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@article{ART001359261},
author={Chul-Joon Yang},
title={Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania},
journal={The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea},
issn={1226-4822},
year={2009},
volume={17},
number={1},
pages={1-31}

TY - JOUR
AU - Chul-Joon Yang
TI - Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania
JO - The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea
PY - 2009
VL - 17
IS - 1
PB - The Sociolinguistic Society Of Korea
SP - 1
EP - 31
SN - 1226-4822
AB - Tanzania has been rightly known as one of the most successful instances of having pursued an active endoglossic language policy as well as of promoting an indigenous African language, namely Swahili, as the medium of instruction. Since the early years of independence Swahili has been adopted as the medium of instruction for primary education. Currently, students at secondary and tertiary levels have to use English as the medium of instruction. The sudden transition from Swahili to English has been blamed as one of the root causes of the current crisis of educational standards. Many scholars both from Tanzania and abroad have consistently pointed out that the problem of the medium of instruction results in educational failure, but the Tanzanian government has continued to be half-hearted in this matter based on an exaggerated belief that English plays a pivotal role in the age of globalization. English in today's Tanzania is almost synonymous with upward social mobility, and even English-medium primary schools have been mushrooming in recent years. The conflict between individuals and official language policy is inevitable, because the former prefers English as a medium of instruction at all levels and the latter tries to maintain Swahili at least at primary levels. For a language-in-education policy to be viable, multi-faceted approaches need to be introduced and applied to reflect changing social realities in Tanzanian society. The language-in-education policy also needs to be considered in the context of social inequalities and the distribution of limited resources among members of the society.
KW - Swahili;English;medium of instruction;language-in-education policy;language ideology
DO -
UR -
ER -

Chul-Joon Yang. (2009). Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea, 17(1), 1-31.

Chul-Joon Yang. 2009, "Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania", The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea, vol.17, no.1 pp.1-31.

Chul-Joon Yang "Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania" The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 17.1 pp.1-31 (2009) : 1.

Chul-Joon Yang. Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania. 2009; 17(1), 1-31.

Chul-Joon Yang. "Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania" The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 17, no.1 (2009) : 1-31.

Chul-Joon Yang. Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea, 17(1), 1-31.

Chul-Joon Yang. Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania. The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea. 2009; 17(1) 1-31.

Chul-Joon Yang. Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania. 2009; 17(1), 1-31.

Chul-Joon Yang. "Reality and Prospects of Indigenous Languages as Medium of Instruction: The Case of Swahili in Tanzania" The Sociolinguistic Journal of Korea 17, no.1 (2009) : 1-31.