Essay
Language Learning in South African Schools (Ethical View Point)
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- Cornerstone College, Pretoria, Gauteng
Language Learning in South African Schools (Ethical View Point)
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Education and EthicsModule Code: ED4-ETH1
Assignment 2
_________________________________________
In partial fulfilment of the requirements in Post Graduate Certificate
in Education (Foundation Phase) (PGCE FP) at Cornerstone
Institute.
_________________________________________
By Laura M. Jaffe
SN: 38483
_________________________________________
20 September 2019
, Mini-Essay 1:
Education systems around the world aimed to teach a single “correct” form of
discourse as an “easy” way to organise collective meaning and understanding. The
embodiments of linguistically uniformed ideologies are homogenous, generating
standardized language learning and standardised testing for all, regardless of cultural
or linguistic associations or abilities (McKinney, 2016). This essay aims to describe
the role that language plays in South Africa schools. This essay intends to describe
how socially just educators can respond to the needs of diverse learners by
supporting and creating diverse learning opportunities.
Due to the rich history of segregation between racial and ethnic groups in South
African history, there was an adverse effect of language learning in South African
schools. With the influence of British English in the 1800’s, the dominant medium of
instruction in the majority of Schools in South Africa is British English and left many
African-English speaking learners at a disadvantage when in came to “proper”
language development in Education. In fact, this disadvantage generated a collective
assumption that non-native English-speakers were linguistically flawed, setting them
up for failure.
The distribution of South African languages is unequal due to the relationship
assumed between languages and cultures. Dominant language groups are seen as
more privileged than the minority (being non-native or non-standardised English
dialect speakers). Previously marginalized cultures, races and ethnic groups were
not given the opportunity to develop their discourse or dialect according to their own
culture, but are rather forced to learn “universal” linguistic skills that have been
authorised and predetermined by these dominant cultural groups (McKinney, 2016).
The Department of Education in South African assumed that there is simply one
single “best” way to speak, read and write (McKinney, 2016). South African education
systems failed to take into account their native language learning abilities. The level
of subjectivity towards what constitutes meaningful language and specified discourse
or dialect taught in South African Schools left diverse language learners (or non-
native English speakers) in a position of feeling unsuccessful, resistant and
degraded.
The manner in which language is taught or forced upon diverse language learners
has been challenged. The notion of inclusivity and integration of learning concepts
and languages add to the education progression and reform in South Africa schools
(Vandeyar, 2010). The post-Apartheid democratic constitution in South Africa
acknowledges eleven official languages as a foreground of our multi-cultural
heritage. The decision to integrate diverse language learning structures in South
African schooling systems was appointed to enrich and advance diverse ethnic
dialects that were previously suppressed and given lower social status by the
government before 1994 (Cape Town Magazine, 2017).
The South African constitution of 1996 states that all South Africans have the right to
receive education in any of the eleven official languages, especially if English is not
their HL and they would prefer to be instructed in their HL (Joubert, et al. 2015).
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