Languages

It is important to determine the language(s) of instruction, as well as what measures can be taken to ensure that both the language(s) of instruction and students’ home languages  will be supported in the classroom (whether physical or virtual). With displaced learners from multiple different origins, it is important that the primary medium of instruction is a shared language and that all of the students and staff feel confident learning and communicating in that. At the same time students’ home languages are core to their identities and serve as assets in their academic pursuits and thus respecting and even creating space for some use of home languages even in teaching and learning environments that include diverse language backgrounds is a key strategy in culturally relevant education. 

Bridging programmes typically seek to ensure that all prospective students stand a chance to thrive and, for this reason, will set minimum language requirements for admission. The choice of what to set as the minimum may not be easy: on the one hand, bridging programmes, which are almost never longer than one year, are not meant to provide comprehensive language training for people with very limited language proficiency in the language of instruction but, on the other hand, bridging programmes also often have at their core the ambition to improve language skills. There are multiple ways to assess language proficiency and, for reasons that we explain in the next section (Pre-existing skills, qualifications, and educational levels), it may be unreasonable that prospective students provide paperwork; ad hoc language tests may be the most appropriate option.

Refugees who have completed their primary and secondary school education in a different language of instruction will require additional classes and support. Research has demonstrated (Asiimwe and  Ssentanda, 2020; Abu-Amsha and Armstrong, 2018), not having full language proficiency in primary, secondary or transitioning into tertiary education can increase drop-out rates. Recruiting students from among graduates of language programs offered by local NGOs and secondary schools that teach in the language of instruction is one strategy to increase the baseline language skills of entering students.  In cases where the language of instruction is a language that is being actively promoted by INGOs and/or national and international cultural institutes (e.g. the British Council for English, Institut Français for French, Instituto Cervantes for Spanish, Confucius Institute for Mandarin, etc.), working in partnership with such INGOs to arrange additional language provision for bridging programme students can be a protective factor to combat drop-out. It is, however, important to ensure that the courses are adapted to the pedagogical goals of the bridging programme For instance, the English language components provided by external parties may be geared towards passing a specific test (e.g. IELTS/TOEFL) that may or may not be relevant for bridging programme students. 

In the case of bridging programmes that are designed to equip students to pass particular (not language) exams, it is critical that they are being educated in the same language as the exams they will sit. This is to ensure that they are picking up key skills in vocabulary, grammar and expression. Discussions and assessments then provide further opportunities to develop and refine language skills. For activities where the goal is to build students’ self-confidence and pride, however, it may be important for students to communicate in the language(s) they feel most confident in (and, possibly, to arrange translation or identify multi-lingual teaching staff). This can be a way to celebrate the diverse histories and cultures of students in the classroom.

Language in FFA The student demographics that the Foundations for All programme were drawing from naturally introduced a range of languages that needed to be accounted for in the curriculum, even if the language of instruction, and the language of the exams these students were to sit, was English. The FFA students were from South Sudan, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Somalia, as well as disadvantaged members of the host communities. They spoke a range of languages, including French and English. It was necessary to gauge their English language abilities during the selection phase and to tailor the curriculum, particularly the English for Academic Purposes course. The Refugee Law Project has significant expertise in teaching English to displaced communities through its English for Adults (EFA) programme. Prior to the establishment of FFA, this programme extended to EFA Level 5. The English component of FFA was originally designed to provide EFA Level 6 and many of the students who successfully applied to join FFA were individuals who had successfully completed EFA Level 5, and thus through this could prove sufficient fluency in English.

References

Asiimwe, A., & Ssentanda, M. (2020). Challenges to the acquisition of literacy in rural primary schools in Northern Uganda. Language Matters: Studies in the Languages of Southern Africa, 51(1), 38-62.

Abu-Amsha, O. &  Armstrong, J. (2018). Pathways to Resilience in Risk-Laden Environments: A Case Study of Syrian Refugee Education in Lebanon. Journal on Education in Emergencies, 4(1), 45-73.