Showing papers in "International Review of Education in 2001"

English for globalisation or for the world's people?

Abstract: The article explores the role of English in ongoing processes of globalisation, the reasons for its dominance, and the need for conceptual clarification in analysing English worldwide. Examples from the post-colonial and post-communist worlds and the European Union reveal increasing corporate involvement in education, and World Bank policies that favour European languages. Studies of global English range from those that uncritically endorse global English to those which see it as reflecting a post-imperial but essentially capitalist agenda. Many of the contem-porary trends are captured in two competing language policy paradigms that situate English in broader economic, political and cultural facets of globalisation, the Diffusion of English paradigm, and the Ecology of Languages paradigm. A number of studies of various dimensions of linguistic and professional imperialism in the teaching of English to Asians reveal the persistence of western agendas in education. There is also increasing documentation of resistance to this, both at the level of awareness of the need to anchor English more firmly in local cultural systems, and at classroom level. Language pedagogy needs to ensure that English is not learned subtractively. Only in this way can globalisation be made more accountable and locally relevant.

Multilingualism in South Africa with Particular Reference to the Role of African Languages in Education

Abstract: In this paper it is argued that language policy can play a central role in enabling citizens of a country to participate in the political, educational, social and economic life of that country. Or it can deny them that right. In discussions on the role of African languages, there is a tendency to confine the discussion to language in education. I argue that unless we locate the discussion in a broader context, we are not going to make much progress in extending the use of African languages beyond the home domain. The paper therefore consists of three sections. The first section looks broadly at the domains where language has an impact. The second section briefly outlines a process underway in South Africa to develop a framework for a national language policy, whilst the final section looks at the implications of this for education. Here I look at language in Education Policy in Practice. I give examples from a piece of primary research that I have conducted with Xhosa -speaking Grade 4 and Grade 7 learners who have been given pictures to describe first in Xhosa and then in English. The examples show the rich vocabulary children have when they express themselves in Xhosa and the poor vocabulary they have when they express themselves in English.

Ethnicity, Forms of Capital, and Educational Achievement.

Abstract: Bourdieu's cultural capital thesis is an attempt to explain how social class influences the transmission of educational inequality. In this article, the question of the extent to which various forms of capital also apply to ethnic minorities stands central. On the basis of Dutch and American research findings, a model is formulated and empirically tested with the aid of data from the Dutch Primary Education cohort study. Students from four ethnic groups are included: Dutch, Surinamese, Turkish, and Moroccan. The main variables are language and math test scores, socio-economic milieu, and a number of capital indicators, including financial resources, linguistic resources, parental reading behavior, and educational resources within the family. The results show no mediating effect of resources within the various ethnic groups. The findings also suggest that in research and practice it is relevant to not treat ethnic groups as one homogenous group, but to differentiate between the various groups.

The Globalisation of (Educational) Language Rights.

Abstract: Languages are today being murdered faster than ever before in human history: 90% of the world's oral languages may be dead or moribund (no longer learned by children) in a hundred years' time. The media and the educational systems are the most important direct agents in language murder. Behind them are the real culprits, the global economic, military and political systems. Linguistic human rights might be one way of promoting conflict prevention and self-determination, preventing linguistic genocide, and maintaining linguistic diversity and biodiversity (which are correlationally and also causally related). The most basic linguistic human rights for maintenance of linguistic diversity, specifically the right to mother tongue medium education, are not protected by the present provisions in human rights law. Linguistically, formal education is today often 'forcibly transferring children of one group to another group' (one of the definitions of genocide in the UN Genocide Convention). Human rights are supposed to act as correctives to the 'free market'. Despite good intentions, forces behind economic globalisation have instead given brutal market forces free range.

