Language-in-education policy and linguistic diversity in Zambia: an alternative explanation to low reading levels among primary school pupils.
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Date
2017
Authors
Banda, Felix
Mwanza, David Sani
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zambia press
Abstract
The chapter is motivated by the recent interest shown in the pedagogical benefits of multilingual discourse in classroom practices in multilingual and multicultural contexts; and the dissatisfaction with monolingual/ monoglot one-language-a-time discourse practices that still pervade language education (Williams, 1994; Baker, 2003, 2011; Garcia, 2009; Banda, 2010; Hornberger and Links, 2012). The chapter should be seen as contributing to the shifting paradigm in learning and teaching in multilingual and multicultural contexts, in which pupils’ linguistic repertoires and related cultural heritage are seen as central rather than peripheral to classroom practice (See Garcia 2009; Banda 2010; Hornberger and Links 2012, for similar arguments). This entails a move
away from typical Western education models, premised on the One Nation, One Language, or and in the case of Zambia, One Province, One Language monoglot/monolingual approach, to models that draw on pupils’ multicultural and multilingual heritage as a way to bridge home/community and school-based literacy practices. For initial literacy development in multilingual contexts of Zambia, this might entail use of more than one language, including hybrid forms, to ensure pupil involvement in classroom practices, and hence a learner-driven and centred pedagogy (Williams, 1994; Baker, 2003, 2011; Garcia, 2009; Banda,
2010; Hornberger and Links, 2012).
Description
Book chapter
Keywords
Citation
Banda, F., & Mwanza, D.S. (2017). Language-in-Education Policy and Linguistic Diversity in Zambia: An Alternative Explanation to Low Reading Levels among Primary School Pupils. In M.K. Banja (Ed.), Selected Readings in Education (pp.109-132). University of Zambia Press.