Understanding understanding - Supporting understanding in the classroom through the understanding of curricula structures

The project addresses the problem of subtractive transitions by furthering knowledge of additive multilingual education (MLE), i.e. models where use of the L1 is maintained to support learning after the L2 is introduced as the language of learning and teaching. More specifically, the project seeks to gain a better and systematic understanding of the guiding principles behind language-in-education policies, and how steering documents and curricula in various L2 MoI transition systems in SSA acknowledge (or not) the realities and challenges involved in learning and teaching through a second language. Through interviews and observations, the project also explores of how language-in-education policy directives and recommendations translate into practice in the field. Four transition systems are explored under the project: immersion, early transition, mid-transition and late transition.