Language Education Policy Research Articles

Examining the implementation of the language in education policy in Tana River County: a case of a Pokomo speakers’ school

ABSTRACT The language in education policy (LiEP) in Kenya calls for the use of mother tongue for pre-primary and lower grades of primary education. However, its implementation has been erratic. This study sought to explore the implementation of LiEP in Tsana Primary School, situated in Tana River County, Kenya, where the local language is Kipfokomu. Using an ethnographic approach, the study involved interviews and observations with Grade 3 students, their parents or guardian, and teachers from Grades 1 to 3. Relevant documents were also reviewed, and thematic analysis was conducted on the collected data. The study revealed two main themes: (1) the lack of a supportive environment for Kipfokomu in the classroom, and (2) the presence of Kipfokomu resource materials on the school premises, but their limited availability in the classroom setting. These findings suggest challenges in implementing LiEP, as teachers often prioritise English over the local language. Despite the presence of essential resources intended to support LiEP, the persistent challenges undermine its effectiveness. Understanding these challenges can inform policy improvements and more effective strategies for implementing mother tongue-based education, ensuring that the educational system better serves linguistic and cultural diversity.

Trends in European language education policy on teacher education: Teaching foreign languages to young learners

Contemporary language education to young learners is seeing an increased focus on individual variation, due to students’ special educational needs and the diversity of contexts in which instruction takes place. This leads to the increased creativity of teachers and the emergence of innovative practices in various areas of teaching languages to children. On the other hand, due to globalization and international cooperation, language teaching experiences a degree of standardization. One source of this may be the impact of European education policy. Due to such influential tools as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages or the European Portfolio for Pre-Primary Educators, educational systems find it convenient and useful to apply some of these assumptions. Therefore, it is important to make an overview of trends in European education policy in reference to teaching young learners, to indicate what kind of support can be given to language instructors in their work with children. The research question posed in the paper is to what extent the most important European policy documents and tools prove relevant in the practice of young learner educators? The analysis indicates the viability of selected European policy tools, modifications of their use across the years and new forms of implementation in the social media era.

“Because guess what? I don’t even want to speak English”: English as an obstacle for the development of multilingualism at a South African institution

AbstractSouth Africa immediately springs to mind as the epitome of multilingual language policies. In fact, its Constitution granted official status to 11 languages in 1996, and the Language Policy in Higher Education passed by the Ministry of Education in 2002 required universities to develop and use the indigenous official languages as academic languages, in addition to Afrikaans and English. With this multilingual milieu in mind, this study aimed at giving students voice in an attempt to unveil their language ideologies and attitudes by analysing their views on multilingualism and the use of English as main medium of instruction. Eleven focus groups with a total of 30 university students from different degrees at Stellenbosch University (SU) were organized to delve into four main issues: students’ perceptions on the university’s multilingual language policy; the actual use of the three official languages (Afrikaans, English and Xhosa) at SU; the impact of the use of English as the main medium of instruction; and the implementation of translanguaging practices. Despite the multilingual language policy of SU, our results reveal that there is a neatly established language hierarchy, where English reigns supreme at the top of the pyramid, followed by Afrikaans, while Xhosa remains at the base. Therefore, the preponderance of English as the language of academia only contributes to consolidating it as a strong identity factor in our interviewees’ multilingual identities, to the extent that Xhosa home language speakers disavow their own language in the academic domain.

Distractive language education policies and the endangerment of Indigenous languages in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Focusing on language education policies in Bangladesh, this article shows how the policies have distracted people’s attention from the harms inflicted on the country’s Indigenous communities and their languages. I discuss two factors that have contributed to policy distractions in this context: a strong form of Bangla linguistic nationalism and a neoliberal approach to English language teaching. To address the problem of language education policy distractions, I put forward an argument for paying attention to what matters the most for protecting linguistic human rights and fostering linguistic diversity. Paying such transformative attention will require a mother-tongue-based multilingual approach to education and the creation of territorial niches for protecting and promoting endangered languages.

