Language-in-Education policies in conflict: Lessons from Malawian mathematics teacher training classrooms

Abstract

In this article I present a discussion of mathematics teacher educators' descriptions of their practice, in particular, how they see their role in promoting home languages as the language of learning and teaching in Malawi. I also explore how mathematics teacher educators prepare pre- service teachers to teach mathematics in home languages in standard 1 to 4, the first four years of schooling.The study sample consisted of four mathematics teacher educators from two different teacher training colleges. These colleges prepare pre-service teachers for teaching in all primary classrooms in Malawi. The methods of data collection included classroom observations, and pre- observation and reflective interviews. The results show that the mathematics teacher educators abdicate the responsibility of preparing students teachers to teach in the home languages. They justify this stand mainly by referring to the fact that the Language in Education Policy does not allow mathematics teacher educators to use home languages in their classrooms: the use of home languages is only permitted in the early years of primary school. These results promote a more in-depth understanding of the challenges that exist for mathematics teacher educators who are training pre-service teachers to teach mathematics in home languages. The article argues for a consistent Language-in-Education policy and for the need to encourage a mathematics teaching approach at college level that will allow for a more productive way of preparing pre-service teachers for mathematics teaching in home languages.