Decolonizing the Language-in-Education Policy Through Ethnography : Indigenous Language as Mediators of Learning in Primary Schools in Ghana / Amoafi Kwapong.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kwapong, Amoafi, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Education--Study and teaching.

Education.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

London : SAGE Publications Ltd, 2025.

Summary:

This Case Study is based on research conducted in a higher-education institution in the United Kingdom. It examines the role of spoken language and how aspects of three different levels mediate learning: interpersonal (i.e., dialogue and personal information/interaction), sociohistorical (i.e., learning about the culture, traditions, and history of Ghana), and intrapersonal (i.e., language, cognition, and identity). Call-and-Response, a rhythmic interaction between children and children and children and adults, establishes unwritten rules that encourage active learning. The history of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism helps us to understand why English became the official language. This learning provides a foundation for the children's understanding as to why their language and culture have been suppressed. The children's thinking and development through language from early interactions are later translated into problem solving and analysis of situations. The question-and-answer sessions during Call-and-Response interactions now can be analyzed at a higher level to make sense of ideas. The research was undertaken in two primary schools (one rural and one in the capital city) selected from six schools. Twi, the most widely spoken Indigenous language, was spoken by children and teachers in both the rural and city schools. Story, riddle, proverb and religious text formed the basis of discussions. Different styles of storytelling and the significance and impact of the story on the lives of children in both settings emerged: Whereas the rural school children embraced traditional values, the city school children showed preference for modern standards. The research design used qualitative ethnography. Using ethnographic methods enabled me to be a part of the life of the school communities I was studying and allowed me to interpret and describe activities I had observed and participated in. I conducted a pilot study in both schools the year prior to the 2-year participant observation. To avoid fluctuation in the language-in-education policy in Ghanaian primary schools, an Indigenous-language-in-education policy must be enshrined in the constitution. Of approximately 80 Indigenous languages, only 12 are government approved for teaching and learning: These are Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Fante, Éwé, Ga, Adangbe, Nzema, Gonja, Dagbani, Dagaare, Kasem, and Gurune. Children and teachers in the schools in my study were both multilingual and multicultural, and ethnography was a useful method of gathering such data with local understanding.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

1-03-622329-9

9781036223298

OCLC:

1523169852