Interplay of Language and Identity in Education: Prospection for Urdu and English Language and Second Language Teaching and Learning

Educational contexts are the primary sites for the promulgation of linguistic ideologies and for determining the linguistic market for a language. English language in Pakistan is considered vital for mundane, official, and academic activities hence its learning gains currency in the polity. Conversely, the learning outputs are unsatisfactory which necessitates understanding how English language learners perceive themselves concerning the languages they are taught in the educational context. This study explains the language identity for Urdu (L1) and English (L2) of Pakistani undergraduate English as second language (ESL) learners for institutionally recognized and prescribed languages in the national curriculum to explicate the interplay of language and identity of learners in educational settings. Learners’ demographic profiles (previous education, schooling system, language proficiency, and family’s socio-economic status) were also inquired to understand relationship variation across demographic traits. A validated survey questionnaire was administered to a sample (N=316) comprising male and female students from 28 different programmes at a large public university in Karachi. Descriptive analysis and one-way ANOVA were carried out using the IBM SPSS 22 version. The findings attest to learners’ hybrid identity revealing attachment neither with L1 nor to L2. Learners acknowledged the privileged status of the English language in polity and preferred British English compared to the indigenous variety of Pakistani English [PakE] echoing the language ideologies permeated through the Educational context. They also endorsed English language speaking skills for gaining higher recompenses in society however deluded themselves in code[1]switching instead of practicing speaking skills. Besides, no significant difference was found in the language identity of ESL learners across demographic traits. The study has strong implications for devising language policies for education and adopting pedagogical approaches calling to accentuate language identity as a catalyst in the teaching-learning process and not considering linguistic diversity a barrier in the multilingual context.

Launching TESOL Today: A New Hub for English Language Education Research

As an academician, I have always believed that I have to allocate time for editorial services to profession in the field of my work. That said, I attempted to launch a new journal in the field of English language education in Kurdistan with the help of a public university, but the attempts remained unsuccessful for a number of reasons. My driving interest of working for scientific journals pushed me to work as an editor and reviewer for a few journals over the past few years with the dream of learning how to become familiar with editorial services in the line of my work, and eventually launch a new journal in the field of English language education research. Over the past two decades, an increasing number of Kurdish scholars and researchers have turned their interest and attention into the English language education phenomenon, investigating its learning and teaching in the context of Kurdistan. However, researchers in the field of English language across the region did not have a venue to publish their research findings and contributions with journals specifically designed for the English language education research. The reason for this was that all the journals published by public and private universities publish broadly-defined subjects and disciplines in humanities and social sciences, leaving no specific rooms for English language research only. As such, the main driving force to launch TESOL Today came from the understanding that no journals in the field of TESOL and Applied Linguistics exist neither in Iraq nor in Kurdistan to date. However, it is worth mentioning that TESOL Today doesnot aim to remain within the context of Iraq and Kurdistan. Rather, the journal seeks to publish a wide range of perspectives on English language internationally. Based on this, TESOL Today covers a comprehensive range of topics within the field of English language teaching and learning including, English language planning and policy, innovative methods in English language teaching and learning, curriculum design and materials development, pragmatics instruction in ELT, and technology integration into English language classroom, to name a few. Responding to the rising scholarly interest in the field of English language, we are launching TESOL Today with the ambition to become a hub for TESOL and Applied Linguistics researchers across the globe. In other words, TESOL Today aims to become an international room for researchers of TESOL and Applied linguistics in the world. We also intend to be a teaching journal to less experienced researchers who work hard to get their research findings published. TESOL Today; therefore, encourages submissions of empirical and theoretical scholarship from younger and novice researchers that contribute to the professional knowledge base of TESOL, promoting a collaborative exchange of ideas that can inform and shape future practice and policy in English language education. The journal is committed to upholding rigorous academic standards while embracing innovative research that challenges traditional paradigms and promotes progressive teaching methods. While it is our hope that TESOL Today will be especially useful to younger scholars, we also encourage seasoned scholars to submit their research findings to TESOL Today. We intend to continue to serving as a prime venue for the development of English language research through publishing original contributions and exciting new research by figures in the field. As such, we humbly feel this journal will play a key part in the increasing academic respectability of researchers all over the world. In doing so, we are committed to bring this journal into a higher level of scholarship and get it indexed by international databases including Clarivate Analytics and Scopus. In our endeavor, we are fortunate to be supported by an editorial team of members across different countries who work hard in pursuit of the success of TESOL Today. We work together closely to enrich the journal and shape its development, engagement and its future. However, we continue to strive for adding new members to our board. In closing, then, we extend our sincere invitation to TESOL and Applied Linguistics researchers across varying geographical areas around the globe to join us and submit their research and shape TESOL Today into a path-breaking academic journal by addressing different critical questions in the field of TESOL and Applied Linguistics.

