Perspectives in Education: Announcements

Call for papers: SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE 21ST CENTURY - SECTION 1: LANGUAGES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

2024-09-26T13:27:03+02:00

PERSPECTIVES IN EDUCATION SPECIAL ISSUE APRIL 2026

SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE 21ST CENTURY: SECTION 1: LANGUAGES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM

With a special focus on African languages in the foundation phase, including the issue of teacher supply and demand

Section guest editors:

1. Dr Blanche N. Hadebe-Ndlovu (Unisa) and

2. Prof Roy Venketsamy (UKZN)

for Education Deans’ Forum (EDF) of the Universities South Africa (USAf)

Throughout the history of the South African curriculum, access, progression, and teaching have been racialised, and this has a significant impact on the social and economic opportunities available to speakers of indigenous languages. The impetus over recent years to develop African languages across the curriculum is linked to the broader attempt to bring about socio-economic and political change in South Africa, supporting both social cohesion and an academically successful and linguistically diverse society. However, the history of teaching in South African schools is marked by the development of policies and practices that sought to entrench the power of the coloniser and the coloniser's language among the colonised. Native languages were largely excluded from formal education, and the first government education policy regulation was implemented in 1918. In 1954, it created an autonomous and inferior education system for the majority of South Africans based on their ethnicity. This system not only segregated South African society and reinforced and maintained the subjugation of the majority of the population and their languages but also ensured that speakers of African languages were denied access to the full linguistic and social currency that English and Afrikaans offer. For example, under apartheid rule from 1948 to 1994, Africans were allowed only to serve labour purposes, were not regarded as citizens of this country, their movements were restricted, their family life was undermined and could be destroyed, were not allowed the freedom of speech, had no political rights, and were denied access to free press and education. The radical changes that South Africa has undergone over recent decades have had a significant impact on the linguistic landscape of the country. English has gained greater social currency, and its importance is more widely recognised than ever before. Nonetheless, the development of African languages cannot be downplayed, as fostering socio-economic and political development can only be seen through promoting multilingualism. It is envisaged that learners will begin to learn the chosen language, with certain common elements in terms of language structures and the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in a foreign language will be developed in tandem. However, most learners learn by the "natural method" - that of second language teaching, in which the target language is used if and when the teacher and the learners believe it is appropriate to the learning of that language. This first approach - that of second language learning - has been the hallmark of foreign language education in this country over the years and refers to the teaching of a foreign language as a discrete subject in its own right. For this research, the entitlement to foreign language learning for every learner stipulates that foreign languages should be given the status of a core subject in the curriculum, is clearly of great import, and is the focus of the research. It is important to note that this research investigates the current position of language education, be that the natural method of curriculum delivery or providing some assistance with the teaching of another area of the curriculum, and also examines whether any innovations are likely to affect the style and method of delivery in the future. It seeks to determine the primary methods used in language teaching across the curriculum, and also investigate the effectiveness of such a method.

Papers should focus on the following themes particularly on Foundation Phase:

Responding to the PIRLS study (2023) results that South African Grade 4 learners cannot read with understanding. Strengthening FP language teaching and learning
Theories of teaching African Languages
Responding to the challenges of Teacher Education supply and demand.
Using play-based learning to promote African languages.
Use of stories and narratives to strengthen African languages in the FP
Using technology as a resource to promote African Language teaching in the FP.
The value of code-switching and translanguaging in the Foundation Phase
Open theme: This theme is open and focuses particularly promoting African Languages in the Foundation Phase

Interested in submitting an article?

