Steps Towards Learning - A Guide to Overcoming Language Barriers in Children's Education
In many countries of the world, large numbers of children start school, only to find their teachers are speaking to them in a language they don't understand. In other places, teachers start by communicating with children in their own language, but as soon as written words and numbers are introduced, teachers use a language children don't understand. Children learn to copy and often memorise the words and numbers, but don't understand them and can't apply them usefully. In these situations, many children drop out of school altogether, while others fail their examinations and spend years repeating grades.