Coping Strategies for English Language Anxiety: A Comparative Study of Lecturers and Students Across Disciplines

This study investigates the efficacy of coping strategies for English language anxiety among lecturers and students within religious and general study programs, employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates quantitative T-tests and qualitative interviews. Results indicate significant differences in the anxiety-coping strategies between lecturers and students, with distinct variations across the two types of study programs. While strategies among religious and general program lecturers showed no significant differences, a marked contrast was observed between students of these programs, highlighting the influence of disciplinary context on anxiety management. The study reveals that lecturers and students successfully use tailored strategies to mitigate language anxiety, suggesting the importance of contextualized approaches. Based on these findings, it is recommended that educational institutions develop specific training programs that enhance the capability of educators and students to manage language anxiety effectively. Such programs should focus on communication techniques, psychological resilience, and cultural awareness, which are crucial in diverse academic environments. The implications of this research support a differentiated approach to language education policy, advocating for interventions sensitive to the unique challenges and needs of various academic disciplines.

Disenfranchising the marginalized: the intersectionality of politics of distraction and English-medium education (EME) in Pakistani educational policy

ABSTRACT The historical Hindi-Urdu language strife intensified after the Indian ‘Mutiny’ in 1857 played a pivotal role in shaping the two-nation theory, culminating in the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. Under English colonial rule, English language education became synonymous with power and job opportunities, creating divisions within the Muslim community over language preference. Analyzing Pakistan's language education policy through Farley, Leonardi and Donnor's (2021) five components of education policy distraction framework provides a structured approach to evaluate its impact on social mobility and English language education access. The analysis highlights the distractors of English-medium education, which include hierarchical multilingual policy, prioritizing English as the official language, using limited budgeting excuses for not professionally developing public school teachers, reliance on traditional English language teaching methods, and treating English as merely a subject. The findings emphasize the need to reform Pakistan's language education policy to address socioeconomic disparities, promote equitable access to English language education and mitigate the distractors. Recommended reforms include reviewing the advantage of English Medium Education (EME) over public education, increasing funding, enhancing the professional development of English language teachers, drafting and implementing language policies, encouraging public-private teacher exchange programs, and introducing teacher certification and capacity-building initiatives.

Impact of Neoliberalism on Language Educational Policies

This article scrutinizes the pervasive influence of neoliberalism on education, language education policies, and language of instruction. Employing a content analysis design informed by established principles of qualitative research, the study explores the juncture of neoliberal ideologies with educational practices. Neoliberalism’s emphasis on deregulation, privatization, and market-driven approaches shapes educational systems globally, with reflective implications for language education. Scholars note the transformation of education into a commodity, driven by the prioritization of economic growth and individual competitiveness. Within this framework, English proficiency emerges as a key determinant of access to economic opportunities, leading to the proliferation of English language teaching institutions. Moreover, neoliberal policies influence language of instruction decisions, with governments adopting market-oriented strategies such as English medium instruction. The article underscores the need for critical examination of neoliberalism’s impact on education, highlighting the tensions between market-driven principles and educational equity. By elucidating the complexities of neoliberalism’s effects on language education, the study contributes to a nuanced understanding of contemporary educational practices and calls for the preservation of inclusive and accessible education for all.

Distraction in Australian language education policy: a call to re-centre language rights

ABSTRACT In this paper, we provide an overview of the policies that have existed in relation to Australian First Nations students’ languages, and English language and literacy learning before exploring how the politics of distraction manifests in this context. We then share our findings of an analysis of Australian language education policies for First Nations children and the media discourses which surround them. We argue that, in the context of First Nations languages and language learners, ‘language’ is conflated with either ‘literacy’ or ‘culture’ to distract from the sovereign language rights of First Nations peoples in Australia. We draw on the notion of ‘policy narrowing’ to explain this policy distraction and the ways in which it reproduces educational inequities for First Nations students in the Australian schooling system. To counter this, and the surrounding media discourses, governing educational bodies should re-centre language rights and language learner diversity in policymaking.

The historical development of english as a foreign language teaching in brazilian schools: methods and legal documents

This bibliographical article delves into the historical trajectory that culminate in the contemporary challenges of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in Brazilian schools. It elucidates the evolution of language teaching methods, from traditional approaches to modern pedagogies, such as the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach and postmethod pedagogy. Moreover, it traces the development of legal frameworks guiding EFL education in Brazilian schools, from colonial times to the present day, highlighting significant policy shifts and implementation challenges. Despite recent efforts for English as a foreign language education in Brazil, practical barriers persist, including low literacy rates, inadequate infrastructure, and limited teacher training programs. The article emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the social contexts and historical developments that shape EFL instruction in Brazil and advocates for tailored teacher development activities to address the unique needs of Brazilian EFL educators. By contextualizing the challenges and complexities of EFL teaching in Brazil, this article may offer insights for enhancing language education practices and policies in the country, with an emphasis on teacher education.

