The Evaluating Language Supportive Approaches to Transition at Scale (ELSATS) project, funded by the British Council investigated how to improve science learning in multilingual classrooms in Tanzania and Ethiopia. Language Supportive Pedagogy (LSP), a multilingual teaching approach, was found to significantly improve students’ vocabulary, participation, and understanding of scientific concepts. In Ethiopia, action research with teacher educators showed that LSP enhanced student teachers’ ability to write scientifically. In Tanzania, curriculum analysis revealed a major gap between the language skills developed in primary education and those required in secondary science. Classroom observations highlighted that while many teachers used bilingual strategies, few provided structured opportunities for students to express ideas or write independently. Assessment of learners' knowledge of scientific vocabulary in English revealed that learners in Zanzibar had a more limited vocbulary than those in Tanzania Mainland despite starting to use English for learning science three years earlier. The findings have important implications for education policy. Recommendations include aligning language and subject curricula, redesigning textbooks for multilingual learners, embedding LSP into teacher education, and removing 'English-only' policies. Schools are encouraged to celebrate linguistic diversity and foster inclusive learning environments. Download the full report here . Citation Barrett, A. M., Sane, E., Taye, B. A., Ndabakurane, J. J., Bowden, R., Bainton, D., Cherkos, A. B., Biseko, J. M., Clegg, J., Giampapa, F., Grieve, T., Kinyaga, A., Magashi, S., Mbwafu, F. A., Mosha, G., Mulugeta, T., Nkaizirwa, J. P., Kebede, R. S., Wayimba, S. J., & Yu, G. (2025). Evaluating language supportive approaches to transition at scale. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/S9PQ-GW02

Findings from the ELSATS project and the networking project MLE in SSA were presented by Eliakimu Sane at the British Council’s Language in Education International Conference, Abuja, Nigeria, 12 – 13 November 2025. The abstract, "Language support for subjects studied in English: teachers’ practices in Tanzania", is available here (p. 38): https://www.britishcouncil.org.ng/sites/default/files/liec_2025_conference_brochure.pdf

Angeline M. Barrett and Eliakimu Sane presented in a webinar for school teachers organised by Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi) on 24 October 2025. The webinar was part of a series on foundational learning targeted at school teachers across Nigeria and in DRC. It introduced the principles of language supportive pedagogy in science education. The language supportive approach was developed by researchers in Tanzania for secondary education for by researchers and publishers in Rwanda for primary education. The Understanding understanding project aims to generate further insights for teachers adapting the approach to education systems where there is a transition in the language of instruction. You can view the presentation slides.

Eliakimu Sane, a key member of our team, presented the paper "Beyond the numbers: language of instruction and gendered learning patterns in Tanzanian secondary schools" at the "What Works in Girls’ Education”, Kampala, Uganda, October 1-3, 2025. The conference report is available here: https://www.scribd.com/document/985292996/Girls-Education-Conference-Report-2025 and you can read the abstract in th ebook of abstracts below (p. 98-99).

We are happy to announce the publication of the Special Conference issue from the 2024 Innovation for Inclusion conference. In this special issue, we have been able to bring together diverse perspectives in ten papers from six different countries in the region: Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Oman. A reoccurring theme in these papers is the delicate balance between local and global educational policies, exploring how colonial legacies and Western perspectives continue to shape educational practices and outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa. Read all articles in open access full text here: https://seychellesresearchjournal.com/journal-information/volume-7-special-conference-issue/

