The role and place of sign language in the Lesotho education context : some sociolinguistic implications.
Date
2009-09-03T08:09:10Z
Authors
Matlosa, Litsepiso
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Abstract
This study explores the role and place of Lesotho Sign Language (LSL) in the education
of deaf learners. It seeks to determine how the present language-in-education policy and
language practices at home and in the schools for the deaf impact on education of deaf
learners. For this purpose, the research focuses on the schools for the deaf as the sites
where policy is to be implemented. The study also investigates the attitude of policy
makers towards the inclusion of LSL in the current national language-in-education
policy.
A qualitative approach to research was adopted for this study. Data was collected mainly
through interviews with policy makers, deaf children, teachers and parents of deaf
learners. To complement this data, observations were conducted in schools where deaf
children in Lesotho are taught. The study is a language policy study and as such,
language planning and bilingual education theories are interrogated. Rationale choice
theory is applied to explain which factors policy makers in Lesotho consider in language
planning. This is an attempt to understand reasons that may enable or hinder the inclusion
of LSL in the national language-in-education policy. Additionally, based on Cummins’
theoretical framework for minority student intervention and empowerment, the study
suggests the adoption of bilingual model for the schools of the deaf to teaching deaf
learners. Bilingual education does not only encourage instruction through LSL, it also
provides an opportunity for deaf learners to decide on the language that best meets their
learning needs.
The analysis of data revealed that education of deaf learners in Lesotho is not
satisfactory. This is due to three main reasons. First, Lesotho Sign Language is not
sufficiently used in the schools for the deaf. The situation brings about discrepancy
between the mother tongue policy and its implementation. Secondly, teachers are neither
adequately proficient in LSL nor are they conversant with Deaf culture. Coupled with all
these, teachers lack skills suitable to teach deaf children. Thirdly, parents are not actively
involved in the education of their children. All these impact negatively on the education
of deaf learners in Lesotho. Finally, although policy makers showed a positive attitude
towards the inclusion of LSL in the current national language-in-education, they
expressed a lot of skepticism on whether the government would be wiling to financially
ready for the implementation of such policy.
Based on these findings, this research is an important contribution to describing the
situation of Deaf education in Lesotho and the inherent difficulties that Deaf learners
experience due to the current language practices in the schools for the Deaf. The study is
also of great value since in Lesotho, most people are not aware of deafness as a
phenomenon or of the existence of Sign Language. Literature on Lesotho language policy
and minority languages focuses on spoken languages. The ostensible avoidance of LSL in
both academic and policy circles is therefore the main focus of this study.
Description
Keywords
Sign language, Lesotho education