English Language Policy in Cyprus under the British Empire Period and it is Impact on Current Sustainable Education Policies

In this research, the foreign language education policy of Cyprus, which was under British rule between 1878 and 1960, with a special reference to the English Language and its reflection on the present day were examined. The study on the period in question is based on a qualitative analysis of British archival documents and domestic sources. As the history of Cyprus, it is still possible to see especially traces of the education policy formulated by the British who ruled the island in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the early years, relatively minor attempts at colonialism were made compared to other British colonies, as the British gave the colonies the autonomy to govern their own languages and educational systems. The influence of the colonial power’s language, particularly in the Cypriot education system, started to be noticed after the 1930s when the political agenda changed and the British attitude changed. As a result, during the colonial period of the United Kingdom in Cyprus, the British tried to bring the education of the society, which was obtained as a result of education, to a common point by gathering it in a central structure.

Appreciation of multilingual teaching activities by secondary school students in Germany: findings from a quasi-experimental intervention study on teaching French

ABSTRACT Recognising and appreciating linguistic diversity and different cultural identities is an important educational goal for the development of our societies [Council of Europe 2007. From Linguistic Diversity to Plurilingual Education: Guide for the Development of Language Education Policies in Europe. Council of Europe Publishing; 2020. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment – Companion Volume. Council of Europe Publishing]. This paper presents the results of a quasi-experimental pre–post control-group study on the implementation of multilingual teaching activities in teaching French as a second foreign language at secondary grammar schools in Germany (in total n = 221 students, a convenience sample of 207th grade classes). Results of analysis of questionnaires and interviews with students show a positive appreciation of multilingual teaching activities, especially among students with migration background who have been raised plurilingually, and an increase in the appreciation of multilingual teaching activities among students who have been raised monolingually in the lingua franca German. Furthermore, the results indicate that the intervention was relevant to students’ intercultural learning in terms of fostering their appreciation of multilingual teaching activities, even though the teaching materials prepared for the study were not implemented consistently in all participating classes.

Tracing the History: Language Education Policy and Emergent Bilingual Learners in the United States

Since the passage of the 1968 Bilingual Education Act, the meaning, function, and connotation of bilingual education in the United States have undergone significant changes. In this article, the author outlines the evolution of U.S. language education policies for emergent bilingual learners since the 19th century. In particular, the article demonstrates the major waves and shifts of language education policies that either support or oppress the linguistic rights of language minoritized students, and captures how the changing social, political, and economic climate has shaped the nation’s response to language diversity. Importantly, reviewing the historical evolution of language policies not only echoes the importance of policy decisions in impacting bilingual students’ educational trajectories, but also informs future policy decisions in order to disrupt deficit positioning of bilingual communities.

Breaking Down Walls: Challenges in Teaching English to School Level Students

This paper addresses the challenges associated with English language instruction in rural schools of India. The language policy in school education poses both societal and individual hurdles. The prevailing quality of English language education in many Indian schools is concerning, with issues such as teacher proficiency, access to language resources, and instructional materials being primary concerns. Rural students face particularly arduous circumstances, lacking the resources and opportunities available to their urban counterparts, such as language labs and audio-visual aids. English is often perceived as a subject rather than a language by rural students, hindering their engagement and proficiency. Many students approach English studies solely for examination purposes, focusing on rote memorization rather than genuine language acquisition. This fear of English is compounded by the limited vision of some teachers, who prioritize exam results over long-term student development. Key Words: Rural, proficiency, circumstances, acquisition, resources memorization

Ideologies of teachers and students towards meso-level English-medium instruction policy and translanguaging in the STEM classroom at a Malaysian university