Symposium at the UKFIET Conference, 16-18 September 2025, Oxford This blog was first published by UKFIET on 20 August 2025. Authors: Angeline M. Barrett (University of Bristol, UK) and Barbara Trudell (SIL Africa) Symposium at the UKFIET Conference 2025 One of the greatest innovations of multilingual education (MLE) is that it views learners’ and teachers’ fluency in multiple languages as an asset for learning in the classroom. Given that up to 40% of learners across the globe lack access to education in a language they can comprehend or in which they can discuss curriculum content, this innovation is critically important for enhanced education outcomes around the world. Decades of research have demonstrated the cognitive and academic benefits of acquiring basic literacy first in the learner’s home language – a language they use on a daily basis outside of school (see for example, reviews of the literature by Cummins and Trudell). Multilingual education can also benefit communities and society. Reflecting the multilingualism of the communities that are supposed to be served in education contributes to social cohesion, and promotes the inclusion of those communities in national education aims (as demonstrated in a nuanced transdisciplinary review). Multilingual education contributes to sustainable development, as it makes it possible for the knowledge of diverse communities – in the language(s) that mediate that knowledge – to be recognised and valued. In this context, researchers, governments and non-governmental organisations are mobilising partnerships and sharing knowledge to innovate approaches to multilingual education. Our Innovations in MLE symposium at the 2025 UKFIET conference highlights insights from recent research and practice around the globe on the design and implementation of multilingual education. The symposium draws from the new NORRAG Special Issue on Multilingualism and Language Transition: Innovations and Possibilities , with presenters who have contributed to the Special Issue from their diverse experiences in the field. The symposium presentations will examine topics such as the disjuncture between community and school language practices; innovations in multilingual pedagogy, curriculum and assessment; and challenges and resistance to MLE programmes. Presentations Innovations in multilingual education for sustainable futures: An introduction , Barbara Trudell (SIL Africa); Angeline M. Barrett (University of Bristol); Rachel Bowden (TU Dresden University of Technology); Anthony Essien (University of the Witwatersrand); and Prem Phyak (Teachers College Columbia) Navigating language barriers between formal education and community at the Rwanda-DRC border , Jo Westbrook (University of Sussex); John Simpson (British Council); Jolly Rubagiza, Delphine Mukingambehlo and Pierre Barayagwiza (University of Rwanda) Multilingual education in Nepal: Misalignments, challenges, and local realities , Rajib Timalsina (Tribhuvan University); Devi Ram Acharya (Kathmandu University School of Education); and Prem Phyak (Teachers College, Columbia University) Addressing foundational learning gaps: The TaRL language learning from familiar to formal (L2F2) methodology in Uganda’s multilingual education landscape , Usha Rane (Pratham International); Kakula Wandi (VVOB Uganda); Stefaan Vande Walle (VVOB); Chavi Jain (TaRL Africa); Tanvi Banerjee (Pratham International); and Elvis Wanume (YARID) Integrating language revitalisation and foundational learning in Chiapas , Mexico, Felipe J. Hevia (Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social-CIESAS); Samana Vergara-Lope and Anabel Velásquez Durán (Universidad Veracruzana) L1-MLE pedagogy in teacher training: Innovations for multilingual education in the Gambia , Clyde Ancarno (Kings College London); and Sidia Jatta Curriculum Planning for Multilingual Education in Haiti, Amapola Alama, Beatrice Malebranche and Amy Paunila (UNESCO-IBE) Discussant : Mercy O. Martins, University of Bath Chair : Angeline M. Barrett, University of Bristol

The team presented the paper High Stakes, Low Readiness: Do English Curricula in Subtractive Language Transition Contexts Prepare Learners to Pass Exams in Other Subjects at the 12th International Conference on Language and Literacy Education in South Africa, 12-14 September, 2025. See conference program below.

Article published in Prospects Journal, July 2025 Multilingual education for sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa: Towards epistemic inclusion Angeline M. Barrett, Lizzi O. Milligan, Eliakimu Sane & Rachel Bowden Prospects (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-025-09731-1 Education that contributes to sustainable development embraces social learning that breaks down boundaries between schools and communities. Such learning is epistemically inclusive. This article argues that epistemic inclusion in multilingual societies is contingent on using students’ familiar languages within basic education. Across sub-Saharan Africa, secondary school students learn in a dominant language of learning and teaching (LoLT), which for the majority is an unfamiliar language. Additive multilingual education that develops learners’ familiar language alongside introducing a more dominant language enhances epistemic access to the specified curriculum. It also opens up the possibility for social learning that brings curriculum knowledge into conversation with community knowledges. Drawing on examples from the literature and authors’ own research in Rwanda and Tanzania, the article argues that additive multilingual education is necessary for education that contributes to sustainable development.

