Multilingual education for sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa
Towards epistemic inclusion
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21374085 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Angeline M Barrett (0000-0002-2820-7586, University of Bristol, corresponding author), Lizzi O Milligan (0000-0002-6971-6555, University of Bath), Eliakimu Sane (0000-0002-1596-9549, The University of Dodoma), Rachel Bowden (0000-0002-2892-1501, Technische Universität Dresden) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-14 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Prospects (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0033-1538 • E-ISSN: 1573-9090 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11125-025-09731-1 |
| OpenAlex | W4412397646 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 56 |
Education that contributes to sustainable development embraces social learning that breaks down boundaries between schools and communities. Such learning is epistemically inclusive. This article argues that epistemic inclusion in multilingual societies is contingent on using students’ familiar languages within basic education. Across sub-Saharan Africa, secondary school students learn in a dominant language of learning and teaching (LoLT), which for the majority is an unfamiliar language. Additive multilingual education that develops learners’ familiar language alongside introducing a more dominant language enhances epistemic access to the specified curriculum. It also opens up the possibility for social learning that brings curriculum knowledge into conversation with community knowledges. Drawing on examples from the literature and authors’ own research in Rwanda and Tanzania, the article argues that additive multilingual education is necessary for education that contributes to sustainable development
Inclusion (mineral) · Pedagogy · Political science · Social science · Sociology · Sustainable development · Global Educational Policies and Reforms · Multilingual Education and Policy · Second Language Learning and Teaching
Teaching for Transfer in Multilingual School Contexts
Pedagogical translanguaging
Learning Our Way to Sustainability
Moving out of linguistic boxes
Translanguaging as a vehicle for epistemic access
Game Changers? Multilingual Learners in a Cape Town Primary School
Towards Epistemic Justice
Umuzigo w’inyongera
Education for the future? Critical evaluation of education for sustainable development goals
Towards a social and epistemic justice approach for exploring the injustices of English as a Medium of Instruction in basic education
Effectiveness of policy development and implementation of L1-based multilingual education in Cambodia
Content and Language Integrated Learning
‘Smuggling the vernacular into the classroom’
Knowledge and racial violence
What counts as language in South African schooling
Effects of translanguaging as an intervention strategy in a South African Chemistry classroom
Environmental justice must include the rights of all species to life and respect
Learner-centred education and English medium instruction
Re-interpreting relevant learning
Exploring the potential for language supportive learning in English medium instruction
Pushing linguistic boundaries
Fear and shame
Silence and silencing in the classroom
Transformative, transgressive social learning
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 4 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |