Viv Edwards

I Treat Them All the Same: Teacher-Pupil Talk in Multiethnic Classrooms.

Abstract The underachievement of ethnic minority children continues to be an issue for educators in many parts of the world. Attempts to explain and remedy this underachievement have been many and varied. Recent discussions, however, have focused increasingly on the notion of institutional racism and a number of commentators have tried to identify the ways in which the assumptions and practices of the dominant group work to the detriment of minority children in the classroom. The present paper is offered as a contribution to this ongoing debate. It examines the interactions of some five different teachers working with multi‐ethnic classes of five‐six year olds in the UK. Teachers were found to interact less frequently with Black children than with White; they have fewer exchanges lasting more than thirty seconds with Black children; they also spent less time with them discussing the particular task which had been set. Qualitative data from classroom observation which throws light on these findings is also...

When School Is Not Enough: New Initiatives in Intergenerational Language Transmission in Wales.

This paper examines language reproduction in the family in the context of a highly innovative project in Wales, where the Welsh language has been in decline for over a century. AlthoughWelsh-medium schooling has played a pivotal role in slowing and even reversing language shift in recent decades, there is mounting evidence of the dangers of over-reliance on education. The Twf (Growth) Project was established in 2002 with funding from the National Assembly for Wales with the aim of raising awareness of the benefits of bilingualism among parents and prospective parents. Analysis of interviews with the main stakeholders in the project (managers, the Twf project officers, parents, health workers and a range of other partners), publicity materials and observations of project staff at work suggests that the achievements of the project lie in two main areas: the recognition of the need for building strong alliances with professional groups and organisations that work with families with young children; and the development of a marketing strategy appropriate for the target audience. It is argued that the experience of the project will be of interest to those addressing the issue of intergenerational transmission in a range of other minority language settings.

Uneven playing field or falling standards?: Chinese students' competence in English

This paper explores student and teacher perspectives of challenges relating to the levels of competence in English of Chinese students studying overseas from the perspective of critical pedagogy. It draws on two complementary studies undertaken by colleagues at the University of Reading. The first—a research seminar attended by representatives from a wide range of UK universities—presents the views of teachers and administrators; the second draws on four case studies of the language learning of Chinese postgraduate students during their first year of study in the UK, and offers the student voice. Interview and focus group data highlight the limitations of current tests of English used as part of the requirements for university admission. In particular, university teachers expressed uncertainty about whether the acceptance of levels of written English which fall far short of native‐speaker competence is an ill‐advised lowering of standards or a necessary and pragmatic response to the realities of an otherwise uneven playing field. In spite of this ambivalence, there is evidence of a growing willingness on the part of university teachers and support staff to find solutions to the language issues facing Chinese students, some of which require a more strategic institutional approach, while others rely on greater flexibility on the part of individuals. Although the studies reported in this paper were based on British universities, the findings will also be of interest to those involved in tertiary education in other English‐speaking countries which are currently attracting large numbers of Chinese students.

The impact of overseas training on curriculum innovation and change in English language education in Western China

This article assesses the impact of a UK-based professional development programme on curriculum innovation and change in English Language Education (ELE) in Western China. Based on interviews, focus group discussions and observation of a total of 48 English teachers who had participated in an overseas professional development programme influenced by modern approaches to education and ELE, and 9 of their colleagues who had not taken part, it assesses the uptake of new approaches on teachers’ return to China. Interviews with 10 senior managers provided supplementary data. Using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as the conceptual framework, we examine those aspects of the Chinese situation that are supportive of change and those that constrain innovation. We offer evidence of innovation in classroom practice on the part of returnees and ‘reinvention’ of the innovation to ensure a better fit with local needs. The key role of course participants as opinion leaders in the diffusion of new ideas is also explored. We conclude that the selective uptake of this innovation is under way and likely to be sustained against a background of continued curriculum reform in China.

Multilingual education in South Africa: the role of publishers

Abstract The South African constitution and related legislative tools provide a supportive framework for multilingual education. Successful implementation, however, requires appropriate learning materials and questions remain as to the vision and commitment of publishers to producing them. Based on an analysis of currently available books for children and interviews with publishers and key figures in the book value chain, this paper explores both the educational rationale for African language publishing and the issues that constrain expansion. These issues include the heavy dependence on the schools market in a society where the majority of the population cannot or do not buy books, the consequences of the slow implementation of the government language-in-education policy, and the particular challenges faced by small publishers. It argues that in order to move beyond dependence on the schools market, publishers need to look critically at the content of the materials they are producing, methods of reaching the huge, untapped markets, and pricing strategies. It also considers differing opinions about the usefulness of translation in increasing the amount of reading material in African languages. Finally, it concludes that responsibility for finding a way out of the current impasse lies with both government and the publishing industry.

