The Quick Interview | Quest to raise indigenous languages status in learning

The Pan SA Language Board (PanSALB) says that though proficiency in English is important because it is the main language used in global communication, South Africans need to take pride in their indigenous languages and help to protect and promote them.

PanSALB CEO Lance Schultz speaks to Sowetan about why Africans should recognise the value of indigenous languages in academic and professional spheres.  

Sowetan: Are we getting enough indigenous language books in our schools? 

Schultz: Yes, Indigenous language books are available in SA state schools. The department of basic education is responsible for ensuring that all languages are fully resourced, and I believe there is ongoing work to improve access to these resources.

Sowetan: Are there specific strategies to address the gap between indigenous language and English language proficiency in the educational context?

Schultz: Yes, there are several strategies in place to address this gap, and many teachers are already employing effective methods in their classrooms. One common approach is translanguaging, a technique that encourages bilingual or multilingual students to draw on all the languages they know during their learning process. This allows for easier understanding and bridges the gap between the students’ native languages and English. Teachers facilitate this by switching between languages in a way that supports learning, allowing students to comprehend concepts more effectively in their native languages while still engaging with English, which is often the language of instruction.

Sowetan: Are there adequate resources, such as textbooks, digital tools or other learning materials available in indigenous languages to support students?

Schultz: The availability of resources in indigenous languages is somewhat contextual and varies based on the specific language. It’s important to note that materials do exist for teaching subjects in indigenous languages, and all African languages in SA can serve as languages of learning, teaching, and assessment. However, the extent of resource development differs across languages. For example, languages like isiXhosa, isiZulu, and Sesotho have resource material dating back over 200 years, whereas languages like Siswati and isiNdebele have more recent materials, often developed only from the 1950s onward. While efforts are ongoing to improve resource availability, there is still room for growth, especially for less-spoken languages.

Sowetan: How can the use of indigenous languages be made more attractive to young people?

Schultz: They can be made  more attractive by ensuring that they provide socioeconomic mobility in the SA economy, which is dominated by English. The hegemony of English perpetuates the domination of English-fluent individuals in the marginalisation of native speakers of other languages. Second, the use of indigenous languages must begin but not end at home. Parents play a crucial role in speaking and encouraging the use of their mother tongue at home. In addition, fostering a culture of reading in indigenous languages is vital to ensuring their continued relevance. Support for indigenous language authors, publishers, and media outlets is essential for the sustainability of these languages in the modern world. 

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