Abstract English medium instruction (EMI) as a language policy in higher education is based on monolingual conceptions and limits the use of the full linguistic repertoire of bilinguals/multilinguals in the university classroom. Informed by the constructs of language ideology (Spolsky, Bernard. 2009. Language management. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press), translanguaging (Li, Wei. 2018. Translanguaging as a practical theory of language. Applied Linguistics 39(1). 9–30) and pedagogical translanguaging (Creese, Angela & Adrian Blackledge. 2010. Translanguaging in the bilingual classroom: A pedagogy for learning and teaching? The Modern Language Journal 94(1). 103–115), this case study aimed to examine the ideologies held by micro-level stakeholders (i.e., teachers and students) towards institutional English-only EMI policy, translanguaging, and the significance and scope of pedagogical translanguaging in EMI classrooms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six teachers and 10 students at a public research university in Malaysia. Also collected were a variety of publicly accessible institutional documents, including the focal university’s programme brochures, promotional materials and policy statements on its website. Analyses of the interviews and documents revealed that although EMI was officially adopted in the programmes, both teachers and students advocated for translanguaging and underscored its important role in the transmission of new information, effective communication, and scientific meaning-making. In light of these findings, the study concludes that an inclusive language policy is required that allows teachers and students to access all their linguistic resources.

Learners’ and teachers’ perspectives on the use of code switching in Geography teaching and learning

Language of instruction stands as a crucial element in fostering learners’ comprehension of any subject matter. Prior studies indicate that learners’ limited proficiency in the English language is among the factors influencing their performance in Geography. The present study delved into the impact of code switching in the domain of Lesotho’s geography education, drawing insights from both learners’ and teachers’ viewpoints. Drawing on Hoffmann’s theory of code switching, the study employed explanatory sequential mixed method research design, which involved classroom observations, focus-group interviews as well as in-depth interviews with grade 10 learners and teachers respectively. Findings indicate that code switching in geography education improves learners’ comprehension by improving their proficiency in subject-specific terminology. However, an over-reliance on code switching must be avoided as learners can lose their ability to employ geography vocabulary. This study suggests that the Lesotho Education Language Policy could be revised to include the selective use of mother tongues in teaching and learning.

A Review on Foreign Language Education Policies in China from 1949 to 2023

This paper reviews on the topic of foreign language education policies in China from 1949 to 2023. It mainly focuses on English and Russian. In this paper, the timeline is separated by three important timepoint. The first important section is in 1949. As the People's Republic of China came into being, complicated and convoluted foreign language education policies in China started to emerge. The second important section is in 1978. In this year, Chinese government launched the famous national strategy of reform and opening up, and thus many changes in Chinese foreign language education policy happened. The third important section is in 2021, and in this year, Chinese government launched the Double Reduction Policy. This is a policy aiming to alleviate students' homework burden and off campus training burden in the compulsory educational stage. This policy uses various kinds of measures to reduce students' burden in academic learning, help families who cannot afford luxurious after-class tutoring fee, and enable children to have more time and space needed for all round development. In general, this paper concludes the development of foreign language education policies in China from 1949 to 2023 and gives some points in economic and historical effects to English and Russian learning during this historical process.

How do teachers perceive translanguaging? Teachers’ perceptions about translanguaging practices in the EFL classroom

The study of translanguaging as pedagogy, which challenges the monolingual approach to language education policy, has become an important aspect of investigation in recent years. However, translanguaging is challenged by recent data showing that teachers have ambivalent feelings and attitudes towards translanguaging practices and the evidence on teachers’ perceptions of the pedagogical approach in EFL teaching contexts in Indonesia is currently inconclusive. Therefore, our purpose was to describe how EFL teachers perceive translanguaging as pedagogy in the EFL classroom, which was conducted through a descriptive/interpretative approach. A questionnaire was used to collect data which were analyzed through both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis. The findings indicate that teachers appear to have ambivalent perceptions of translanguaging. Some hold the view that EFL should be taught monolingually, while the others accept translanguaging practices. However, those who have a negative perception of translanguaging also see that the pedagogical approach is important in their EFL classes. The limitations and implications of the study’s findings for EFL education in Indonesia are also discussed.

A Study on the Impact of the “Seven-Year Planning Outline for Foreign Language Education” on Foreign Language Education in China

The implementation of the “Seven-Year Planning Outline for Foreign Language Education” has ushered in new development opportunities for foreign language education in China and made positive contributions to cultivating well-rounded foreign language talents and promoting international exchanges and cooperation among countries. This paper analyzes the planning outline to probe into its function, status, and impact in the field of foreign language education in China, in a bid to clarify the importance of formulating reasonable language education policies and plans. It reflects upon China’s English education policies and planning in the context of the current era so as to provide relevant experience and enlightenment for the development of foreign language education in China.