Nanda Klapwijk

This article investigates university students’ attitudes and perceptions about language in a multilingual country where most instruction is in English and annual national literacy results have been declining for at least 15 years. Despite this decline, English seems to be entrenched as the language of instruction, and at university it seems a foregone conclusion that instruction will occur in English. Bourdieu’s concept of linguistic capital is offered as an explanation for the preponderance of English, but the question is posed: Is the dominance of English as simple as desiring linguistic capital? Do students really regard English as critical to success, and if so, is it to the exclusion of their home languages? The results show that students invest considerable effort in learning English, but not to the exclusion of their home language and with little desire to assimilate with the English culture. The results also provide interesting and sometimes contrasting insights into students’ desired language of instruction.

One of the enduring problems of South African educational policy changes in the past 20 years is the fact that curricula, legislation and policies have changed radically while the staff complement has remained relatively stable. Despite a progressive national language policy, schools have increasingly introduced English as the sole language of learning and teaching (LoLT), preferably from the earliest grades. In all the debate about the ‘best’ language of learning and teaching, however, there seems to be a missing voice: that of the teacher. Using an analytical framework developed by Richard Baldauf, this study shows how a focus on micro level language planning activities is important for teacher development and language policy implementation. When debating language issues, particularly the language of learning and teaching, teachers do not have a big enough say or may not be fully aware of alternative models for multilingual classes. This study brings the teacher's voice to the language policy debate. The results show that teachers are keenly aware of the multilingual context and their views and decision-making processes reflect this awareness.

‘How can I measure my learners’ reading ability in order to manage my instruction more effectively?’ This seems to be the refrain of many teachers these days. However, while teachers are taught new methods of instruction and new reading methods, they do not seem to be taught about reliable ways to measure their learners’ reading-related ability independently. In this article, a recommendation is made for the use of two measurements by teachers: a word reading test (which measures word recognition) and Cloze tests (which measure a reader’s ability to comprehend at more than word level). While acknowledging the difficulties related to measuring reading ability, in particular comprehension, the author of this article provides evidence that, when combined, a word reading test and a Cloze test can provide teachers with a reliable indicator of their learners’ reading-related abilities. The article concludes with a list of benefits that can be gained from obtaining such measurements.