...For further information, please contact efareport@unesco.org The importance of mother tongue-based schooling for educational quality Commissioned study for EFA Global Monitoring Report 2005 Carol Benson, Ph.D. Centre for Research on Bilingualism Stockholm University 14 April 2004 Part A: Overview While there are many factors involved in delivering quality basic education, language is clearly the key to communication and understanding in the classroom. Many developing countries are characterized by individual as well as societal multilingualism, yet continue to allow a single foreign language to dominate the education sector. Instruction through a language that learners do not speak has been called “submersion” (Skutnabb-Kangas 2000) because it is analogous to holding learners under water without teaching them how to swim. Compounded by chronic difficulties such as low levels of teacher education, poorly designed, inappropriate curricula and lack of adequate school facilities, submersion makes both learning and teaching extremely difficult, particularly when the language of instruction is also foreign to the teacher. Mother tongue-based bilingual...
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...particular regard to a specific whole school policy area. TITLE: A report to describe and evaluate how I , in my professional role, support the ethos and mission statement of my school with particular regard of the school’s Language policy. Mission Statement: To provide a rich academic programme A curriculum based on best research evidences and on successful teaching and learning strategies for teaching for children of diverse backgrounds and learning needs. To be a community school A vibrant center for educational, recreational, cultural and social programs for children and adults in an international community which draws upon and contributes to the vitality of the international community through an innovative and focused curriculum. To maintain a unique Professional Development Focus A culture of continuous professional growth for all staff and functions as a “hub” for educators throughout the region to engage them regularly in a wide range of learning opportunities that promote ongoing professional growth. IB LEARNER PROFILE Inquirers They develop their natural curiosity. They acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiryand research and show independence in learning. They actively enjoy learning and thislove of learning will be sustained throughout their lives. Knowledgeable They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance. In sodoing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad andbalanced range of disciplines...
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... SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIAL ISSUES (SPSI) A REPORT ON “THE NAGGING LANGUAGE ISSUE” (BILINGUAL APPROACH IN EDUCATION) Submitted by: ARVELLA M. ALBAY Ph.D Psych Student Submitted to: DR. MARY ANN VILLENA Professor June 29, 2013 MANUEL L. QUEZON UNIVERSITY Manila, Philippines School of Graduate Studies Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (Ph.D) First Semester 2013-2014 SEMINAR IN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIAL ISSUES (SPSI) Topic : THE NAGGING LANGUAGE ISSUE (Bilingual Approach in Education) Reporter : ARVELLA MEDINA-ALBAY, Ph.D Psych Professor : DR. MARY ANN VILLENA INTRODUCTION BILINGUAL EDUCATION involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and secondary language with varying amounts of each language used in accordance with the program model. ➢ “Bilingual Education Policy (BEP) in the Philippines is defined operationally as the separate use of Filipino and English as the media of instruction in specific subject areas.” As embodied in the DECS Order, Filipino shall be used as medium of instruction in social studies/social sciences, music, arts, physical education, home economics, practical arts and character education. English, on the other hand is allocated to science, mathematics, and technology subjects. ➢ From the above description, it is quite evident that there is confusion for some educators who defined BEP as the actual use of both languages (English and Filipino) inside the classroom. As stated above, BEP clearly states...
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...related to Language Education Introduction In this unit you are going to study curriculum documents related to Language Education. Upon completion of this unit you should be able to: paraphrase the language policy for schools with specific reference to medium of instruction, languages as subjects, phase implementation per phase as well as for students with disabilities; discuss academic opinions on the successes and challenges in educational language policy application in Namibia; compare current and alternative policy options critically. 6.1 Paraphrase the language policy for schools with specific reference to the medium of instruction, languages as subjects, phase implementation per phase as well as for students with disabilities. 6.1.1 The History of the National Language Policy Read the information out of Toward Education for all: Gamsberg Macmillan MEC, (1993): I. CRITERIA FOR LANGUAGE POLICY FORMULATION Language policy formulation in a multilingual society is a difficult task. What is required is a fair balance between the abilities of individuals to choose their medium of communication and the public interest in a common language to facilitate citizen participation and decision making in a democratic society. The Ministry has been guided by the following understandings to develop a language policy for schools in Namibia: • All national languages are equal regardless of the number of speakers or the level of development of a particular language. All language policies...
