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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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 2
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 3
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 4
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 5
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 7
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??
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 8
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 9
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 10
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 11
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 12
• “ ….. 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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 13
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 14
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 16
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 17
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 18
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 19
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)?
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 20
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”
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 21
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]
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 22
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)
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 23
Rationale forMT based Multilingual
Education
• Language Proficiency
–BICS & CALP (L1↔L2)• BICS → Effective Instruction(3-5 yrs) → CALP
• Empowerment through education in MT
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 24
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”)
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 25
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)
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 26
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)
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 27
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
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 28
What are our choices?
LINGUISTIC GENOCIDE IN EDUCATION
OROR
MULTILINGUALISM FOR ALL?
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 29
Mother Tongue to Multilingualism for All
ORORMT vs. Maj. Languages vs.
English?
16 Oct'08 MLE-OPEPA_UNICEF 30
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)