Approximately three students walked out of a lecture room at Stellenbosch University nearly two weeks ago, after allegedly being told to use the translation services.
A lecturer from the education department was giving her lecture introduction in Afrikaans, when a student asked when she would be done with the introduction. The introduction, considered by one of the students as being too long, sparked conversation, resulting in the lecturer telling the student to make use of the translation services.
This led to the student, among others, to walk out of the class. Two of the three students were approached by MatieMedia for comment, but both declined.
The start of the term began with the lecturer explaining that she prefers to lecture in Afrikaans as she knows the content best in her own language. After student complaints, the lecturer decided to divide her lectures into both English and Afrikaans. While the “body” of the lecture would be in English, the introduction and conclusion would remain in Afrikaans.
According to a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) student, Amy*, who witnessed the walkout, many students in class used the translation services initially.
GG Cilliers, home to the education faculty. PHOTO: Aaliyah Davids.
The translation devices are also difficult to use, says Amy. “[The lecturer] does translate some stuff in English – but obviously you can’t listen to her and to the translator [at the same time] because it gets a bit confusing.”
Professor Ronelle Carolissen, Vice-Dean of teaching and learning, says that approximately half the students are English speaking and the other half are Afrikaans speaking. “All lecturers in the PGCE programme use English and Afrikaans interchangeably where it aids teaching and learning and communication during class,” says Carolissen.
The lecturer’s use of both English and Afrikaans falls within the university’s language policy, Carolissen continued.
“The important maxim in the language policy states that no student shall be excluded on the basis of language. There are different rules for undergraduate and postgraduate modules and different models of language use (i.e. English and Afrikaans).”
“The PGCE provides somewhat of an anomaly. In common understanding, it is a postgraduate programme. Students need a degree to be admitted to the programme. However, in terms of NQF (National Qualifications Framework levels), it is a level 7 programme and not a level 8 programme (i.e. postgraduate programme). Some lecturers may use the language option for undergraduate modules and some for postgraduate modules and they will all technically be adhering to the institutional language policy. However, we should stick to the maxim of not excluding anyone,” says Carolissen.
According to the the university’s policy, rules regarding language differ between undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. While the policy states that “any language may be used provided all the relevant students are sufficiently proficient in that language,” for postgraduate degrees, there are different options for lecturers teaching undergraduates.
Modules may have more than one class group, i.e. separate lectures in English and Afrikaans. Lecturers may integrate both languages, making use of a combination of facilitated learning opportunities. Or, in specific instances – such as the teaching of English, for example – lectures will be offered in only one language.
However, it is important to do more than focus on the university policy, says Professor Lesley le Grange – a distinguished professor in the department of curriculum studies.“We have an ethical responsibility to ensure that language is not a barrier to accessing the goods of education (epistemological access),” le Grange says.
“When English is used in lectures this does not only disadvantage Afrikaans speaking white and ‘coloured’ students but also black students for whom English is not a mother-tongue. English mother-tongue speakers are advantaged by the use of English as language of learning and teaching (LOLT). But if English is the only language one can use to give all students reasonable access to pedagogical conversations then it should be used by lecturers. In other words, if the use of Afrikaans alienates students who can’t understand the language then it should not be used,” says le Grange.
He adds, “I presented all my PGCE lectures in English and so have many other colleagues. In my experience Afrikaans-speaking students do not have problems in understanding communication in English but prefer to articulate their own ideas in Afrikaans in classroom conversations. This is what some of them did in the module I taught and I interpreted what they said into English for the benefit of all students. This approach worked and I did not have a single complaint from students.”
Carolissen, alongside the faculty, is working with the department, the lecturer and students concerned, as well as the programme leader to resolve the dispute.
*Name has been changed as student wishes to remain anonymous.