Humanising Pedagogies: Giving Voice to Migrant Learners

Year 2019, Volume: 12, 7 - 10, 26.02.2019

Leila Kajee

Abstract

Post-apartheid South Africa is a
fairly new democracy, characterized by diversity, as well as issues plaguing
equity and transformation, such as racism and unemployment. Increasingly, South
Africa is also playing host to growing numbers of migrants, asylum seekers and
refugees, to whom we are obliged to provide refuge. Despite the often dangerous
and seemingly insurmountable journeys to cross South Africa’s borders, one of
the first goals in settling in the host country is education for the migrant or
refugee child. Teachers however, are often at a loss with how to manage these
newcomers in their classrooms. The children struggle to prosper in South
African classrooms, given the diversity that exists, that they may not be fluent
in English, a major language of teaching and learning in the country, or in one
of the African languages. This paper argues for the urgency to pay heed to the
needs of the migrant child, by describing a framework that involves humanizing
pedagogy through the use of dialogue and reflexivity, the nature of language
used, and teacher strategies. The work provides considerations for teacher
trainees who are preparing to teach these children.

Keywords

Migrant learners, Humanism, African languages

References

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