Discusses two studies that examine the effects of English, and its status as the official language, on Namibian languages. Finds that the numbers of students in African language classes in Namibia have been dropping significantly--in 1995 there were 100 students taking Oshindonga, and in 1999-2000 there was one. (Contains 66 references.) (NB)

In this paper I argue that language policies for education have effects on pupils' educational possibilities. With the case of the Karagwe district in Tanzania the research suggests that the policy of "Swahili only" in primary school education favours the small minority of the children that live in a context where Swahili is used. This…

Grammatical priming of picture naming was investigated in Kiswahili, which has a complex grammatical noun class system (a system like grammatical gender), with up to 15 noun classes that have obligatory agreements on adjectives, verbs, pronouns and other parts of speech. Participants heard a grammatically agreeing (concordant), nonagreeing…

This paper draws on post-structuralist theories on language and identity to explore the shifting language attitudes of 15 "black" students over the course of their undergraduate studies at a historically "white" South African university. All the students speak an indigenous language as their first language. Those students who…

The teaching of African languages in the United States at the elementary and secondary levels is rare, but a number of schools offer one or more of the major African languages for instruction. This digest looks at the current state of African language instruction in the United States at the elementary and secondary levels and is divided into the…

A discussion of African language teaching in the United States argues that the profession of African language instruction is in its infancy, without a common body of knowledge, generally accepted standards of practice, or specific goals, and that it needs further development, based on earlier federal legislative mandates. It is further proposed…

This interdisciplinary unit is designed as an introduction to West African culture for both teachers and students who have little background about Africa. The unit provides basic concepts and a conceptual framework for learning more about West Africa. The unit is divided into four sections with 18 lessons. Several lessons are in each section.…

This study relates especially to African names, but can apply to all names. It aims to help students develop a more perceptive way of looking at other people and to encourage students to learn from and about them. Part 1, "Background Information," introduces people and place names in Africa and discusses their interrelationships. Part 2,…

The basic hypothesis of this study is that language education could be more effective if planning were to aim at developing an individual functional trilingualism involving a first (indigenous) language, a second African (national) language, and an official (foreign) language. The study covers the following matters: (1) a survey of developments in…

This handbook, concerning the Ewe language and culture of Togo, presents classroom activities that require the learner to exchange messages in a way that is appropriate to the cultural context. These activities are presented in 30 lessons containing both basic and supplementary material that deal with situations and topics which will be useful to…

This handbook presents many situations in Botswana which the Peace Corps volunteer is likely to be involved in, and it establishes classroom activities that require the students to exchange messages in the Setswana language that are appropriate to the cultural context. An introductory section acquaints the learner with techniques of language…

Of the approximately 40 languages in Uganda, some are very similar to one another and may be to some extent mutually intelligible. Because no one knows how to measure degrees of mutual intelligibility, the authors are attempting to establish reliable techniques which would be not only of practical value for the study of language problems in…

A word list is provided for the three Delta Edo languages, Epie, Engenni, and Degema, which are spoken in the eastern part of the Niger Delta. A general map of the location of the Delta Edo languages is provided, and background information on the recent discovery of the derivation of these languages is given by way of introduction. The…

This basic course in Dakar Wolof, based on the "Introductory Course in Dakar Wolof" by William A. Stewart, et al. (1966), is designed to be taught audiolingually by a native speaker of the language. It is suggested that the class meet three or more hours per day with size limited to six to 10 students. Dakar Wolof, which is not a…

This text of instructional materials, designed for the third level of a course in Swahili, contains 12 lessons with exercises for the student. Topics of the chapters include: (1) "Utabibu Hospitalini," (2) "Waifunga Ndoa Kanisani," (3) "Kutambua Saa," (4) "Kupiga Kambi," (5) "Mgema," (6) "Maisha ya Rais Nasser," (7) "Uhuru na Kazi," (8) "Mkonge,…