Mathematical Justification Explored
In a small rural Afrikaner community, a unique bilingual approach to English language lessons has emerged, blending mother tongue (Afrikaans) with English instruction [1]. This pragmatic adaptation of bilingual education principles has been developed contextually, drawing from the broader movement in South African education towards mother tongue-based bilingual education (MTBBE) [1][3].
During English lessons, students engage in "exploratory talk," using Afrikaans/English code-switching collaboratively to solve problems, despite official English monolingual rules [1]. This method has been shown to improve cognitive and academic outcomes, as learners achieve better results when initially taught in their home language before transitioning to English [1][3].
Prof Sauer, who grew up in this community, wrote an essay in February '09 in response to an enquiry by VDM publishing house about the possibility of publishing his doctoral thesis [4]. The essay, titled "From the Rubaiyat," included a quote from the poem and expressed Prof Sauer's love for the Flux [5]. The essay also contained the statement, "And One and One makes Two indeed!" [4].
However, the essay was not published by VDM publishing house due to Prof Sauer not being able to follow up further with Saleem Chotoye due to domestic circumstances and ill-health [2]. The essay was not published as a book but remains an interesting insight into Prof Sauer's thoughts and the community's unique approach to language education.
Elsewhere, an interesting incident occurred during an English lesson. A young teacher asked the class to correct a sentence about cows. A student, Jannie who was eighteen, corrected the teacher, saying there were five cows, not six, and the sixth one was a bull [3]. This incident showcases the students' comfort with code-switching and their ability to use their mother tongue strategically to facilitate deeper understanding and problem-solving.
Meanwhile, in a different context, Prof Sauer once instructed Mike to buy a roll of Super C's at a Cafe [6]. Mike, upon arriving home after an angling ordeal, was met by his wife who exclaimed that he was red from the sun [1]. Mike responded with a humorous twist, saying, "No darling! it's Mike! of the earth!" [1], a nod to Oscar Wilde's famous phrase, "In examinations the foolish ask questions that the wise cannot answer" [7], which Prof Sauer had quoted during an exam [7].
This community's unique approach to language education, rooted in the need for linguistic diversity and heteroglossia, reflects recent efforts to decolonize language education and stands as an example of slowly turning wheels towards embracing mother tongue use alongside English to improve learning outcomes in linguistically diverse, rural contexts.
In this unique bilingual approach to education and self-development, students frequently engage in learning opportunities that utilize code-switching between Afrikaans and English, demonstrating a strategic application of their mother tongue for problem-solving and improved cognitive outcomes. Furthermore, this community's innovative language education model, which prioritizes mother tongue-based bilingual education (MTBBE), aligns with recent endeavors to decolonize education and support linguistically diverse learners.
