Transform.Ed Briefing #59

Inside the Briefing: From being endangered to serving as conduits of expression for our shared culture and heritage -languages are the key to quality, inclusive education, and human flourishing

Feb 22, 2024

About 50 percent of languages are under the threat of extinction, posing a significant risk to global linguistic diversity and indigenous communities. Languages transmit our shared culture, traditions, and knowledge from one generation to another. Being the conduit of expression for our collective yet distinct identities, it is essential we preserve them.

Multiple studies have indicated that a child learns best in the language they speak at home. In countries like South Africa and Turkey, the Grade-4 students who study in the language they speak at home are at a 60 percent advantage over others. Among the 15-year-olds, this number varied from 4 percent in Canada to 40 percent in Germany and over 60 percent in Thailand.

However, a huge chunk of the global population still lacks access to education in a language they are familiar with. Last week, when we asked our readers about the challenges in mainstreaming education in the mother tongue, about two-thirds of the respondents believed the lack of instructional materials was the major reason, while the rest of them opted for insufficient teacher training.

What do you think could be a possible way to move towards education based on mother tongue? Do you think bilingual or multilingual education systems are the way forward, with the initial years focussing on the language our children are familiar with?

Share your thoughts and experiences with your global peers in the comments below or join the conversation on the Global Citizenship Foundation’s Educational Leadership Community, exclusively dedicated to educators worldwide. If you haven’t signed up yet, please get in touch with us here.

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In service of education and visionary education leaders,

— Aaryan Salman
Director-General
Global Citizenship Foundation