Language mapping for education policy realisation from below

Abstract

In 2006 the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) initialised the LanguageTransformation Plan (LTP) as a strategy to implement the longstanding national Language in Education Policy (DOE 1997). If serious efforts were to be made to expand the transformation plan to all schools across the province, detailed language related information was needed, on various levels of the institution. There is an established use of geographic information systems (GIS) for planning and policy making in fields more traditionally viewed as geographical. Increased accessibility to computer hardware and on-going efforts to create user-friendly software have paved the way for GIS to enter into disciplines such as sociolinguistics in ways that extend beyond simply mapping the distributions of languages in space. This article explores how mapping language-related variables at school level, using GIS, can support language planning and policy implementation from below, by drawing on concepts such as 'public participation GIS' (NCGIA 1996) and 'counter-mapping' (Peluso 1995).

English in the South African language‐in‐education policy on higher education

“…Some South African universities have already provided language policies that clearly affirm the importance of indigenous languages as LoLTs in higher education (Beukes, 2009; Carstens, 2015; D‐HET, 2015; Du Plessis, 2014; Granville et al. 2010; Kamwangamalu, 2009; Mayaba, Ralarala, & Angu, 2018; Ndhlovu, 2010; Ngcobo, 2009; Nudelman, 2015; Olivier, 2013; Probyn, 2010; Rudwick & Parmagiani, 2013; Zikode, 2017). However, many such studies, as well as various stakeholders in South African higher education, assume that students would prefer using home languages as media of instruction, despite the perceived benefits of using African languages.…”

“…Although English is emphatically preferred in most multilingual institutions of higher education in the country, the perceived hegemony of English has been questioned by various policy makers in the belief that academic performance would improve if mother-tongue (sometimes called first language, L1, or home language, HL) were to be introduced as a LoLT or medium of instruction. Some South African universities have already provided language policies that clearly affirm the importance of indigenous languages as LoLTs in higher education (Beukes, 2009;Carstens, 2015;D-HET, 2015;Du Plessis, 2014;Granville et al 2010;Kamwangamalu, 2009;Mayaba, Ralarala, & Angu, 2018;Ndhlovu, 2010;Ngcobo, 2009;Nudelman, 2015;Olivier, 2013;Probyn, 2010;Rudwick & Parmagiani, 2013;Zikode, 2017). However, many such studies, as well as various stakeholders in South African higher education, assume that students would prefer using home languages as media of instruction, despite the perceived benefits of using African languages.…”