<div dir="ltr">
<div class="">
<div class="">
<ul class=""><li class="">
<div class=""><span style="vertical-align:bottom;width:78px;height:20px"></span></div>
<br></li><li class="">
<br></li><li class="">
<br></li></ul>
</div>
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="">
<h2>
<a style="width:180px;height:54px" class="" href="http://www.thejournalist.org.za" target="_blank" title="Visit The Journalist (Cape Town)">
The Journalist (Cape Town)
</a>
</h2>
</div>
<div class="">29 April 2015</div>
<h1>South Africa: Stretch Students Beyond Their Comfort Zones</h1>
<div class="">
<span class="">Tagged:</span>
<ul><li><a href="http://allafrica.com/education/">Education</a></li><li><a href="http://allafrica.com/southafrica/">South Africa</a></li><li><a href="http://allafrica.com/southernafrica/">Southern Africa</a></li><li><a href="http://allafrica.com/sustainable/">Sustainable Development</a></li></ul>
<br clear="all">
</div>
<div style="display:block" class="">
<div style="line-height:32px" class="">
<a class="" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fallafrica.com%2Fc%2F-5XFFv&text=Stretch%20Students%20Beyond%20Their%20Comfort%20Zones&via=allafrica&related=allafrica,allafricafrench,allafricasport">
<div class=""><span class=""></span><span class="">tweet</span></div>
</a>
<a class="">
<div class=""><span class=""></span><span class="">share</span></div>
</a>
<a class="">
<div class=""><span class=""></span><span class="">Google+</span></div>
</a>
<a class="" href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504291083.html#comments">
<div class=""><span class=""></span><span class="">comment</span></div>
</a>
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://allafrica.com/" class="">
<div class=""><span class=""></span><span class="">email</span></div>
</a>
<a class="" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Fallafrica.com%2Fstories%2F201504291083.html&title=allAfrica.com%3A%20South%20Africa%3A%20Stretch%20Students%20Beyond%20Their%20Comfort%20Zones&description=allAfrica%3A%20African%20news%20and%20information%20for%20a%20global%20audience">
<div class=""><span class=""></span><span class="">more</span></div>
</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="">
<div class="">
<div class="">
<div class="">
<div class="">
<h4>Related Topics</h4>
<ul><li>
<h5><a href="http://allafrica.com/southafrica/">South Africa</a></h5>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300517.html" title="South Africa: Court Grants Man Right to Assisted Death" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">South Africa: Court Grants Man Right to Assis...</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300288.html" title="Zimbabwe: Mugabe Urges Migrants in South Africa to Return Home" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">Zimbabwe: Mugabe Urges Migrants in South Afri...</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300436.html" title="Southern Africa: Zuma Briefs SADC Summit on Measures to Deal With Xenophobia" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">Southern Africa: Zuma Briefs SADC Summit on...</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504301328.html" title="South Africa: 'Back to Square One' Because of Xenophobia" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">South Africa: 'Back to Square One' Because...</p>
</div>
</a>
</li><li>
<h5><a href="http://allafrica.com/education/">Education</a></h5>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300988.html" title="Liberia: Schools Risk Closure Again" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">Liberia: Schools Risk Closure Again</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504301320.html" title="Malawi: Malawi Media Warned Against Irresponsible National Exams Reporting" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">Malawi: Malawi Media Warned Against Irrespons...</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300996.html" title="Liberia: UL Students Divided Over Christian State" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">Liberia: UL Students Divided Over Christian...</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300428.html" title="Malawi: Regional University Body Appoints Mutharika As Champion for Higher Education in Africa" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">Malawi: Regional University Body Appoints...</p>
</div>
</a>
</li><li>
<h5><a href="http://allafrica.com/sustainable/">Sustainable Development</a></h5>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300890.html" title="South Africa: Is Cosatu At a Crossroad? No, It's Just Irrelevant" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">South Africa: Is Cosatu At a Crossroad? No,...</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300889.html" title="Namibia: The Overselling of the Geingob Presidency" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">Namibia: The Overselling of the Geingob Presi...</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504301304.html" title="South Africa: How You Can Help the Sibhozo Brothers" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">South Africa: How You Can Help the Sibhozo...</p>
</div>
</a>
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300950.html" title="Liberia: FDA, STI, Partners Brian-Storm On Forest Management" class="">
<div class="">
<p class="">Liberia: FDA, STI, Partners Brian-Storm On...</p>
</div>
</a>
</li></ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class=""><p class="">opinion</p>
<cite class="">By Prof Millie Rivera</cite><p><em>Mother tongue versus becoming a global citizen</em></p>
<p>I assumed my duties as professor of communications at the University
of Free State on 1 April 2015. A few days later, I attended a forum
