的持续偏好。认为在教育中使用非洲语言会干扰对全球语言习得的观点，与目前有关多语种学习和跨语言实践的研究和理论不相符。此外，从坦桑尼亚的一项实证研究中观察到，不同语言的严格分离不仅对有效的语言习得有影响，而且与学习者的负面社会后果有关联。本文认为，能力方法有助于改善对这些现象的理解和分析。特别是，本文提出，与教学语言有关的几个问题可以被有效地重新定义为一个有关能力分离的问题。

KEYWORDS:

• Language of instruction
• capability approach
• secondary education
• Tanzania
• translanguaging

关键词:

• 教学语言
• 能力方法
• 中学教育
• 坦桑尼亚
• 跨语言实践

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Of 115 students in Forms 1 and 2 at the urban school who completed questionnaires about their home and family background, 13 reported having attended private, English-medium primary schools.

2 Term used by a male student in Form Two at the urban school.

3 Term used by a female student in Form One at the rural school.

4 It should be noted that the position of local languages would undoubtedly vary depending on the geographical location studied as some regions of Tanzania have a predominant language that plays a similar role to that played by Kiswahili in this study.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by the Tim Morris Award grant, administered by the Education Development Trust.

Notes on contributors

Laela Adamson

Laela Adamson has recently completed her PhD at the UCL Institute of Education, University College London. She teaches History at City of London School for Girls where she also holds the post of Researcher-in-Residence, supporting teachers and students to both engage in, and engage with, research.