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...Red de Revistas Científicas de América Latina, el Caribe, España y Portugal Sistema de Información Científica Miranda Montenegro, Iván Ricardo Insights on Bilingualism and Bilingual Education: A Sociolinguistic Perspective Íkala, revista de lenguaje y cultura, vol. 17, núm. 3, septiembre-diciembre, 2012, pp. 263-272 Universidad de Antioquia Medellín, Colombia Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=255025411004 Íkala, revista de lenguaje y cultura, ISSN (Printed Version): 0123-3432 ikala@quimbaya.udea.edu.co Universidad de Antioquia Colombia How to cite Complete issue More information about this article Journal's homepage www.redalyc.org Non-Profit Academic Project, developed under the Open Acces Initiative InsIghts on BIlIngualIsm and BIlIngual EducatIon: a socIolInguIstIc PErsPEctIvE [Percepciones sobre el bilingüismo y la educación bilingüe: una perspectiva sociolingüística] Iván Ricardo Miranda Montenegro holds a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics to EFL Teaching from Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas. Colombia. He currently works as assistant professor at Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia. Mailing address: Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Instituto Internacional de Idiomas, Calle 4 sur No 15-134 Sogamoso, Boyacá, Colombia. E-mail: ivan.miranda@uptc.edu.co Abstract This paper is primarily intended to present some major considerations about bilingualism and bilingual education...
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...society, etc.) so as to make international influence or action possible. Other than that, globalization can be define as the increasing connectivity and interdependence of the world’s economies, societies, and cultures because of advances in communications, technology, trade, international investment movement of currency, and migration. In my opinion, technology is the big roles or function that brings the globalization. Same as Kenichi Ohmea words, globalization as a borderless world seeks to change the world into a single unit only. This process is easier with the advances in communication technology. There are numerous ways in which globalization has impacted the world. The globalization has impacted on education, economic, culture, language, food and others. Globalization also means the phenomenon that makes the world seem smaller in terms of human relations due to the speed of development of information technology. Human easily get information and difficult to filter the negative elements that permeate the hearts and minds. Some terms such as “borderless worlds” and “open skies” make such as trade, the development of political and economic power towards the development of civilization. Education is the process of receiving and giving systematic instruction, especially at school and university. There are positive and negative impacts of globalization on education. Globalization causes the education more open to the outside world either to study or to open branches of university...
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...THE WITWATERSRAND LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY: INVESTIGATING THE LANGUAGE PRACTICES OF MULTILINGUAL GRADE 9 LEARNERS AT A PRIVATE DESEGREGATED HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTH AFRICA. Submitted by: Nomakhalipha Margaret Nongogo Student Number: 0309644N Supervised by Dr Carolyn McKinney Research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the degree of Masters of Arts in Applied English Language Studies. 2007 ABSTRACT This research report engages with the concern that African learners attending English medium, multiracial schools are losing their proficiency in African languages. In so doing, the report explores the language practices of four multilingual Grade 9 learners at a desegregated private high school in Gauteng. In a school environment that does not overtly support the use of African languages, I explore the extent to which multilingual learners use African languages in the school context, to position themselves and others, as an identity building resource, and the extent to which the use of African languages is implicated in their identities. I also explore the possible influence of the learners’ cultural and ethnic backgrounds on their language practices, and related to this, the expression of their identities. I look at how their language practices help them shift identities with space and purpose, and the contradictions therein. The study draws on poststructuralist theories of language and identity (Weedon...