From state control to governance : decentralization and higher education in Guangdong, China

Abstract: In China there has been a strong trend to diversification and decentralization of education in the post-Mao period This paper examines how the policy of decentralization has affected the governance of universities in Guangdong More specifically, the paper focuses on reform of the financing and management structure, the merging of universities, and joint development programmes to enhance competitiveness Despite these changes, the state's role as a regulator and overall service coordinator has been strengthened rather than weakened under the policy of decentralization This paper not only examines the recent developments in Guangdong's higher education but also analyses such developments in light of the global trend towards decentralization in educational governance

Choices and Commitment: A Comparison of Teacher Candidates' Profiles and Perspectives in China and the United States

Abstract: In this article, the researchers report findings from a recent national study of teacher education in China, in comparison to similar data from national and case studies in the United States. The study aims at understanding and comparing the profiles and entry perspectives of Chinese versus American teacher candidates. The researchers demonstrate that there are both similarities and differences in the demographic characteristics of the Chinese and American teacher candidates. The Chinese education students come from less privileged backgrounds in socioeconomic status and academic preparation. Although they share some of the noble ideas about becoming teachers, the overwhelming majority of the Chinese students do not intend to commit to teaching as a lifelong career. They cite the low status of the teaching profession and the poor benefits for teachers as primary reasons for leaving teaching. The researchers urge Chinese and American policy makers and teacher educators to revise their policies and practices in light of the study findings in order to recruit qualified young people into teacher education programs and more importantly to retain good teachers in the profession.

The Choice of English as Medium of Instruction and Its Effects on the African Languages in Nambia

Abstract: In 1995 Birgit Brock-Utne was asked by NIED (National Institute for Education and Development) in Namibia to make a study of the situation of the African languages after Independence in 1990 Five years later the study was followed up by Halla Holmarsdottir as her thesis for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Comparative and International Education The study was supported by the Nordic Institute of African Studies This article is built on both these studies, which shows that the enormous work that has gone into making English the official language of Namibia, has born fruits However, Holmarsdottir in her 2000 study also found that teachers overestimate their knowledge of English and in fact recent teacher graduates are not significantly more proficient in English than those who have been teaching for some time Both studies reveal that many people around the country have grave concerns that the Namibian languages are losing a battle against English One notable example of this development is the drop in the number of students studying African languages at the University of Namibia In 1995 there were 100 students taking Oshindonga, and in the academic year 1999–2000 there was one

The Growth of English for Academic Communication in the Nordic Countries.

Abstract: This article discusses the danger of subtractive English in higher education in Norway. If the use of a mother tongue as the medium of communication at the highest academic levels ceases, is drastically reduced and replaced through the use of a foreign tongue, we may speak of subtractive learning. If the mother tongue is being replaced by a foreign tongue in academic writing, in research and university level teaching, the mother tongue will stagnate. The vocabulary needed has not been allowed to develop at the highest academic level. The author maintains that the Norwegian language is threatened as an academic language and here discusses the following five phenomena, all contributing to this threat:

Resistance towards the language of globalisation - the case of sri lanka

Abstract: This paper relates the contemporary educational reforms in Sri Lanka to the processes of globalisation. The international monetary organisations such as the IMF and the World Bank and the regional organisations like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) play a dominant role in influencing the debt-receiving countries when it comes to their educational practice. The intensity of the influence of these organisations can vary depending on the existing educational policy of the aid receiving countries. This paper, after a brief introduction on globalisation, examines its effects on the education policy in Sri Lanka with a special emphasis on the current language policy. Equity in education is usually advocated at primary level based on the universal primary education concept so highly upheld by the World Bank. However, the present high human development indicators are undoubtedly due to Sri Lanka's free education policy in native languages. The paper concludes stressing the importance to retain the national education policy as a means of empowerment and liberation of its masses and creating stronger ethnic harmony.

Home Education in Europe and the Implementation of Changes to the Law

Abstract: This paper discusses the various definitions of home education and how the term can give rise to misinterpretations. In addition it covers recent changes to legislation and policy relating to home education in some European countries, such as France, Ireland, Luxembourg and Belgium. These changes have been based on a misunderstanding of the nature of home education. Little attention has been paid to the difference between children who are absconding from school and those who are being conscientiously educated by their parents at home. By contrast, there has been a slight but positive change in attitudes towards home education in some of the Lander (regions) of Germany. The author argues that governments should conduct well reasoned, objective research before considering measures to limit home education in any way.

