When children continue to develop their abilities in two or more languages throughout their primary school years, they gain a deeper understanding of language and how to use it effectively. They have more practice in processing language, especially when they develop literacy in both, and they are able to compare and contrast the ways in which their two languages organize reality( Cummins, 2000).
To summarize: Using the MT as the first language in school is not a waste of time. It does not take away from the students’ ability to learn the official school language and it does not make it harder for students to learn other subjects. In fact, students’ MT is an essential resource for learning new languages and new concepts.
Q3
How can we develop and support MTB MLE in our community?
Successful MTB MLE programmes require cooperation and support from many people at all levels of government. Most important is that people in the community want MTB MLE for their children and that parents and others in the community support teachers, principals and local education officials in making their programme successful.
The diagram below identifies the essential components of strong and successful MTB MLE programmes. If the programme is established in the formal education system, responsibility for some parts of the programme belongs to policy makers and to district, provincial and national education officials. But community members’ support is essential.
Including the Excluded: Promoting Multilingual Education
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