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...Protecting Minority Languages; Preserving Minority Cultures A minority culture of any given country is often found in a particular region of that country because all members of the cultural group are needed to outbid the present majority in the same area for the resources, thus establishing the area as their homeland and a symbol of the group’s cultural identity. This exhibition of localized minority cultural conglomeration can be seen across many multicultural nations because if members do pursue their own ideal way of life they would be “forced to try to execute their chosen life-styles in an alien culture” (Kymlicka 188) These minority cultures are thusly envious of the majority culture as they “get for free what aboriginal people have to pay for: secure cultural membership.” (Kymlicka 190) A primary characteristic of a culture is the language. Language has been identified as “the symbolic representation of a people, since it comprises their historical and cultural backgrounds, as well as their approach to life and their ways of living and thinking.” (Brown cited by Jiang) The importance of language therefore suggests the significance of preserving the cultural language to better protect the minority cultures.; Hhowever the insignificant number of users for the minority language oftentimes leads the majority culture to overlook the language, thereby undermining the culture’s security. In Given Rawls’ theory on justice, unequal product contingencies...
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...THE MYTHS OF LANGUAGE USE AND THE HOMOGENIZATION OF BILINGUAL WORKERS’ IDENTITIES KARI GIBSON University of Hawai‘i Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects against discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, sex, religion and national origin. However when the judicial system has examined English only workplace policies in light of Title VII, it has generally determined that such policies are not discriminatory if an employee is able to speak English. Although plaintiffs have argued that language is inextricably linked to national origin and cultural identity, the courts have stated that the use of a language other than English is detrimental to the morale of monolingual English speakers and a single language is necessary to ensure workplace harmony and proper management. This paper examines the court cases where English Only workplace policies have been challenged, and identifies the prevalent myths and ideologies held by businesses and the courts about language use, identity, and bilingual speakers. Through the process of homogeneism, linguistic diversity is rejected as monolingual English speakers are able to create and enforce rules that favor themselves as they construct the identity of “American” in their own image. Language is a central feature of human identity. When we hear someone speak, we immediately make guesses about gender, education level, age, profession, and place of origin. Beyond this individual matter, a language is a powerful...
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...language as a resource of internal and international activity of “nations without states”. bulat n. khalitov, kazan state power engineering university, kazan, russia The issues of language and language policy have become the objects of interest of different branches of political theory nowadays. From one side the basic reason for this is the fact that language can play an important role (either positive or negative) in the context of different political processes developing in the world and also in the context of a growing number of confrontations and conflicts, which often have linguistic diversity at their basis. From the other side, the development of political theory within the framework of general “linguistic turn” that influenced almost all social sciences leads to the studying of language policy aspects. In modern world linguistic diversity and other language issues have turned into a significant basis of contradictions that influence stability of different societies. In Western Europe we can distinguish several types of unsolved problems which have to do with language. Diachronically the most important and most severe are conflicts between the dominant language group and various linguistic minorities historically rooted in some areas within the state borders. As an example we can name linguistic conflicts in Belgium (Flanders), Spain (Catalonia and Basque country), Italy (South Tirol), Switzerland (french- and italian-speaking cantons). ...
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...Language Planning in Malang Da Malang Da is a multi-cultural country. Six major languages are using in this country among different groups. These languages are Akang, Dazakh, Pulao, Lua, Kaw, and French. In 2013, Malang Da receives its independence from France after many years of colonial governance. The government’s Language Planning Commission is seeking new national language and official language for Malang Da. Language Planning Commission should adopt Dazakh as the national language and French as its official language. In this paper, I will provide reasons and examples to prove why this should be the best plan for Malang Da. A national language is a language that has some connection with the people and their country. A national language instance represent the national identity of a country. National language also has some goals. First of all, it has the unifying function. It offers equal opportunities for civics in the same country. Secondly, national language has separatist function. This function affords the country its own identity, so that others know it is an independent country. Thirdly, it has the prestige function. By speaking the national language, civics feel provide and prestigious about their country and culture. Last but not least, national language has the function as a standard. It set rules for the written form, grammar, dictionary and other related matters to make the national language as a standard language. An official language has pragmatic or utilitarian...