On 4-5 July the MLE in SSA project financed a a two-day workshop on the topic of language supportive pedagogy. The event was attended by researchers, policy makers and teachers and activities included presentations and discussions of current language policies. For a full report of the workshop, see attached document. Some of the participants at the Dodoma workshop UDOM’s DVC - ARC welcomed the guest of honour to give the opening remarks

The Norrag Special Issue #11 - Multilingualism and Language Transition: Innovations and Possibilities was launched on 14 May 2025 Multilingualism is simply a matter of fact in many nation-states. Multilingual societies require multilingual education if they are to provide accessible, quality and equitable education for all. Despite this need, the 2016 Global Education Monitoring Report indicated that up to 40% of learners across the globe lacked access to education in a language they could comprehend or articulate. The need for multilingual learning is supported by research across various disciplines, demonstrating the cognitive benefits of acquiring literacy in a first language before learning a second language and the value of respecting the knowledge systems, culture and identities of minoritised peoples. Nevertheless, providing effective multilingual education is far from straightforward. NSI 11: Multilingualism and Language Transition: Innovations and Possibilities addresses the major challenges and opportunities inherent in implementing multilingual education in ways that respect learners’ rights to education (UDHR §26; ICESCR, §13, 14; CRC § 28, 29), cultural expression (UDHR §27; ICESCR, §15) and livelihoods (UN 1948, UDHR §23; ICESCR, §6). The guest editors, Angeline M. Barrett, Rachel Bowden, Anthony A. Essien, Prem Phyak and Barbara Trudell, have curated a selection of 23 articles from 46 contributors across four continents that explore the multifaceted challenges and opportunities of multilingual education in 21 diverse contexts the majority of which are characterised by histories of colonial oppression that involved marginalising and minoritising autochthonous languages. The authors analyse how the effects of these colonial pasts persist in contemporary classrooms around the world and how they affect the learning opportunities of millions. The authors examine the impact of language policies on learning outcomes, inclusion of minorities, cultural rights, sustainability, life chances and livelihoods. The authors highlight the benefits of mother-tongue-based instruction—particularly in combination with other languages—while addressing the complexities involved in the politics, policy and practice of implementing multilingual education. The articles in this issue address the challenges involved in language transition, such as those involved in the shift in the language of instruction from a learner’s first language to their second, and propose strategies to mitigate these challenges. Several case studies in this Special Issue illustrate successful ways of implementing multilingual education, emphasising the importance of culturally respectful pedagogy, translanguaging (or moving fluently between different languages) and appropriate paper-based or digital teaching materials. This collection of articles constitutes a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers and practitioners looking to fulfil the transformative potential of multilingual education. Part 1 explores the relationship between language practices in schools and the communities they serve, examining how multilingual education can create inclusive spaces. Part 2 focuses on first-language (or mother tongue)-based multilingual education programming in primary schools and emphasises literacy in children’s first languages as a crucial starting point for a gradual transition for their learning of—or in—a second language. Part 3 unpacks the theories and practices of language transition in basic education systems in which the main language of learning and teaching is not the learner’s first language and explores pedagogical innovations designed to support multilingual learners. Part 4 investigates multilingualism’s potential to enhance inclusion in higher education and teacher professional learning, thereby contributing to more equitable societies. Part 5 examines the links between multilingual education policy, planning and curriculum implementation, discussing the systemic nature of multilingual education. By addressing both the theoretical and practical challenges of multilingual education, this volume contributes to the growing body of literature on how to create more just and equitable education systems for all learners. Download the book and watch the launch on the Norrag website .

International Mother Tongue day - 21 February 2025 To mark International Mother Tongue day, two experts from the Language Supportive Education network, Barbara Trudell and Angeline M. Barrett, have collaborated with Ajay Pinjani to write a blog that highlights the benefits of home-language based multilingual education. Unlocking joyful learning - honoring linguistic diversity in education The blog summarizes insights from two webinars convened by the Global Schools Forum . Barbara's contribution focuses on the power of home-language in primary education. Angeline discusses the importance of multilingual secondary education. You can watch recordings of the webinars here: Community of Practice on Foundational Learning with Dr Barbara Trudell Alfabetismo, Lenguaje y Habilidades Fundamentales Español Planning for Language Transition in the Secondary Years - Dr. Angeline M. Barrett

In 2013-2015, the Language Supportive Textbooks project created three proto-type textbooks for the first year of secondary education (Grade 8) in Tanzania. The textbooks serve as examples of teaching and learning materials for multilingual learners. Key features include: bilingual vocabulary lists, to help students build on previous learning in another language; short sentences to make the books easy to read; images that help learners interpret the text; and activities that build language skills. We share the textbooks here, together with the reports from the research that informed their design. We hope that you will find in them ideas that can be adapted for other contexts. The research was funded through the Partnership to Strengthen Innovation and Practice in Secondary Education .