4. Medium of Instruction in Africa: An Interdisciplinary Discussion from Educational Linguistics Perspective
Abstract
This review comprises six articles examining various facets of language in education
within an African context from an educational linguistic perspective. The first article,
titled "The Acquisition of English as Language of Learning and Teaching: The South
African Context," primarily addresses issues related to language acquisition in South
Africa. The second article, "Parental Perceptions: A Case Study of School Choice
Amidst Language Waves," explores parental views on school selection amidst
linguistic diversity. The third article focuses on "Language Policy Implementation and
Language Vitality in Western Cape Primary Schools." The fourth article, "Medium of
Instruction Policies in Ghanaian and Indian Primary Schools: An Overview of Key
Issues and Recommendations," thoroughly investigates policy implementation in
Ghana and India. The fifth article examines "The Impact of Language on Educational
Access in South Africa," while the final article, "French or National Languages as
Means of Instruction? Reflections on French Domination and Possible Future
Changes," explores language choices in education. The overarching aim of the review
is
to analyse language in education in Africa through educational linguistics
perspectives. Secondary sources and desktop reviews were the primary methods of
data collection. Findings indicate that students' academic achievement is significantly
impacted when their mother tongue differs from the school's medium of instruction,
exacerbating language barriers under challenging conditions. Various policy and
remedial measures have been proposed and implemented across Africa to address
these issues.