How a Strong Government Backed an African Language: The Lessons of Somalia

Abstract: Although Somali is the mother tongue of over 95 per cent of the population of Somalia, when the country received independence in 1960 it took English, Italian, and Arabic as its official languages. Because of controversy involving technical, religious and political questions, no script for the Somali language could be agreed upon, either in the colonial era or in parliamentary years, 1960–1969. The consequences of this non-decision were considerable for Somali society. However, when the authoritarian military rulers came to the power in the early 1970s, they made a final decision in regard to script. They also issued a decree to the effect that Somali was to be the language of political and administrative discourse in the Somali Republic. That act marked the beginning of the restoration of cultural and linguistic rights for Somali society. This article examines how Somalia, under a strong and totalitarian regime, was able to promote its language. The article also presents an overview of the organisation and the implementation of the literacy campaigns carried out in Somalia, as well as some notes on planning and the theoretical framework behind the campaigns.

The Effect of Globalisation in Africa and the Choice of Language in Publishing

Abstract: This article shows us some of the problems of the domination of the ex-colonial languages for intellectual life in Africa The author notes that English serves fundamentally the interests of those for whom it is both an export commodity and a language of conquest and domination He argues that there is no compelling reason for adopting a foreign language as a national one On the contrary, there is ample evidence that such linguistic imposition does more harm than good When a language is artificially imposed, students are rarely able to master it sufficiently to work comfortably in it Not only do they fail to acquire proficiency in the foreign language; they also lose proficiency in their own languages, becoming twice disadvantaged The author sees dependency on a foreign language, like other forms of dependency, as a liability that a nation can ill afford He quotes Ali Mazrui who raises the question: Will Africa ever effectively "take off" when it is so tightly held hostage to the languages of the former imperial masters?

Reciprocal bilingualism as a challenge and opportunity: the case of cyprus

Abstract: Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, has never been monolingual. For over four hundred years the two main languages of the island have been Turkish and Greek. Turkish-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots met each other in the streets, but seldom in the schools. The Greek language had a place in the Turkish-Cypriots' educational system during some periods in history, but the Greek-Cypriots have never given the Turkish language a place in their school system. Until recent years, the majority of Turkish-Cypriots have had communicative competence in Greek. In contrast, there have been very few Greek-Cypriots who had communicative competence in Turkish. The history of Cyprus clearly shows that lack of policies for bilingualism on the island has weakened the good relationship between the two folk groups. The fact that the learning of the global language English is happening to the detriment of the learning of Greek among Turkish-Cypriots makes the integration of the two main cultural groups of Cypriots more difficult. Using the island's historical background, especially the intercommunal dispute during the last four decades as a basis, the author argues for a closer relationship between the economic, social, cultural, including bilingual and educational policy of the two parts of Cyprus. He sees this as the best peace policy for the island.

Globalisation, language and education: A comparative study of the United States and Tanzania

Abstract: Educational language choice has been one of the most provocative issues of the 20th century and continues to be a dominant issue at the turn of the new millennium. Efforts to naturalize English as the only suitable language for post primary school education persist in many African countries, including Tanzania. In the United States the campaign for "English only" in the schools is gaining momentum, despite the increasing multilingual population in the schools. Focusing on Tanzania and the United States, this article examines the fallacy of a monolingual, English only, policy in education. It examines the ethos surrounding the debate about the language of instruction, and considers some of the detrimental effects upon students of attempting to impose a monolingual policy. Finally, the paper suggests possible roles of educators and researchers in fostering international understanding of educational language issues as one aspect of the quest for global peace and social justice in the 21st century.

