Language-in-education policy in low-income, postcolonial contexts: towards a social justice approach

Abstract

The article considers how language-in-education policy in low-income, postcolonial countries may be better understood from a social justice perspective and some of the implications for policy, practice and research that arise from this. The article starts with a critical overview of the two dominant approaches towards conceptualising language-ineducation policy, namely the instrumental and rights based approaches. The article then sets out a social justice approach that builds critically on a rights based perspective. Key features of the approach include considering language-in-education as a capability that has the potential to contribute to human well-being and to social justice and understanding the pedagogical, institutional and wider social barriers to achieving linguistic social justice in education and means for overcoming these barriers. Based on this understanding the article then sets out a research agenda that can assist in realising linguistic social justice in education across the three inter-related domains of the school, the home/community and the education system.

Attitudes towards English as a Medium of Instruction in Malawian Universities

“…This suggests that key stakeholders in Malawian universities are open towards the inclusion of a multilingual language policy which involves an African language. The value of linguistic diversity and multilingualism, recognised by students and staff, can be reinforced by multilingual language policies and the use of translanguaging in academic environments (Doiz, Lasagabaster, and Seirra 2013;Tikly 2016).…”

Provision of quality education in the context of Syrian refugee children in the UK: opportunities and challenges

“…To this end, governments and institutions are expected to work towards creating conditions for a quality education for all. Specifically, in marginalised communities, the rights-based approach has been found to encourage a bilingual approach whereby both the mother tongue and global language are supported (Tikly 2016). However, in as far as the approach broadens the conceptualisation of education quality, it has been critiqued for being a somewhat narrow, top-down and legalist approach which does not fully address the socio-political contexts that impact human rights and education thereby limiting its usefulness (Unterhalter 2005;Robeyns 2006).…”

Refugee Education in Greece: A Case Study in Primary School

“…Sometimes the school seems unable to deal with overwhelming distrust, but the state intervention offers solutions by setting priorities and approaches in accordance with the human rights and social justice (Tikly & Barrett, 2011). Tikly (2011Tikly ( ,2016 claims that quality education arises from the interaction of three overlapping environments, namely the wider education context, the school and the home-community environments. Besides, he argues that the host language enables refugees to access goods, services and the job market in the host country.…”

“…Learning the language of the host country is considered to be of critical importance since it facilitates the refugees" access to goods and services and the job market thus ensuring a better quality of life (Tikly, 2011(Tikly, , 2016. The approach to the whole project was based on educational flexibility, discretion and creation of opportunities for communication and interaction between the students of DYEP and the students of the regular school units through their participation in mutual activities.…”