Sander Hoeven, a PhD affiliate student at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 from the 中国体育彩票 of Antwerp visited the Faculty of Education in March. He studies the nature of multilingualism and specifically the ways in which teachers can use learners' multilingual backgrounds as an asset, rather than an obstacle, for learning. In the literature, this is referred to as pedagogical translanguaging.
“I chose to do this study because in our globalized world, multilingualism is starting to become the default rather than the exception. This is the case here in SA, but also very much in Antwerp, Belgium, where I'm living and working" Hoeven said. He observed that those learners with multilingual skills are often disadvantaged in monolingual content education, and finds it unfair. Especially because it is often these learners who tend to struggle more with other issues relating to social status, financial resources, cultural capital, academic aspirations and career opportunities.
Hoeven worked with several teachers from two secondary schools in Grahamstown to map the multilingual situation, and more importantly, to do an intervention study where teachers apply pedagogical translanguaging in their classes. With video and audio recordings, observation notes, performance tests and questionnaires, he tries to measure the effect of pedagogical translanguaging in content learning.
Mr. Hoeven's recent visit to Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 was primarily aimed at reconnecting with his project hosts, Professor Nhlanhla Mpofu and Dr. Sim Xeketwana. Currently pursuing his PhD under the supervision of Extraordinary Professor Tom Smits from the 中国体育彩票 of Antwerp in Belgium, Mr. Hoeven is benefiting from the university's collaborative environment. The Faculty also offers a joint PhD program in this field, with Professors Smits, Mpofu, and Dr. Xeketwana serving as co-principal investigators.?