where key members of the university community publicly committed to a
consultative process of public lectures, discussions, student events,
and marches that sought to identify issues that need to be addressed in
order to stamp out racism, promote equality and ultimately transform the
institution, its policies and its practices.</p>
<p>Today, 28 April, the university held an assembly where members of the
community - students, staff and lecturers - submitted their proposals
for transformation. These ranged from changing language policies, to
critical revision of curricula and student residential practices, as
well as the placement of statues and other symbols across campus, among
others.</p>
<p>One of the topics that garnered great interest and passionate
discussion was the dual language policy of the university - English and
Afrikaans. Arguments for and against the policy were presented with some
proposals calling for English only (especially in the classroom) and
others calling for creating a multi-language policy that would extend to
isiZulu and Sesotho.</p>
<div id="responsive-aans-view-a-container" class="">
<div class="">
<ins class="" style="display:block;width:336px;height:280px"><ins id="aswift_0_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:280px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:336px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="aswift_0_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:280px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:336px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins>
</div>
</div>
<p>Some speakers argued that the dual language policy effectively
segregated the student community into blacks and whites. Others claimed
that since the majority of the students in the university were Africans,
the language policy of the university should be amended accordingly. It
is not clear which of these recommendations will replace the current
dual language policy, but it seems likely that there will be a change.</p>
<p>Before moving to South Africa, I spent 11 years teaching at the
National University of Singapore. As I listened to the various
proposals, I thought about the language policy in Singapore, which is a
multi-cultural society with four official languages: English, Mandarin
for the Chinese, Tamil for the Indians and Malay for the Malay Muslims.</p>
<p>The primary medium of instruction in Singapore is English and
students must take language courses in their mother tongue throughout
their primary and secondary education.</p>
<p>While I am not implying that this is an ideal policy, I wonder what
would happen if English became the only medium of instruction at the
University of Free State and all students were required to take courses
that exposed them to cultures and languages other than their own. Since
South Africa is a rainbow nation, it would make sense to stretch
students beyond their comfort zone and promote exploration of at least
one local language.</p>
<p>I am a pragmatic and strategic person. When I left my home in Puerto
Rico to pursue post-graduate studies in the USA, I struggled with
English. In the classroom I understood only a few words and had to
translate every word of my weekly readings into Spanish. Then, when it
came time to study for my exams, I had to translate everything again to
English so I could memorize the material.</p>
<div id="responsive-aans-view-b-container" class="">
<div class="">
<ins class="" style="display:block;width:456px;height:60px"><ins id="aswift_1_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:60px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:456px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="aswift_1_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:60px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:456px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins>
</div>
</div>
<p>It was hard work, but after a semester, it became easier and
eventually, I was able to complete my doctoral studies with distinction
and get my academic work published in international journals. I am
sharing this because I believe that if students struggle with English at
university level, translating class material into his or their mother
tongue will keep them from growing. Instead, we should use those
resources to develop programmes that enhance their English competence.
This way, when they graduate, they can work or pursue post-graduate
studies anywhere in the country or the world.</p>
<p>I acknowledge that language policies invoke complex historical,
political and cultural issues. But after traveling and teaching around
the world, I strongly feel that university students should be educated
to become active members of a global community. Failure to do this
shortchanges them and takes away opportunities for personal and
professional growth. I know I am a foreigner and my views may be biased,
but as a student in the audience said: "I'm just saying... "</p>
</div>
<div style id="page-end-slidebox" class="">
<div class="">
South Africa
</div>
<div class="">
<a class="" href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300517.html">Court Grants Man Right to Assisted Death</a>
<br>
<p>The High Court in Pretoria on Thursday granted a terminally ill man the right to end his own life, with the help of a …<a class="" href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201504300517.html"> see more »</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="">
<p><em>Read the <a href="http://www.thejournalist.org.za/kau-kauru/stretch-students-beyond-their-comfort-zones" target="_blank">original article</a> as published on <a href="http://www.thejournalist.org.za" target="_blank">The Journalist's website</a>, including illustrations and video where applicable.</em></p>
</div><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
</div>