Language of Instruction in Early Years: Disrupting Post-Truth Politics on Language and Development in Kenya

• In Event: 66.063 - Disrupting Neoliberal, Deficit, and Colonial-Based Inclusion in the Post-Truth Era: Global Perspectives

Abstract

Objectives or Purposes

By situating school as a ‘space’ of “reproduction of the educational and social inequalities” (McLaren, 2003, p. 220), I demonstrate through this paper how appropriate choice of language of instruction (LOI) during early years of schooling in Kenya can foster students capabilities achievement — perceived as “various functionings that a person can attain” (Robeyns, 2006, p. 78). This is integral as education is generally perceived as a means of enhancing human capabilities and increasing individual’s economic opportunities (Walker, 2012). The paper draws from literature on literacy development, multilingual repertoires, and linguistic capabilities (Cummins, 2015; Brock-Utne 2015) in discussing pedagogical techniques and change in language of instruction policy that will best support culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms in Kenya as strategies of reducing achievement gap and social-economic disparity.

Perspectives or Theoretical Framework(s)

This paper employs the social justice theoretical approach (Tikly & Barrett, 2011) in discussing the need of supporting the diverse socio-cultural identities of learners for the early years of schooling in Kenyan education system, by adopting a non-discriminatory LOI policy and disrupting post-truth politics surrounding the notion of use of popularized unfamiliar western colonial languages, which is stemmed on discourses of globalization and consequent debate claiming under-development and marginalization from communities that adopts indigenous languages (Tikly, 2016; Kuchah, 2016).

Methods

I utilized document analysis of the papers published on how inclusive education in Kenya is conceptualized and implemented as well as review of studies conducted on linguistic hegemony and multiculturalism. I also examined the connectedness of these issues to underlying aspects of culturally responsive pedagogy and access in education.

Results and Significance

It is evident that the situation of language policy in Kenya is complex due to the mismatch between what the policy stipulates should be the LOI, and the “practiced policy” (language actually used by teachers in instruction at the classroom level). It is worth noting that while Mother Tongue (MT) is the official LOI recommended for the children’s schooling up to standard three (third grade), teachers often use English in classroom instruction, consequently leaving insufficient time to “allow the entire scaffolding approach to be applied,” (Lucas, McEcwan, Ngware, & Oketch, 2014, p. 951). Thus, English is used as the language of instruction for early grade learners in Kenya — an indication of reproduction of the social inequalities as only a small percentage of Kenyans (mostly from middle and upper social class) use English in day-to-day communications. This has implications on inclusivity in education, access to education, and inequality in educational opportunity. This study is significant as the issue of inclusive education aligns to global agendas, and more specifically to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) — to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all (UN, n.d).

Author

• John Munyui, Florida State University