Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Multilingual Education
- Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics
- The Cambridge Handbook of Multilingual Education
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Prologue
- Acknowledgement
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Content and Language Integrated Learning:
- Part III Teaching Academic Subjects through English Medium Instruction
- Part IV Dual Language Learning, Immersion Programmes, and Learner Agency
- Part V Heritage Language Education
- Part VI Minority Language Education
- 35 Trilingual Education in the Basque Country
- 36 The Revival of Kashubian in Poland
- 37 Models of Provision in Irish Medium Schools
- 38 Beyond English Medium Orientations
- 39 Non-dominant Languages in Southeast Asian Education
- 40 Mother Tongue Education in Africa
- 41 Quechua Innovation and Teaching Initiative (QINTI)
- Part VII A Critical Look at Multilingual Pedagogies
- Index
- References
40 - Mother Tongue Education in Africa
An Example of Zimbabwe
from Part VI - Minority Language Education
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 December 2025
Edited by
Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Multilingual Education
- Cambridge Handbooks in Language and Linguistics
- The Cambridge Handbook of Multilingual Education
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Prologue
- Acknowledgement
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Content and Language Integrated Learning:
- Part III Teaching Academic Subjects through English Medium Instruction
- Part IV Dual Language Learning, Immersion Programmes, and Learner Agency
- Part V Heritage Language Education
- Part VI Minority Language Education
- 35 Trilingual Education in the Basque Country
- 36 The Revival of Kashubian in Poland
- 37 Models of Provision in Irish Medium Schools
- 38 Beyond English Medium Orientations
- 39 Non-dominant Languages in Southeast Asian Education
- 40 Mother Tongue Education in Africa
- 41 Quechua Innovation and Teaching Initiative (QINTI)
- Part VII A Critical Look at Multilingual Pedagogies
- Index
- References
Summary
In this chapter, we problematise the concept of mother tongue education in Africa in regard to the following: (i) UNESCO’s problem-solving paradigm applied to the African educational scenario; (ii) the role played by literacy as an epistemological framework in mother tongue education; (iii) the role of public education vs non-state actors as well as the role of language activism in this context; and (iv) mother tongue education as a bridge to reinforce a sense of community and sharing. We also discuss the politics of mother tongue education in Zimbabwe. By doing so, we prioritise the Zimbabwean perspective and experience in regard to language issues, avoiding the reproduction of South African-dominant interpretations of Zimbabwe.
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge Handbook of Multilingual Education , pp. 774 - 787Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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