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...Borough of Manhattan Community College City University of New York Department of English THE NOMADS OF LANGUAGE by Ariel Dorfman I believe it was Gabriel Garcia Marquez who told me the story of entire Columbian villages that were migratory. Fleeing from catastrophes, plagues perhaps, or recurrent floods, or merely the desolation of being caught in the middle of civil wars, inhabitants of these villages decided, at some point in history, to uproot themselves, moving to a remote location in search of peace. As they packed every belonging that could be transported, they did not forget what was most important to them: their dead. According to Garcia Marquez, these villagers, on the verge of becoming nomads, dug up the bones in the cemetery and, in effect, carried their ancestors on their journey into the unknown, probably animated by the need to defy the fluctuations of time and geography with the illusion that something from the past permeates the present, forming a hard physical link to memory at a time of devastating change. Not all migrants, of course, can push to such extremes their desire to stay connected to the men and women who generated them. Most are barely able to bring with them a photo, a clipping, the keys to a house that is no longer theirs and that may, in time, be demolished, its address lost. But all will inevitably take on their travels another sort of possession, one that invisibly preserves those faraway dead and their past and their receding...
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...English is used for politics, international relations, culture, and entertainment in so many countries it can be considered the global language. However English is not the official language in many countries worldwide but it is often taught as a second language. Undoubtedly, learning English as a second language its vital for a successful life in business. Most likely having good communication skills on it will give the opportunity to someone who is looking for a competitive job to become more attractive and competitive in the business community. In a personal level the knowledge of English will give you the opportunity to overcome a lot of obstacles in too many ways. In the other hand it will make you feel confident and help you build the potential needed to get that promotion you’ve always wanted in your job. Research, is an important subject in business and the internet is one of the most useful tools in order to gather as much information as you can, but the majority of the information in the internet is in English. With that said the knowledge of Business English becomes a most and that will certainly boost your career and personal advantages since companies will appreciate your skills and knowledge. PERSONAL OPINION As time runs, it becomes more important to us to learn a second language. English as our second language should be one of our priorities since we live in an environment that is completely affected by it. When it...
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...federation of the eleven Peninsula states was joined by Singapore, British North Borneo (renamed Sabah) and Sarawak (Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2008). Yet, Singapore was expelled from it after two years to become an independent country. Although both of them belong to the same geographical area which is ASEAN, the acronym for Association of South-East Asian Nations, they seem to be different in their development levels (Association of South-East Asian Nations, 1967). It is undeniable that these two countries are sharing several similarities since they are located relatively close to one another. However, there is still a difference in many aspects. These similarities and differences will be apparent with the comparison based on geography, language, education and political system. From the geographical point of view, Malaysia and Singapore are neighbors because Singapore is the islands between Malaysia and Indonesia. Both of them are located in South-East Asia and having the same climate which is tropical (Central Intelligence Agency, 2013). The situation is absolutely different when it comes to their physical geography. Most of Malaysia is covered by forests and mountains as it consists of a large area of land which is about 330,000 square kilometers whereas Singapore is covered by a small area of land which is approximately 700 square kilometers. In addition, the highest mountain in Malaysia, Mount Kinabalu, is 4100 meters above the sea level compared to Singapore’s highest...
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...It is true that some minority languages such as aboriginal’s languages are on the verge of extinction. Although some people argue that preserving those languages is wasting time, I believe that states should take measures to protect them. Some believe that as those minority languages are spoken by a handful of people, and besides, they do not affect the majority culture of a country a lot, then it is not necessary to invest public money on them. Governments could spend public money on the well-being of those individuals to live better or on improving the standard of living. Moreover, uniformity in the language may lead to an increase national solidarity as it is vital to unify a country. On the other hand, others believe that a language is not simply integration of some words used in speeches and ordinary conversations. Language includes a collection of legends, traditions and emotions gathered throughout the history. In fact, it is a part of cultural identity of a nation. Furthermore, not only preserving aboriginal languages does not lead to less patriotism but also people would feel that they belong to this country and show more respects to the government. They can pass on their heritage to young generations through stories spoken on their own languages. As shown above, preserving and investing money on endangered languages could not be seen as a waste of time. Governments could take some measures to keep alive these languages, causing people feel that authorities tend...
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