The complexity of teaching in a multilingual context in Mozambique: Policies, problems and solutions

Authors

  • Alexandre António Timbane Universidade Estadual Paulista -Brasil Academia de Ciências Policiais- Moçambique Academia de Ciências Policiais (ACIPOL) Estrada Nacional nº 1, Km 01. Michafutene, Maputo, Moçambique Tel. +258 84 94 26 468 ou ainda + 258 84 64 82 877

Abstract

This paper discusses the problem of education in Mozambique, where Portuguese competes with bantu languages spoken by the children when they arrive at school, especially in suburban and rural areas. We questioned what problems they suffer teaching in Mozambique. We foresee the hypothesis that the apparent failure is the result of policy and language planning added to the poor training of teachers. The paper discusses Portuguese teaching in primary schools; debates the influence of language policy and; explains and suggests ways to bilingual education. It is a documental research that analyzes papers, theories and official data dealing with the subject crossing with practical experience as a teacher in Mozambique. The research concludes that there is a need to encourage bilingual education, especially in rural and suburban areas, but it should be focused on preparing materials like dictionaries, grammars and textbooks, so that children have the opportunity to learn in their mother tongue, a right granted by UNESCO.

Keywords: bilingual education, language policy, Bantu languages.

Author Biography

Alexandre António Timbane, Universidade Estadual Paulista -Brasil Academia de Ciências Policiais- Moçambique Academia de Ciências Policiais (ACIPOL) Estrada Nacional nº 1, Km 01. Michafutene, Maputo, Moçambique Tel. +258 84 94 26 468 ou ainda + 258 84 64 82 877

Doutor em Linguística e Língua Portuguesa (2013) pela Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP) - Brasil, Mestre em Linguística e Literatura (2009) pela Universidade Eduardo Mondlane - Moçambique. É Licenciado e Bacharel em Ensino de Francês (2005) pela Universidade Pedagógica-Moçambique e professor titular na Universidade Academia de Ciências Policiais de Moçambique (ACIPOL). Tem experiência em ensino de francês e português, pesquisa na área de Sociolinguística e Dialetologia com particular enfoque na Variação e mudança lexical do Português Moçambicano, contato linguístico e línguas bantu. É pesquisador em Linguística Forense aplicada às ciências policiais. Desenvolve estudos sobre ortografia na variedade do Português de Moçambique. É membro do Grupo de Estudos de Linguística Forense da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina e membro da The International Association of Forensic Linguists (IAFL), é membro do Núcleo de Estudos da Sociolinguística da UNESP e membro do Grupo de Estudos da Fonética Acústica da UNESP.

Downloads

Published

2015-04-20

How to Cite

Timbane, A. A. (2015). The complexity of teaching in a multilingual context in Mozambique: Policies, problems and solutions. Calidoscópio, 13(1), 92–103. Retrieved from https://www.revistas.unisinos.br/index.php/calidoscopio/article/view/cld.2015.131.09

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 1 (2015): January/April

Section

Articles

License

I grant the journal Calidoscópio the first publication of my article, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution license (which allows sharing of work, recognition of authorship and initial publication in this journal).

I confirm that my article is not being submitted to another publication and has not been published in its entirely on another journal. I take full responsibility for its originality and I will also claim responsibility for charges from claims by third parties concerning the authorship of the article.

I also agree that the manuscript will be submitted according to the journal’s publication rules described above.