Reflections on Language Transformation at Nelson Mandela University

Abstract

After a brief overview of the historical bilingual and parallel-medium language policies of universities in South Africa, this article highlights the limited implementation of the Language Policy for Higher Education in South Africa (2002), the resulting linguistic challenges faced by students in university classrooms, and the coping mechanisms they have developed. Thereafter, it reflects on successful formalised national and international practices before arguing the case for the inclusion of similar language practices in the curricula of South African universities in general and of Nelson Mandela University in particular.

Keywords:

• bilingual
• multilingual
• literacy
• discourse theory
• Nelson Mandela University (NMU)
• translanguaging
• regulated and unregulated space