Abstract
The centrality of language in any education system cannot be overemphasised. Wolff (2006: 50) sums this up by stating that “language is not everything in education, but without language everything is nothing in education”. As such, language mediates knowledge acquisition even when the content of education is not language. The question then arises as to which language is best to use in education. There are no straight answers to this, as education in most countries of the world takes place in multilingual contexts. In Kenya, the language-in-education policy supports the use of the learner’s first language as the language of instruction in the first three years of school. The policy, however, remains largely unimplemented for various reasons, among them the multiplicity of first languages that may be represented in one classroom. This article reports on some outcomes of a recently completed doctoral study that investigated teachers’ attitudes, skills and strategies in their management of linguistic diversity in multilingual classrooms. Specifically, the article reports on what informs teachers’ language choices and prioritisations beyond the policy rhetoric. The study disclosed that the language of examinations and textbooks, the pressure to cover the syllabus, and individual teachers’ language repertoires primarily determine which languages are prioritised and how they are used. The findings suggest that quality education for all may remain elusive in multilingual contexts until the language question has been adequately addressed.
Highlights
At a meeting sponsored by the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), a team of experts deliberating on the issues of language in education unanimously agreed that the best language to use to teach children who are starting school is their mother tongue (MT)1
The Jomtien Education for All (EFA) targets were only minimally implemented by the year 2000, when another World EFA forum was held in Dakar, Senegal
This article provides a glimpse into the implementation of the Kenyan language-in-education policy in multilingual classrooms
Summary
At a meeting sponsored by the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), a team of experts deliberating on the issues of language in education unanimously agreed that the best language to use to teach children who are starting school is their mother tongue (MT). Thailand in 1990, delegates from 155 countries as well as representatives from 150 governmental and non-governmental organisations all affirmed the perspective that education is a fundamental human right. At this meeting, Education for All (EFA) ideals were articulated in that participating countries were urged to intensify their efforts to address the basic learning needs for all. The Dakar framework further identifies language as a possible barrier to access to schooling It suggests the use of local languages as a key component in determining the quality and relevance of learning, and recommends bilingual education for ethnic minorities and respect of their linguistic identities (UNESCO 2000). The Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-2014) echoes the EFA view of language as an important aspect of cultural diversity and a means of expressing local knowledge and a factor in relevant and effective learning (Robinson 2004)
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