It is advisable to start early literacy work with the language the child is familiar with, as children can easily transfer these skills to a second or third language if they learn to read and write in a language they understand.
What you should know
When I was studying in class 6, a teacher said - 'The way we think is determined by our language.' At that time, I did not have the intellectual capacity to understand its depth. But it resonated in my mind for a long time. Many years later, during my graduate studies, I read about the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, an assumption in linguistic anthropology.
It says, our thinking is influenced by our mother tongue. People who speak different languages can think differently not only because of culture, but also because of the structures and classifications in the language they use.
In recent years, parents and policy makers have been advocating English-medium education from the elementary grades. I see only one desire in parents, to enroll their children in English medium schools. They argue that if children want to learn English, they should be taught in English. This belief is widespread. is emotionally rooted. It is based on the concept that gaining proficiency in English is a guarantee of academic and professional success in the future.
This thinking is especially profound in low- and middle-income countries like Nepal, where English is considered the language of power, opportunity and global reach. But, with this assumption arises a fundamental question, which is often neglected in discussions of education, are we prioritizing English over actual learning?
Whether our education system is oriented towards children acquiring basic skills in their own language or only towards acquiring basic English proficiency is debatable. If our goal is to develop strong basic learning skills in students, the language of instruction becomes not only the medium, but the decisive factor for success. In this context, it is not a debate whether children should learn English or not. Rather it is when and how it should be taught.
How English learning should relate to the language children already know. Basic learning refers to the essential cognitive and social-emotional skills that children should develop during the early formal education years. These include basic literacy and numeracy skills. However, it also covers broader skills such as communication, critical thinking, collaboration and self-regulation.
Language plays a central role in how children acquire basic skills. Because learning occurs through language, when the language of learning is unfamiliar, it creates additional barriers to understanding, participation, and cognitive activation. Research by the British Council (2023) has shown that the closer the language of instruction is to a child's home language, the easier it is for children to learn, particularly to develop reading skills. On the other hand, when the medium of instruction is a foreign language, students must simultaneously try to understand the content and learn the new language. As a result, superficial learning, truancy, and school aversion increase. According to UNESCO, about 40 percent of the world's population is not educated in a language they understand or speak. These statistics highlight a global problem.
One of the main reasons for poor student performance is the mismatch between the language used at home and the language used at school. Children who grow up speaking the local or mother tongue are asked to begin formal education in a language they cannot speak or understand. Instead, it is better to start early literacy work with the familiar language of the child. If children learn to read and write in a language they understand, they can easily transfer those skills to a second or third language. However, starting with an unfamiliar language makes learning slow and complicated. The success of basic learning also depends on the teacher. Their language skills also have an impact. Studies have shown that teachers who are not confident or skilled in the language of learning are rarely effective in promoting basic skills. Availability of learning materials also plays a role in learning. Without sufficient resource material in the language spoken at home by students, teaching and learning is fragmented. Students begin to fall behind in the early but crucial years.
Promoting children's home or familiar language is a process of developing higher-level thinking. Which helps to learn other languages later. Studies have shown that children who are taught in their mother tongue are more excited to go to school and stay in school longer.
Students who learn in their first language are five times less likely to repeat a grade and three times less likely to drop out of school. Therefore, with an additional investment of 4-5 percent in the education budget, education can be conducted in the mother tongue and long-term costs can be reduced.
In terms of education, language is not only an educational tool, it is also connected with children's self-identity and socio-cultural relations. Learning in their own language increases children's confidence, cultural identity and positive attitudes towards education. Also, when the school uses the language spoken at home, it is easier to involve parents in the learning process.
Different countries have adopted different language models in education policy. Some use the mother tongue for the first four years. Some use the mother tongue until the sixth or eighth year. Children should also be taught English. But the question is when, how and under what conditions it is appropriate to teach. English should be taught, but it should not be a barrier to children learning basic life skills.
The next challenge is to create a system that sees multilingualism as an opportunity. We need policies, curricula, teacher training and classroom practice that acknowledge and utilize the linguistic diversity of students. Only by building a strong foundation in the familiar language and gradually introducing English as a subject and medium can we make children proficient English users. Also, we can make confident, competent and critical thinking citizens.
– Lamichhane is the Head of English and School Education at the British Council of Nepal.
