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

3. Improves learning outcomes 
Being able to read and understand the language used in the classroom in turn facilitates the 
learning of academic content. A recent comprehensive review of research and reports on 
language and literacy concluded that becoming literate and fluent in a familiar or first language 
is key to children’s overall language and cognitive development, as well as their academic 
achievement (Ball, 2011). Evidence from numerous countries attests to the improved learning 
outcomes that accompany instruction—and assessment—conducted in familiar languages. For 
example, an analysis of results from the large-scale international assessment Trends in 

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Annex A 
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), conducted in 36 countries in grade 4 and 
48 countries in grade 8, found that children who reported “always” or “almost always” speaking 
the language of the test at home performed better in math and science than those who reported 
they “sometimes” or “never” spoke the language in which they were tested (Martin, Mullis, and 
Foy, 2008).
Data from South Africa further revealed that learning outcomes were higher for pupils whose 
home language was the same as that of classroom teaching and learning. In 
Figure A1
below, the 
dotted line indicates scores for children whose home language was the same as that used in the 
classroom, while the solid line connects average scores for children whose home language was 
different (South Africa Department of Education’s 
Grade 6 Systemic Evaluation National 
Report
, 2005, as cited in Heugh, Benson, Bogale, & Yohannes, 2007). (The abbreviation above 
the graph indicate the names of different provinces “LOLT” is language of learning and 
teaching.)
Figure A1.