EdData II: Data for Education Research and Programming (derp) in Africa

prioritize 
languages to be used, and for what purpose. 
Decisions regarding which languages (and which 
dialects, if more than one) to select for instruction should start with a review of the research and 
evidence on use of L1 and L2/Lx for learning and instruction. A clear understanding of the goals 
of learning different languages versus learning 
in
those languages is needed for effective 
decision-making.
The number of languages used to provide instruction (and the languages that are taught as 
subjects) then depends on a number of factors and contextual conditions, including: 
•
Number of speakers of the languages and levels of proficiency, 
•
State of different languages’ orthographies, 
•
Stakeholder buy-in and support for providing instruction in different languages, 

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•
Availability of teaching and learning materials in different languages, and 
•
Availability of teachers to teach in certain languages, and qualifications to teach 
languages as L1 and as subjects. 
Although languages should 
not be precluded from being 
used as LOI if they are spoken 
by a minority of children, do 
not have a standardized 
orthography, do not have 
sufficient resources for 
instruction, and/or do not have 
sufficient number of teachers 
to provide instruction, such 
factors can help to identify 
which languages may be 
feasible to use first. For 
example, initial efforts may 
need to target a select number 
of languages that reach the 
most children, have a 
standardized orthography, and 
have sufficient materials and 
teachers for instruction, with 
additional languages added over time as resources become available. That said, due to political 
dynamics, or given a history of inequality among certain socio-linguistic groups (such as a 
particularly low rates of school enrollment or achievement among speakers of certain languages), 
languages spoken by a smaller percentage of pupils may need to be prioritized for initial use to 
mitigate these factors. (In some cases, smaller languages may also have more established 
orthographies, as was the case in Uganda.)
Finally, language experts and speakers of the languages should be consulted to identify 
appropriate and effective strategies for accommodating multiple dialects or regional variations in 
a language. For example, vocabulary differences across regions may be managed through the 
development of teaching and learning materials that provide alternative word/vocabulary lists, 
depending on the region in which they are used, whereas significant variations in dialect may 
require separate materials.
Experience from countries like Ghana, Papua New Guinea, and Ethiopia suggests that providing 
instruction in multiple languages within one country is feasible if efforts are well-planned. These 
include (i) phasing in the use of languages based on standardization of orthography and support 
for implementation; (ii) organizing language teams to work together to develop materials based 
on the national curriculum; first implementing in linguistically homogenous schools; (iii) imple-
menting L1-based instruction on a staggered, staged basis (such as was done in Bolivia—see