African language publishing for children in South Africa: challenges for translators

The commitment to multilingualism embedded in the 1996 South African Constitution has wide ranging implications for many aspects of education. This paper focuses on the dearth of teaching and learning materials in African languages required to deliver effective bilingual education, and on the potential role of translation in offering solutions for this problem. Drawing on an analysis of currently available African language books for children and interviews with educators, writers, publishers, translators and organisations concerned with book promotion, it explores issues which have emerged as critical for both the quality and availability of translation. Attention is drawn to the ways in which translation can be perceived to either help or hinder the process of introducing children to reading materials in African languages. The challenges of working in the highly specialised field of childrens literature with languages that have undergone varying degrees of standardisation are described. Finally, the tendency to translate mainly into the larger, more commercially viable languages is considered, together with suggestions for ways in which publishers might be persuaded to translate across all official languages.

Reading in Multilingual Classrooms

One of the consequences of the unprecedented scale of population movement in the last fifty years is that multilingual classrooms have become the norm in many cities throughout the English-speaking world and continental Europe. The extent of this linguistic diversity is staggering. In 1990, a third of the largest school districts in the USA had over 50 per cent ethnic and language minority students (National Center for Education Statistics, 1993). According to the (1988), 72 school boards in Ontario were offering 4,364 classes in 58 different languages to over 90,000 students. By the late 1980s, close to 200 different languages were spoken in the schools of London, UK (MRC, 1995). Meanwhile in Australia, (1991) document some fifty eight different community or heritage languages.

African language books for children: issues for authors

Growing interest in bilingual education in sub-Saharan Africa has highlighted an urgent need for reading material in African languages. In this paper, we focus on authors, one of several groups of stakeholders with responsibility for meeting this demand. We address three main issues: the nature and extent of African language publishing for children; the challenges for authors; and the available support. Our analysis is based on interviews and focus group discussions with publishers, authors, translators, educationalists, and representatives of book promotion organisations from nine African countries and documentary data on childrens books in African languages in South Africa. Although there is evidence of a growing interest in producing books in local languages, the number of titles is constrained by funding. The challenges for authors include the need to understand the ingredients for successful childrens books and for the sensitivity necessary to negotiate the linguistic challenges associated with a newly emergent genre in African languages. Support, in the form of competitions and workshops, relies on external funding and expertise and offers only temporary solutions. We finish with suggestions for more sustainable ways forward.

Multilingualism in African schools: constraints and possibilities

Language plays a vital role in personal, community, social and economic development. It represents a primary means through which people build their stocks of knowledge, awarenesses, capabilities and human resource capacity. Together these benefit society as a whole with regard to filling skills needs within the labour market. This, in turn, contributes to national economic growth, supporting the development of a more knowledgeable citizenry and strengthening the ability of citizens to engage in democratic processes. The benefits for individuals and communities lie in increased personal efficacy and confidence and the ability to access social, political and economic resources and to maintain inner social cohesion. Language also represents a key identity variable; it provides the means through which people name their world as well as the means through which cultural knowledge is produced and reproduced across generations. Clearly then, the languages that prevail within society represent rich cultural, economic, political and individual resources. The importance of developing the linguistic capital of a country’s population in order to maximise its educational, social and economic potential therefore cannot be over-emphasised. Research during the past 30 years has found that educating learners in their first language, at least during the primary school years, provides them with easy access to concepts and thus facilitates cognitive development. Moreover, what they learn is taught in a language in which they are fluent, which they can understand and which relates to their homes and communities (Skutnabb-Kangas 1984; Skutnabb-Kangas and Cummins 1988; Cummins 1979; Cummins and Swain 1986; Baker 1993). Fluency in learners’ first language also facilitates the acquisition of second and third languages and, as such, provides a sound basis for multilingualism (Cummins 1981; Tosi 1984; Spolsky 1986). Whilst these theories have influenced the construction of multilingual education curricula, pedagogical models and the production of teaching and learning materials in industrialised societies, this has not been the case uniformly in developing countries. This special issue addresses some of the main factors involved in the relative successes and constraints experienced in the implementation of multilingual education policies in a selection of countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) – Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Many of the language and education issues in SSA have their origins in colonialism, particularly in the ‘Scramble for Africa’ and the redrawing of the map of Africa at the Berlin Conference in 1884–1885 (Rassool 2007). The arbitrary borders drawn resulted in the fracturing of previously cohesive ethnic communities, creating fragmented language clusters around border regions. The fact that ‘the Mandingo people were dispersed in the colonies of Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Gambia and Sierra Leone’ (Rassool 2007, 37) gives some indication of the extent of this fragmentation. Thus, although there are commonalities amongst some language groups within countries throughout SSA, there are greater levels of cultural and linguistic commonalities across countries (Prah 2002). SSA therefore is a complex multilingual context historically marked by heteroglossia, a

Building on Experience: Meeting the Needs of Chinese Students in British Higher Education

The findings reported in this chapter grew out of a research seminar involving representatives from a wide range of British universities whose experience encompassed both teaching and pastoral support. The aim was to explore issues in providing effective higher education for students from the People’s Republic of China and to disseminate information on good practice in institutions across the UK. Participants — both British and Chinese — were divided into two focus groups, one of which concentrated on issues related to study, the other on pastoral concerns. Discussion emphasises the need for greater cultural awareness on the part of both British staff and Chinese students and the strategies likely to lead to more satisfactory outcomes in both pastoral and academic areas.