Say What? Languages In My Classroom

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been too interested in languages beyond English. Despite compulsory studies in Spanish (two years in high school) and American Sign Language (two semesters in college), I’ve remained rather isolated in my fascination by English, around which my professional and personal life has been woven.

Living in a country with eleven national languages is enough to pique one’s interest. In South Africa, English is the shared language, but many (if not most) people speak another language or more. While one who speaks only English can navigate Cape Town without any lingual challenges, it is not uncommon to hear a handful of languages spoken on the sidewalks. English, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, isiZulu…

Volunteering at Scalabrini Refugee Centre has given me a widened scope of language in Africa. The variety of languages spoken in the hallways is incredible. The refugees are constantly helping each other translate words and phrases from one language to another. I often have to turn to another student and ask, "Can you help me understand her?"

Most of my students’ lingual resumes overlap at French (and, increasingly, English), but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. At the end of class on Wednesday, I conducted a survey per a request by the English School intern: How many students in your class speak each of the following languages? How many languages does each student speak?

Thanks to Wikipedia, here's a map of official
languages in Africa. South Africa boasts ELEVEN.
Keep in mind that these are only the official ones.

Of the 21 students who were present that day, five speak one language other than English, four speak two languages other than English, six speak three languages other than English, and six speak four or more languages other than English.

Yes, that’s right. SIX of my students speak four or more languages. One student speaks six! And that’s not counting the rather advanced English they’re perfecting now. I was blown away.

Languages spoken by my Pre-Intermediate II class and how many students speak each:

• French – 16 (31 francophone countries in Africa)
• Lingala – 10 (northwestern DRC, Republic of the Congo, Angola, CAR)
• Swahili – 5 (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, DRC)
• Kikongo – 5 (DRC, Republic of the Congo, Angola)
• Tshiluba – 5 (DRC)
• Somali – 4 (Somalia, Ethiopia)
• Arabic – 2 (North Africa)
• Kinyarwanda – 2 (Rwanda, Uganda)
• Kirundi – 2 (Burundi, Tanzania, DRC-Kinshasa, Uganda)

I was absolutely floored, and the students laughed at my reactions. To be the teacher in a language classroom and speak only one language, as opposed to the nine languages my class collectively speaks? Humbling, to say the least. Indescribable, even. 

When I stepped foot into my first class at Scalabrini, I knew very little about African cultures. I'm certainly no expect today, but I have learned so much from my students, which leaves me increasingly curious about their lives. At the end of my experience, it will be my students that I will miss most. They have undoubtedly changed my life by teaching me just as much as I have had the privilege of teaching them.