糖心Vlog

A new project, led by the 糖心Vlog, seeks to explore the tensions created when one 鈥榦fficial鈥� or 鈥榥ational鈥� language is promoted and taught in schools ahead of other languages within multilingual communities.

The project, entitled Bringing the outside in: Merging local language and literacy practices, has received almost 拢300,000 from the British Academy鈥檚 Global Challenges Research Fund and will be led by Professor Nancy Kula, alongside Drs Tracey Costley and Hannah Gibson from our Department of Language and Linguistics.

It will focus on three countries in sub-Saharan Africa; Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia. These are countries where multilingualism is widespread but the approach to education is often monolingual.

Speaking of the project, Professor Kula said: 鈥淟anguage is a central way in which people connect to and express their heritage, and the unique contribution that language makes in terms of world knowledge and self-determination has long been recognised.

鈥淭he cultural heritage constructed through language is often side-lined in order to promote a single, more prestigious language, under the auspices of national unity and / or economic development.

鈥淭his often means certain language and literacy practices become more highly valued than others and, for many students the practices of their classrooms are often quite different to those of their homes and wider communities 鈥� their mother tongue is actively discouraged, with no legitimate role in school.

鈥淲e believe this can lead to feelings of alienation from school and education more broadly and potentially have a negative effect on attainment.

鈥淲e will explore how teaching practices that more closely reflect the learners鈥� heritage can bridge the gap between multilingual communities and the monolingual classroom 鈥� thereby contributing to sustainable development, through strengthening and enhancing access to education.鈥�

Together with colleagues from the Universities of Botswana, Dar es Salaam and Zambia, the research team will take a unique approach to examining educational policy in the chosen countries.

Professor Kula and Dr Gibson will provide expertise in the Bantu languages of sub-Saharan Africa, whilst Dr Costley will bring her specialisms in young learners鈥� literacy and 鈥榯ranslanguaging鈥� 鈥� the encouragement of multiple language practices.

The project will run until August 2021.