Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is emphasized as a defining characteristic of being South African?
What is the Department's position on bilingualism?
What is the underlying principle of whichever route is followed in multilingual education?
What approach does the Department's language-in-education policy advocate towards bilingualism?
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What should policy be guided by in terms of the delivery system?
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What right is vested in the individual according to the text?
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What is the main focus of the Ministry of Education's policy for language in education?
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What relationship between languages and culture does the paradigm described in South Africa presuppose?
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Why is additive multilingualism promoted as an approach to language in education?
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What is required for learners from Grade 3 onwards regarding language subjects?
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What is the basis for promotion in Grade 1 to Grade 4 (Std 2) according to the language policy?
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What is required for learners from Grade 10 to Grade 12 regarding language subjects?
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What is one of the key tasks assigned to the Department of Education in South Africa?
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What has characterized the language-in-education policy in South Africa historically?
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Why is the new language in education policy considered integral to the South African government's strategy?
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Why does the new language in education policy advocate for the learning of more than one language?
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What cognitive benefit does the new education strategy aim to achieve through multilingual education?
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How does the new government's language policy differ from the inherited policies in South Africa?
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Study Notes
Multilingualism in South Africa
- The Department of Education aims to promote multilingualism as a defining characteristic of being South African.
- The goal is to counter ethnic chauvinism and separatism through mutual understanding.
Approaches to Multilingual Education
- Views on viable approaches to multilingual education range from teaching through one medium (home language) and learning additional languages as subjects, to structured bilingual education through dual-medium programs.
- The underlying principle is to maintain home language(s) while providing access to and effective acquisition of additional language(s).
Language-in-Education Policy
- The policy is guided by an additive approach to bilingualism, promoting the acquisition of additional languages while maintaining home languages.
- The right to choose the language of learning and teaching is vested in the individual, but must be exercised within the framework of promoting multilingualism.
Relationship between Languages and Culture
- The policy acknowledges a more fluid relationship between languages and culture, accepting that there is no contradiction between a core of common cultural traits and particular sectional or communal cultures.
Aims of Language Policy
- The main aims of the policy are to:
- Promote full participation in society and the economy through equitable access to education
- Pursue language policies supportive of general conceptual growth amongst learners
- Promote and develop all official languages
- Support the teaching and learning of all other languages required by learners or used by communities
- Counter disadvantages resulting from language mismatches
- Develop programs for the redress of previously disadvantaged languages
Languages as Subjects
- All learners shall offer at least one approved language as a subject in Grade 1 and Grade 2.
- From Grade 3 onwards, learners shall offer their language of learning and teaching and at least one additional approved language as subjects.
- All language subjects shall receive equitable time and resource allocation.
Promotion Requirements
- Promotion requirements for language subjects include:
- Performance in one language and Mathematics in Grade 1 to Grade 4
- Passing one language from Grade 5 onwards
- Passing two languages from Grade 10 to Grade 12, one on first language level and the other on at least second language level
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Description
Explore the importance and approaches to multilingual education in South Africa to promote mutual understanding and combat ethnic separatism. Delve into the cognitive benefits and cost-effectiveness of teaching through home languages versus learning additional languages as subjects.