How Multilingual African Contexts Are Pushing Educational Research and Practice in New Directions

Autor/in	Benson, Carol
Titel	How Multilingual African Contexts Are Pushing Educational Research and Practice in New Directions
Quelle	In: Language and Education, 24 (2010) 4, S.323-336 (14 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0950-0782
Schlagwörter	Educational Research; Bilingual Education; Multilingualism; Educational Practices; Foreign Countries; Second Language Instruction; Teaching Methods; Language Proficiency; Second Language Learning; Literacy; Oral Language; Transfer of Training; Language of Instruction; Ethiopia; Guinea-Bissau; Mozambique + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Bildungsforschung; Pädagogische Forschung; Bilingual teaching; Bilingualer Unterricht; Mehrsprachigkeit; Multilingualismus; Bildungspraxis; Ausland; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Alphabetisierung; Schreib- und Lesefähigkeit; Oral interpretation; Mündlicher Sprachgebrauch; Training; Transfer; Ausbildung; Teaching language; Unterrichtssprache; Äthiopien; Mosambik
Abstract	A strong case can be made for developing more flexible and relevant multilingual strategies for teaching and learning within the field of bilingual education. This paper aims to demonstrate how current linguistic and educational practices in countries like Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Ethiopia suggest new directions for research and practice. A practical approach is proposed to illuminate the gap between actual language competence on the part of primary students and teachers and the language competence to which their education system aspires. By applying known language and learning principles, policies and practices can be more realistically directed towards reducing this gap in the short, medium and long terms. This involves a reconstruction of multilingual pedagogy to capitalise on the strengths of learners, teachers and linguistic communities. Meanwhile, there is a need for more research on the following: (1) effective ways to assess multiple language competencies on the part of teachers and learners; (2) the relationship between learners' multilingual oral competence and literacy; and (3) methodologies that facilitate transfer of skills and knowledge between languages. The implications are that language-in-education policy should be based on what is possible in each sociolinguistic situation and should be flexible enough to offer equitable opportunities for all. (Contains 5 tables and 3 figures.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10