Department of Language and Literature

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    Constructivism: Its Implication in Language Teaching and Second Language Acquisition
    (Papers in Education and Development, 2016-12) John, Philpo
    This article presents the term constructivism as both theory of learning and philosophical concept. In this regard, principles and assumptions of the theory of constructivism as propounded by its proponents, viz.: Immanuel Kant, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky have been revisited to establish its link with language teaching and second language acquisition. To bring implication onto light, this article selected five key theoretical [case] studies underpinning the connection between constructivism and language teaching and second language acquisition. As a result, it is found that language teaching and learning/acquisition are both activities that involve interaction between the teacher and the learner. However, to create knowledge, the teacher is required to facilitate and guide learners to discover. In constructivism theory of learning, while learning is not only individual but active, knowledge creation is socially constructed. In this way, language learner must be enabled to independently learn and socially interact with others to acquire linguistic knowledge that a learner will eventually use to interact with others in the real world. These practices are informed by constructivism as it deals with the nature of knowledge and the way knowledge is created. The article, therefore, concludes that in language teaching and learning, both nature and nurture should be supported by creating an enabling environment in which linguistic knowledge is constructed.
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    Language Curriculum Design in Tanzania Primary Education: Emerging Issues
    (Mwenge Catholic University, 2016-12) John, Philpo
    This paper presents contemporary issues worth-considering in the primary education language curriculum design decisions in Tanzania. The paper argues that although language syllabuses have been changed to respond to the skills/competence-based teaching and learning approach, in the effort to implement curriculum reforms conducted in 2005 and new Education and Training Policy (ETP)(URT,2014), yet there are some other language related skills that need to be accommodated in the primary education language curriculum. Using literature evidence, the paper argues that, ICT/Multi-literacies, media literacy, tourism language, trade and commerce language rhetoric, and job market language skills are not adequately represented in the language curriculum currently in use in Tanzania primary education. If at all we are moved by social efficiency and learner-centred ideologies in curriculum design and development, we need to consider skills that a school leaver will be able to do to overcome challenges of the contemporary world of work. For that reason, language curriculum developers need to consider these skills and make them part of the curriculum.
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    Language Teaching and Literacy Learning in Tanzania Primary Education: A Critical Review
    (TUKI, 2017-12) John, Philpo
    This paper argues that there are key issues associated with language teaching and literacy learning in Tanzania primary education which are not yet adequately addressed in the curriculum. Using theoretical and empirical evidence drawn from studies in Tanzania and beyond on language and literacy learning in primary education, the discussion revealed that the key issues hampering effective literacy teaching and learning in Tanzania primary education, are factors such as question of teachers’ pedagogical competence on literacy teaching; choice of language for literacy teaching and learning, especially in rural: ethnic community language or Kiswahili?; language teacher education ; and, home - school disconnection. The discussion also found that Tanzania primary education curriculum does not accommodate multi-literacy competencies such as the emerging digital and media literacies. Thus, the paper recommends the use and teaching of languages that a school-beginning child speaks and understands well in early childhood education, and the inclusion of multi-literacy competencies.
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    Primary School Leavers’ English Skills and their Adequacy for Knowledge Acquisition at Secondary School: The Case of Iringa Municipality.
    (Journal of Linguistics and Language in Education, 2015-12) John, Philpo
    This study presents an account of how primary school leavers’ level of English literacy affects their learning in English at secondary education level. It adopts CALLA2, which is an instructional model for second/foreign language learners. A total of 40 Form I students in 4 secondary schools were sampled for the study. To obtain the data, 5-minute passage reading and 30-minute writing of their short history in English were used. One interesting finding is that 10/28 (35.7%) Form I students with SM3 background who were assigned to write their short history in English could neither complete nor write comprehensively. Again, when they were given a reading task, 8/28 (28.6%) could not complete and were apparently unable to read the text. Conversely, 12/12 (100%) Form I students with EM4 background who were tested for writing were able to complete writing their comprehensible short history texts, and all 12/12 (100%) who were assigned a reading task completed reading with clear comprehension. It was, therefore, concluded that there were problems associated with ELT5 in SM primary schools.
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    Promoting Multilingualism in Tanzanian Education Policy: Challenges and Options
    (The Cradle of Knowlegde African Journal of Educational and Social Science Research, 2017-12) John, Philpo
    This paper presents a discussion that explains how the Tanzanian language in education policy could promote multilingualism in education, its challenges and options available.Using literature evidence, as part of its methodology, the paper argues that many Africans including Tanzanians are naturally multilingual. In Tanzania, for example, due to intermarriages a child may find him/herself acquiring two or three languages simultaneously. The discussion also shows that language in education policy in Tanzania does not implement a language policy that promotes multilingual education, instead, it has continued to implement language policy that perpetuates Eurocentric view of bilingualism for which, of the two languages claimed to be used in education, one is by necessity of European nation (English), the language that is foreign and unfamiliar to both teachers and students. The study also reveals that although, Ethnic Community Languages (ECLs) are the means of interaction in rural communities and mother tongues of the majority children in rural, yet these ECLs have no room in the language policy in force. The paper has also shown that, a child learns better when he/she learns in the mother tongue or the language he/she knows better. This, in principle, supports child's acquisition of literacy foundation in the learning of any additional language. The paper has also noted that there are challenges of promoting multilingual education model in Tanzania. Some of these challenges are due to the continued domination of economic power by the ex-colonial masters; others are due to lack of political will. A few others are attitudinal. On the language attitude, both academics and politicians are divided. Since benefits of multilingual education are massive, in this paper, a multilingual model for Tanzania is proposed. Thus, the government should seek to understand the logic behind multilingual education to better address problems associated with literacy learning in early childhood education.