Discourses of linguistic dominance: A historical consideration of French language ideology

Abstract: The paper offers a historical perspective on the linguistic and cultural imperialism embedded in the struggle to maintain French as a leading international language France was the nation-state where the ideology of national language was first clearly formulated and directly extended to overseas colonies This shows the close relationship between linguistic nationalism and imperialism It was believed that French was the language of universal human reason and had the power to civilize people who spoke it This myth of the "clarte francaise" and the "mission civilisatrice" had a strong influence on various kinds of metalinguistic discourses that created the taken-for-granted representation of French as dominant language It is the essential strategy of language dominance to establish the hierarchy of languages as if it were natural order of things When French was obliged to yield the status of international language to English, there emerged the ideology of "Francophonie" which tried to defend its privilege against the monopoly of English, but the same ideology is also directed against minorities' claims for their own linguistic human right It could be said that these discourses form a recursive prototype of language dominance whose variations are to be found in other shapes almost all over the world

Training on the job in Istanbul: a study of skills acquisition in carpentry and car-repair workshops

Abstract: This article describes a study of income generation and vocational skill acquisition in small workshops in Istanbul, Turkey. Car-repair and carpentry workshops were chosen as the focal point of the study, which involved collecting data on 88 master craftsmen, 55 journeymen and 38 apprentices. In addition in-depth interviews were conducted with the carpentry and car-repair artisans. The descriptive data from the survey study show that the artisans in Istanbul are in general migrants and primary school graduates, who usually acquire their vocational skills on-the-job. The analysis of the interviews suggests that the apprentices, journeymen, and masters in the car-repair and carpentry trades are content with their vocational skills acquired on-the-job.

The Dominant Tradition in Adult Literacy--A Comparative Study of National Literacy Programmes in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Abstract: The article highlights the renewed significance of adult literacy for international and national educational policy as a result of the World Educational Forum in 2000, at which a new vision of literacy was advocated The difference between the new and old paradigms of adult literacy is considered The article argues that the traditional approach which has dominated the international discourse on adult literacy has profoundly influenced national decisions This influence is illustrated through a comparative analysis of national adult literacy programmes in Botswana and Zimbabwe The programmes exhibit a high degree of similarity despite differences in the national contexts The analysis shows that the traditional approach has been relatively ineffective in improving adult literacy levels However, proposals for change influenced by the new paradigm have not been taken into account Thus the examples of Botswana and Zimbabwe indicate the difficulty in displacing the dominant tradition in adult literacy at the level of national policy-making

Cultural Transmission and Inter-generational Interaction

Abstract: A number of educationists have attacked the concept of cultural transmission as being unable to cover adequately the complex process of interaction that takes place in education. This attack poses a serious challenge to educational research, which generally assumes that cultural transmission has an important place in the educational process. Should this assumption prove to be unfounded, the foundations of educational research would be undermined. This article defends the concept of cultural transmission against the three main criticisms that have been levelled against it, and concludes that it remains a valuable one for educational researchers.

Museums: Using keyworkers to deliver lifelong learning

Abstract: The article describes a major study of the activities of keyworkers (mediators between museums and their public) within the context of museums' contribution to lifelong learning and to overcoming cultural exclusion. Field studies were undertaken in the UK, Ireland and Sweden based upon live projects with keyworkers who were subsequently interviewed about their roles, professional development needs and attitudes. In the UK, the Victoria and Albert Museum's keyworkers comprised youth workers, in Sweden they were traffic wardens and taxi drivers, and the Irish Museum of Modern Art worked with a group of elderly adults. From these studies, the research was able to articulate key recommendation for developing museum policy on keyworkers to enhance adult learning in and through museums.

Icelandic: A Lesser-Used Language in the Global Community

Abstract: A small nation in the middle of the North Atlantic, Iceland currently has a population of 265,000 (1996). The Iceland language has changed very little since the island was settled some 11 centuries ago. Despite the relatively small number of people who speak the language and irrespective of the globalisation efforts by the international community, which includes the ever-increasing influence of English worldwide, the Icelandic language and culture are stronger than ever. The current volume and variety of publications of Icelandic works in all areas have never been as great. Icelandic is a living and growing language. Growth in vocabulary, in response to recent phenomena like the introduction of new technology, has primarily come about with the development of new words from the language's roots. The near absence of Latin, Greek and, more recently, English or Danish words in Icelandic, is striking. Iceland's language policy is not only a governmental policy. It is a policy that comes from the grassroots with the government and official institutions viewing their job as one of service to the people of Iceland. Icelanders are very proud of their language and are extremely determined to continually develop and preserve it for future generations.

