Language Educators Seek Further Studies for Teachers 

Funmi Ogundare 

The International Association of Language Educators (IALE), has called on the government to ensure that language teachers without teaching qualifications embark on further studies in education to improve on their content, pedagogical knowledge and quality.

The association said this in a communique signed by the President, Prof. David Olugbade Fakeye and issued at the end of its third biennial national conference and capacity building for language teachers, themed, ‘Blindspots in Language and Literature Education’, held recently at the University of Ibadan (Institute of Education).

It called on government to actualise through serious implementation efforts on bilingual/multilingual medium of instruction policy in order to create more inclusive learning environment  given the multicultural nature of classrooms today.

The conference recommended that language teachers should attend conferences, workshops and seminars periodically to hone their content exposure and teaching skills so as to improve on their classroom experiences and for effective classroom practices. 

It also urged teachers of language to explore the benefits in the use of internet and other emerging technologies in teaching their areas of specialisations. 

The conference called on literature teachers to organise reading clubs and embrace other reading programmes to complement classroom teaching.

“Teachers of language must pay attention to factors such as teacher-student interaction, pedagogical practices, motivation, demographic variables and cultural sensitivity in order to promote positive and inclusive language learning classrooms.”

The conference also called on WAEC and NECO to either examine the oral aspect of English Language appropriately or rename their paper three of the English Language examination ‘Alternative to Test of Orals’, and that the language of the immediate environment should be used to enhance smooth transition from home to school.

It also recommended that teaching of  French Language should be given more attention in order to give wider international opportunities to students, while reiterating its accommodation of all major specialist languages; French, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa, in addition to English in its operations and conferences.

“Language teachers must boldly delve into entrepreneurial opportunities within our discipline, not only to combat poverty but also to proudly bolster the government’s endeavours for national economic revitalisation.”

Present at the conference include; Prof. Peter Barasa, Vice-Chancellor, Allupe University, Kenya, who was the lead paper presenter; Prof. S.A. Amusegham, the Kalasuwe of Apoi Kingdom, Ondo State, as well as  language educators in Nigeria.       

Conferees were unanimous in commending IALE for organising the  programme, for the choice of the theme and for providing comprehensive sub-themes which provided room for robust discussion of blind spots in virtually all aspects of language and literature education.