Teaching ESL in a Multilingual Context: a Case Study of Cameroonian Students at High School Level

Year 2021, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 79 - 84, 28.12.2021

Franck Jordan Fezeu Molapıng , Türkay Bulut

https://doi.org/10.31805/acjes.1025430

Abstract

The merits of cultural and linguistic diversity are often praised across the world. This setting is
very present in Africa in general and in Cameroon in particular, a country with 285 local
languages two official languages, English and French, and several lingua francas that are
experiencing a rapid rise. While the governmental and scientific effort in setting up what we call
a triangular language education system (mother tongue + L2 + L3) is to be commended, it is
worth looking at their distribution and use in everyday life to see whether they benefit academics,
and whether the results are in line with the expectations of policy makers. This research looks at the health of the teaching of English as a second language in Cameroon's multilingual education
system and tries to identify factors that may constrain its implementation. The questionnaire
administered to 53 ESL teachers from a variety of backgrounds allowed us to conclude that
learning ESL in Cameroon is easier when one has some mastery of one's L1 (local language).
The absence of a single national language is a hindrance to linguistic development in schools, but
if standardized, the CPE could be a solution.

Keywords

Multilingualism, ESL, Lingua Franca, Local languages

References

• Blasius, A.T., & Lando, R. (2017). English in Cameroon: Issues of teacher language proficiency. International Journal of English Language.
• Blasius, A.T., & Pius, W.A. (2014). Enhancing English language studies in Cameroon: The mother tongue perspective. Department of linguistics/Centre for African languages and cultures. University of Buea, Cameroon.
• Chiatoh, B.A. (2012). Official bilingualism and the construction of a Cameroonian national identity In George Echu & Augustin A. Ebongué (Eds.) Fifty years of official language bilingualism in Cameroon (1961-2011): Situation, stakes and perspectives (pp. 65-85), Paris: L’Harmattan
• Chumbow B.S. (1990). “Language and language policy in Cameroon” In Kofele-Kale (Ed.) An African experiment in nation building: The bilingual Cameroon Republic since reunification (pp. 281-311) London: Westview Press.
• Chumbow, B., S. &Simo-Bobda, A. (1996). ‘The Life cycle of post imperial English in Cameroon: In fishman et al, Post-imperial English: Status of English after colonialism”.J. Berlin, NY: Mouton de Gruyter.
• Echu, G. (2003). Coping with Multilingualism: Trends in Evolution of Language Policy in Cameroon. Online: http:///web.fuberlin.de/phin/phin25/p25t2.htm retrieved 07/09/07
• Ekembe, E.E. (2013). English as a foreign language at the University of Yaounde1: Attitudes and pedagogic practices. English Language Teaching; Vol. 6, No. 3, 25-35. Eloundou, V. (2021). Les langues nationales du Cameroun et le Camfranglais au coeur des representations glottophobes et glottophiles. Aufgelistet in ERIH: European Reference Index for the Humanities VertragspartnerInnen: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, CNKI Fontem, N. (2012). Investigating modes of language acquisition and proficiency. Miraclaire Publishing; Kansas
• Fontem, N.A., & Oyetade, S.O. (2005). Declining Anglophone English language proficiency in Cameroon: What factors should be considered? Globalization and the African experience: Implications for language, literature and education. University of Buea, Cameroon.
• Gonondo. N., & Djiraroe, M.C. (2016). The challenge of saving two languages in Cameroon higher education: The case of the public Universities. Asian Journal of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities 4.3: 38-46.