Balancing act when it comes to issues of language

The Talking Point

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5d ago 1:38:30

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One of my producers who tutors learners in history asked a learner why she was finding it difficult to write an essay and engage in English discussion as required in the exam question? She then answered by saying her teacher in an English school teaches them history in isZulu which makes it difficult for her to understand some of the English terms they read in the school textbook. Another learner said her uncle explains history to her in ixiTsonga which also makes it difficult for her to understand questions asked in the question paper in English. This then takes us back to that question of finding a balance between children expressing themselves in their mother tongue vs how the academic system is structured in English. Also what happens at tertiary level and the job market as both use English? Where does this leave the advancement of our vernacular languages. As a parent, how do you find the balance of insisting that your children express themselves more in their mother tongue than in English? To lead us in this discussion, we are joined by…

Guest (Telephone): Dr Thandeka Mdlalo - Speech Language Therapist, audiologist and author

Guest (Telephone): Professor Thabo Ditsele - Professor of Sociolinguistics and Linguistic Anthropology at the Tshwane University of Technology

Guest: Khutso Makuwa - Lecturer in the Department of Applied Languages at the Tshwane University of Technology

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