EXPOSITION OF DATA, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS
6.8 Respondents· proficiency in another indigenous language
6.9.2 Attitudes toward English
RESPONDENTS POSITIVE ATTITUDE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE
Learners 78% 22%
Teachers 60% 40%
Parents 76% 24%
Responses to this question indicate an overwhelming positive attitude towards English and its speakers. It can well be argued that despite some negative attitude from some learners, some teachers and parents, this is a result again of the influence of the previous government policy generally towards English and its speakers. In particular, the former president's policy favoured English more than Chichewa. This is also an observation that Matiki (1998:21)hasmade.
There is a significant difference (between 16-18%) between teachers' attitudes towards English, on the one hand, and parents' and learners', on the other. One possibility is that teachers could well be aware of the need of striking a balance between one's knowledge of an indigenous language and English, the language of power. Trained teachers could possibly have affected this result in this way. With regard to learners' and teachers'
attitudes, there is the belief in Malawi, generally, among most learners and parents that knowledge of English is the gateway to success in life, and that one therefore does not need to have much value for an indigenous language. Whether this is indeed the case or not is difficult to tell.
Interpretation of the responses: Suggestions given by teachers for the use of indigenous languagesinearly education.
Itbecomes difficult to explain the discrepancy in the responses that teachers gave for the choice of an indigenous language as a medium of instruction (60% in favour of mother tongue education versus 40% in disfavour), in early education. With regard to the use of English as an instructional language, 53% were in favour, 47% were not. Discussions held with them gave interesting views which they hold.
During the discussions teachers clearly expressed the feelings that high priority should be placed on the development of both mother tongues and English, despite differences in the statistics presented in this study. They feIt this should be done at the pre-school level for a good foundation. They also called for the development of teachers' linguistic and teaching skills in both mother tongues and English, which many admitted they largely lacked.
A further suggestion which they made was related to the improvement of curricula. They suggested an improvement of the status of languages and their roles in learning and teaching, in line with the new democratic demands. In particular they said the focus should be on the development of teaching and learning materials in indigenous languages so that learners, and the public in general, could be empowered through the use of local languages. They further called for the production of materials jointly with neighbouring countries which shared common languages such as Chinyanja in Malawi, Zarnbia and in
.
parts of Mozambique, and English with most of the Southern African Development (SADe) countries at different levels. Inthe long run this would cut down the cost of text production at international level. At regional and national levels, the feeling was that the Ministry of Education and Culture should constantly organise programmes in the form of
seminars and workshops to convince communities on the importance of indigenous languages as languages of learning and teaching, and as media for communication in the respective regions.
In line with this, they also felt that performances in drama in indigenous languages should be promoted and organised. This would be for the social and intellectual development of both learners and parents in the appreciation of the value of local languages as a form of empowerment. They argued that this is important for the fading cultural values, a very essential process in the interpretation of new cultural values. They also expressed the view that these performances would enhance the position of cultural arts as a way of projecting the self-image of communities and thus promoting the socio- economic development of communities. Strong feelings were expressed for liaison betweenthe Ministry of Education and Culture, language bodies and other expert bodies to urgently develop appropriate technical terminology in such resources as dictionaries and other related materials to facilitate learning and communication through indigenous languages.
The teachers suggested that parents should be given assurance by the government and the Ministry of Education that the indigenous languages, which they said should also be taught as subjects, should be chosen with equal status among all viable languages. They expressed the view that learners should attain high competence in the use of these additional indigenous languages.
Teachers also observed that the acquisition of an education through the medium of English and one's ability to speak English is not necessarily a guarantee for economic development of communities and the country at large or including the emancipation of individuals' minds.. For development of African languages, they called for this view tob~
made known among both parents and learners. The point they made was that the development and use of indigenous languages will not in any way take away the learners' knowledge of English as an intemationallanguage. If anything, this will create conditions for their improved proficiency and competence in the second language.