16 oct'08mle-opepa_unicef1 why do tribal children need multilingual education? ajit k mohanty...

16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 1

WHY DO TRIBAL CHILDREN WHY DO TRIBAL CHILDREN NEED MULTILINGUAL NEED MULTILINGUAL

EDUCATION?EDUCATION?

Ajit K MohantyAjit K Mohanty

Jawaharlal Nehru UniversityJawaharlal Nehru University


Educational neglect of Educational neglect of languages leading to:languages leading to:

Illiteracy & relapse to illiteracyIlliteracy & relapse to illiteracy Poor educational performancePoor educational performance Subtractive language learning in Subtractive language learning in

forced submersion programsforced submersion programs High High ‘push-out’‘push-out’ rate rate Capability Deprivation & PovertyCapability Deprivation & Poverty Loss of diversityLoss of diversity


Exclusion of MT from Exclusion of MT from schools is problematicschools is problematic

• Children do not learn (capability deprivation, Children do not learn (capability deprivation, poverty)poverty)

• Loss of IdentityLoss of Identity• Weakening of languages (the vicious cycle of Weakening of languages (the vicious cycle of

disadvantage)disadvantage)• Subtractive language learning (Loss of MT)Subtractive language learning (Loss of MT)• Loss of linguistic diversity – Language Death, Loss of linguistic diversity – Language Death,

Murder, Genocide. (Suicide?)Murder, Genocide. (Suicide?)• Marginalization, domain shrinkageMarginalization, domain shrinkage• Unimplemented (passive) state policies, statutesUnimplemented (passive) state policies, statutes


National Assessment of National Assessment of Achievement at the end of Achievement at the end of

Grade VGrade V(NCERT,2004; (NCERT,2004; NN=88,271)=88,271)• STs scored significantly less than

others in::

–Mathematics–Environmental Studies

–Language (L2)

–Reading Comprehension–Grammar & Usage


Literacy, Drop Out(?) &Literacy, Drop Out(?) &School Enrollment of STsSchool Enrollment of STs

•Crude Literacy Rate (all age groups)ST=38.41, SC=45.20, Others=54.51

•Effective Literacy Rate (7+ Population)ST=47.10, SC=54.69, Others=68.81


THE VICIOUS CIRCLE OF LANGUAGE DISADVANTAGE


Constitutional/statutory/policy Provisions

• Indian Constitution (Art. 350A): ‘provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education of children belonging to minority groups.’

• The Three Language Policy• Ramamurti Committee Report 1990:

minority language medium primary schools in areas with at least 10% minority language speakers; parallel sections; appointment of minority language teachers

• NPE (Govt. of India); NCF,2005 (NCERT)

Are we honouring our commitmentsAre we honouring our commitments??


WHY IS MT NECESSARY WHY IS MT NECESSARY FOR QUALITY FOR QUALITY EDUCATION?EDUCATION?

• CHILDREN LEARN BETTER IN THEIR CHILDREN LEARN BETTER IN THEIR LANGUAGELANGUAGE

• MT IS MOST COMPLETE/POWERFUL MT IS MOST COMPLETE/POWERFUL RESOURCERESOURCE

• MT REGULATES CHILD’S THOUGHT MT REGULATES CHILD’S THOUGHT (LINKS HER TO FAMILY, (LINKS HER TO FAMILY, COMMUNITY, NATURE & CULTURE)COMMUNITY, NATURE & CULTURE)

• CHILD MUST MOVE FROM KNOWN CHILD MUST MOVE FROM KNOWN TO UNKNOWN, FAMILIAR TO TO UNKNOWN, FAMILIAR TO UNFAMILIARUNFAMILIAR


Do children benefit from knowing their

mother tongue? What does Research say?

• Studies among Konds in Kandhamal district show that Kond children who know Kui are:

– More intelligent– Creative– Cognitively better developed– Higher classroom achieversStudies all over the world confirm

advantages of learning mother tongues for better education, identity and positive self concept


MOTHER TONGUE OF TRIBAL MOTHER TONGUE OF TRIBAL CHILDRENCHILDREN::

A resource or burden?A resource or burden?MT + LMT + L2 2 bilinguals perform bilinguals perform better on Cognitive, better on Cognitive, Metacognitive and Academic Metacognitive and Academic Achievement measuresAchievement measures[The Kond studies, & other Indian [The Kond studies, & other Indian studies ]studies ]

Inter-group relations in Inter-group relations in bilingual contact situations bilingual contact situations characterized by integrationcharacterized by integration


Achievement of ST Children Achievement of ST Children in Mother Tongue Medium in Mother Tongue Medium

Schools Schools • Bodo children in Bodo medium

schools perform better than the Bodo children in L2 medium schools (Saikia & Mohanty, 2004)

• Other Indian studies also show better performance in MT medium schools when SES differences are controlled


• “ ….. maintaining everybody’s mother tongue(s), while learning additional languages is not only beneficial for the individual but also a prerequisite for ethnic groups and people to maintain themselves as groups which again is a prerequisite for cultural diversity” (TSK, (TSK, 2000)2000)

• Colin Baker (2006)Colin Baker (2006)– Promotion of L1 & culture in classroom is

beneficial

– Oracy & Literacy in L1 easily transfers to L2

– Literacy in a minority language is an efficient route to biliteracy


Can education remain confined to MT only?