Please upload your abstract to the Perspectives in Education OJS website on or before 28 February 2025.
To submit, click here
Timeline

Abstracts (300-500 words)	28 February 2025
Invitation to authors	24 March 2025
Full manuscripts submission	30 June 2025
Feedback on manuscripts	30 September 2025
Submission of reviewed papers	October 2025
Publication Date	April 2026

Further information is obtainable from:

Prof Jan Nieuwenhuis

Perspectives in Education Editor in Chief

perspectives@ufs.ac.za

Call for papers: DECEMBER 2025 SPECIAL ISSUE: Early childhood education for sustainable development in Southern Africa

2024-09-11T14:02:22+02:00

PERSPECTIVES IN EDUCATION SPECIAL ISSUE DECEMBER 2025

Early childhood education for sustainable development in Southern Africa

Guest editors: Prof Lesley Wood (North-West University Potchefstroom), Prof Mariette Koen (North-West University Potchefstroom)

Research on Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Southern Africa has revealed numerous challenges faced by a sector that is defined by contexts of extreme poverty (United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA, 2022).

Despite differences in how ECD is defined based on cultural, educational, and developmental perspectives, for the purposes of this issue, the term ECD refers to the age range from birth to nine years old. Notwithstanding legislative efforts aimed at improving access to and the quality of ECD, the prevailing situation in many developing countries falls short of political aspirations. In South Africa, for instance, the most recent ECD census (Department of Basic Education (DBE), 2022) reveals low enrolment rates, poor quality programmes, a lack of resources and underqualified staff as major challenges faced by many early learning initiatives.

These initiatives often struggle to remain sustainable due to caregivers' inability to afford fees (Atmore, 2019) and inadequate governmental support. Additionally, more than 50% of children in sub-Saharan Africa are born into poverty, which exposes them to multiple social, health, and economic problems that negatively impact their development as well as the quality and availability of early learning programmes (Hague, van Ufford & Muchabaiwa, 2023). Moreover, the global South has generally followed Western educational models that may not produce the same outcomes as in more developed nations due to distinct cultural, political, and economic disparities. Southern Africa, in particular, is home to diverse ethnic groups, each with unique practices, beliefs, and values related to early childhood development and education. We argue that there can be no sustainable economic and social development in any country where children are unable to access quality ECD.

Therefore, the fundamental question that led to the conceptualisation of this special edition is “How can we improve the quality of early childhood education for sustainable development in resource-constrained environments for children aged birth to nine?”

To achieve sustainable change in increasing access to and improving the quality of ECD, the researchers, teachers, and practitioners must collaborate to understand the current situation, critically reflect on it, and devise innovative solutions that consider the unique cultural, social, political, and economic contexts. The common goal is to ensure that all children have the best possible opportunities for care and stimulation, leading to optimal holistic development.

We therefore invite articles that address the issue of enhancing quality and sustainability in ECD through research. Submissions may explore diverse themes within ECD, including but not limited to:

Community engagement and support
Holistic development of young children
Health and nutrition
Capacity building and professional development
Innovative and participatory pedagogical approaches
Sustainable funding mechanisms
Policy advocacy and system strengthening
Equity and inclusion
Monitoring and evaluation

References

Atmore, E. 2019. An interpretive analysis of the Early Childhood Development Policy Trajectory in Post-apartheid South Africa. PhD thesis in Education Policy, Department of Education Policy Studies. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University.

Department of Basic Education (DBE). 2022. ECD Census. Department of Education.

Hague, S., van Ufford, P.Q. & Muchabaiwa, B. 2023. Good news or bad news for Africa: Recent trends in monetary child poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/esa/media/13246/file/UNICEF-ESA-Policy-Note-Sub-Saharan-Africa-Child-Poverty-2023.pdf [Access on 2 March 2024]

United Nations Economic Commissions (UNECA). 2023. Africa needs to curb poverty and social inequality to meet developmental goals. https://www.uneca.org/eca-events/stories/africa-needs-curb-poverty-and-social-inequality-meet- development-goals

Interested in submitting an article?

Please upload your abstract to the Perspectives in Education OJS website on or before 31 October 2024.
To submit, click here

Abstracts (300-500 words)	30 October 2024
Invitation to authors	30 November 2024
Full manuscripts submission	15 March 2025
Feedback on manuscripts	15 July 2025
Submission of reviewed papers	31 August 2025
Publication Date	December 2025

Further information is obtainable from:

Prof Jan Nieuwenhuis

Perspectives in Education Editor in Chief

perspectives@ufs.ac.za