ERIC Number: EJ1285813
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1479-0718
EISSN: N/A
Language Policy and Linguistic Landscapes at Schools in South Africa
International Journal of Multilingualism, v18 n1 p105-127 2021
Language policy and Linguistic Landscapes (LL) are a highly contested area in South Africa. Due to Apartheid, the education system constitutes the core of such contestation. In Post-Apartheid South Africa the new Constitution of 1996, the South African Schools Act (SASA) and recent political initiatives such as the Use of Official Languages Act of 2012 form the foundation of language policy at schools. The Constitution declares 11 official languages on a macro-level. Nevertheless, English dominates the LL in South Africa. African Languages are significantly underrepresented in the public sphere. The vast majority of research emphasises the urban or semi-urban areas. This research tries to close the existing research gap with a broad comparative study in three research provinces. With data from over 300 schools, the aim was to analyse language policy and LL and see how language policy documents regulate the LL at public schools. Fieldwork included an ethnographic approach and semi-structured interviews. Results revealed that significant inter- and intra-provincial differences exist. The quality of school language policy documents vary. There are also differences between school mottoes, information leaflets and the LL in classrooms and administrative buildings.
Descriptors: Language Planning, Social Change, Racial Segregation, Official Languages, Legislation, Political Influences, Educational Policy, Language Usage, Language of Instruction, English, English (Second Language), African Languages, Second Language Learning, Comparative Analysis, Geographic Regions, Policy Analysis, Public Schools, Ethnography, Institutional Characteristics, Foreign Countries, Indo European Languages, Elementary Secondary Education
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A