Assessing Directions for Educational Development Assistance.

Abstract: As the 21st century begins, three factors are intersecting in ways that are changing the face of international development assistance and, in turn, the agenda of international development agencies working in the area of education. These changes include: (1) shifts in the age distribution of the population, (2) devolution of more authority and responsibility to lower levels of the education system, and (3) intensified competition for resources. This paper examines how the convergence of these trends is reshaping the way development assistance organizations will operate in the next decade, identifies development priorities of the next decade, and proposes a model of the factors that international agencies need to consider in assessing their own work priorities over that time.

Accelerated School Programmes: Assessing Their Effectiveness.

Abstract: Accelerated School Programmes (ASPs) apply three principles designed to raise schools' effectiveness and to narrow the gap between low-achieving and high achieving students. These principles are: (1) giving the school a unifying purpose or vision; (2) allowing the school greater autonomy in its own management; (3) developing a collaborative approach to teaching, involving teachers, students, parents and the community. This article examines the effectiveness of ASPs on the basis of a study of four comprehensive schools in Israel. While the size of the sample is small, the positive results indicate that similar research on a wider scale would be valuable in shaping future educational policy.

Pourquoi entrer a l'Universite? L'Exemple d'une universite de lettres et sciences humaines

Abstract: The large number of secondary school graduates entering higher education is transforming the nature of universities, particularly in literature and the humanities, by changing the relative numbers of students enrolled in different academic years. At the same time this influx is accompanied by a significant failure rate in the first academic year, calling into question the efficacy of the university system. A national issue with local repercussions, the struggle against failure in the first year is leading to much heart-searching among the universities, whose staff are trying hard to understand why certain students abandon their studies. The enquiry described in this article reveals the co-existence of two student populations: those who enter university as an active choice and those who do so by default. In the case of the first group, entry to university represents an investment for the future which must be carefully managed. In the second case it is a matter of going into higher education as a faute de mieux solution in an economic context in which work is scarce.

L'enseignant-ressource en Milieu Urbain Défavorisé: une Intervention Éducative Efficace

Abstract: Studies on the efficacity of educational interventions among disadvantaged groups are contradictory. This article is part of the continuing debate on this topic. It reports the results of an empirical study of 1,567 pupils from the first and sixth grades, attending 20 primary schools in disadvantaged areas of Montreal, Canada. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of using "teachers as resource persons". The results indicate that intervention by "teachers as resource persons" has a positive effect on pupils' achievements. Furthermore, financial input is also positively linked with pupils' performance. The article interprets the main results of the study and comes to a positive conclusion about the usefulness of "teachers as resource persons" in disadvantaged urban areas.

La Peur de L'évaluation: Évaluation de L'enseignement ou du Sujet?

Abstract: This article addresses first of all the question why nowadays evaluation is so intensively promoted. It then goes on to analyse the reasons why there is currently a resistance to evaluation among teachers. It refers especially to the situation in Greece, where evaluation has been absent since 1981, whereas before that date it was applied in an oppressive manner, more resembling discipline and punishment than the personal development of the teachers. The authors refer particularly to the work of Michel Foucault but also to that of J. F. Lyotard. They point out that it is the teachers' fear of evaluation of their personal identity rather than their professional competence that lies behind the resistance to evaluation. Emphasis is placed on the necessity to support teachers in their personal and professional development. The use of action research, termed "critical active research" in Greek, is advocated as a basic strategy for the development of the teacher as well as of the curriculum and of society in general.

A Critique of the External Product Evaluation of the Brazilian System of Undergraduate Education.

Abstract: Les auteurs proposent une analyse critique du systeme d'evaluation mis en place par le gouvernement bresilien afin de mesurer l'efficacite des enseignements donnees dans le universites du pays. Apres avoir decrit le systeme d'evaluation, ils en soulignent les limites