“NO”“NO”• World is increasingly multilingual• We need different languages to function

effectively• Multilinguals are better – intellectually,

cognitively, academically & so on• They are more successful in to-days world• India is a multilingual society (we all need

multiple languages, regardless of where we are)

• Our education must develop multilingual skills


Why must Indian Education Why must Indian Education be Multilingual?be Multilingual?

• Mother Tongue + Languages for regional/national communication + LWC

• MT → Regional Language → National Language → English

• Meaningful participation in the wider democratic, socio-political, economic system

• Empowerment


MULTILINGUALISMULTILINGUALISMM

is foris for ALLALL


Mother Tongue or/and Mother Tongue or/and Multilingual Education?Multilingual Education?

• Multilingualism as an Multilingualism as an Educational GoalEducational Goal

– Functional/Communicative Functional/Communicative competence in languagescompetence in languages

– Positive identification with allPositive identification with all

language groups and cultureslanguage groups and cultures


How do we develop How do we develop multilingualism in multilingualism in

education?education?THROUGHTHROUGH

MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION (MLE)(MLE)

What is MLE? - What is MLE? - Use of multiple languages as media of

instruction.Mother Tongue Based MLE

develops competence in MT & builds other languages on the

MT foundation


What is the best form of What is the best form of MLE?MLE?

One that starts with MT (L1) & One that starts with MT (L1) & then develops L2, L3 & so on…., then develops L2, L3 & so on…., additivelyadditively..

AdditiveAdditive vrs. vrs.SubtractiveSubtractive language learninglanguage learning


When is learning L2/L3 When is learning L2/L3 additive or subtractive?additive or subtractive?

We need to understand:We need to understand:HOW ARE LANGUAGES HOW ARE LANGUAGES

ORGANISED IN OUR MIND?;ORGANISED IN OUR MIND?;WHAT IS THE NATURE OF WHAT IS THE NATURE OF

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY?;LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY?;WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN L1 (MT) & BETWEEN L1 (MT) & PROFICIENCY IN L2 (L3 etc)?PROFICIENCY IN L2 (L3 etc)?


LANGUAGES IN OUR LANGUAGES IN OUR MIND:MIND:

The ‘CUP’ or the ‘SUP’?• Do languages occupy separate Do languages occupy separate

space (like different balloons) space (like different balloons) in our mind competing with in our mind competing with each other, so that more space each other, so that more space for L1 means less for L2, L3?for L1 means less for L2, L3?

““NO”NO”


LANGUAGES IN OUR LANGUAGES IN OUR MINDMIND

•We have one common proficiency for all our languages with different input/output mechanisms in each language.

[it is like one large piece of iceberg in water with multiple visible tips]


Nature of Language Nature of Language ProficiencyProficiency

• CHILDREN’S LANGUAGE DEVELOPS AT TWO LEVELS

1) Language for immediate communication- contextual, simple, less demanding: BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills)

2) Language for higher level mental activity, for thinking, regulation, planning, cognitive & academic activities: CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency)


Rationale forMT based Multilingual

Education

• Language Proficiency

–BICS & CALP (L1↔L2)• BICS → Effective Instruction(3-5 yrs) → CALP

• Empowerment through education in MT


Common misconceptions about Languages in

Education–Time-on-task (“the more the better”)

–Early start (“the earlier the better”)–Immersion (“children learn to swim”)

–Balance effect theory (“inflating one balloon leaves little space for another”)


Relationship between L1(MT) & other languages

(L2/L3 etc)•L1 → L2 (lower level) L1 → L2 (lower level)

Negative/Subtractive EffectNegative/Subtractive Effect•L1 → L2 (moderate level)L1 → L2 (moderate level) Neither Negative Nor Neither Negative Nor Positive EffectPositive Effect

•L1 → L2 (higher level)L1 → L2 (higher level) Positive Transfer from L1 to Positive Transfer from L1 to L2L2

(L2 is learnt faster/better)(L2 is learnt faster/better)


MODELS OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENTIN SCHOOLING

• The Submersion/Subtractive ModelThe Submersion/Subtractive ModelL1 → school entry → L2 → (-ve transfer) → L1 &

L2

(BICS)(BICS) (inadequate)(inadequate) • The Multilingual/Additive ModelThe Multilingual/Additive Model

L1(BICS) → school entry → L1(CALP) → (+ve

transfer & motivation) → L2(BICS & CALP) → L1 &

L2 (adequate) (foundation for multilingual

development)


Multilingual Education forthe Tribal MT ChildrenEffective Instruction in MT

Medium(at least for 3-5 years)

↓MT + L2 (both as MI)

↓L3 (& other languages)

↓High Multilingual Proficiency


What are our choices?

LINGUISTIC GENOCIDE IN EDUCATION

OROR

MULTILINGUALISM FOR ALL?


Mother Tongue to Multilingualism for All

ORORMT vs. Maj. Languages vs.

English?


Do arguments/research Do arguments/research findings inform/influence findings inform/influence

policy?policy?

““No”No”“The question then is whether the action needs to be done by the same people who do the persuading. I believe it is necessary.” (TSK,2000, p.667)(TSK,2000, p.667)

16 oct'08mle-opepa_unicef1 why do tribal children need multilingual education? ajit k mohanty...

Documents

language mt

unfamiliar slide

tribal children

better education

problematic children

kond children

positive self concept

poverty loss of identityloss