The educational psychologist promoting inclusive teaching and learning in multilingual countries
Ivy Kesewaa Nkrumah is studying how children’s learning outcomes are affected by the language in which they learn
Ivy Kesewaa Nkrumah is an educational psychology researcher at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. Ivy studies cognition and behaviour in bilinguals and monolinguals. She is proposing inclusive policies to help the many children who are taught in a language they do not fully understand. Annie Brookman-Byrne talks with Ivy about the importance of language of instruction, and the mismatch between policy and implementation in schools.
Annie Brookman-Byrne: Why is the language of children’s education important?
Ivy Kesewaa Nkrumah: Teaching unfolds through language, so schooling and language are inseparable. According to UNESCO, four in every ten students globally are taught in languages with which they are not adequately familiar. If this continues, it will be impossible to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, or to implement Ghana’s Education Strategic Plan to raise learning outcomes and ensure that no child is left behind. Children who struggle at school because they do not understand the language they are taught in are likely to feel frustrated and drop out.
In one of my current studies, I am gathering evidence on the use of appropriate and effective language in education. My aim is to recommend policies that promote inclusive teaching and learning among school children in Ghana and other multilingual countries in Africa.
“Children who struggle at school because they do not understand the language they are taught in are likely to feel frustrated and drop out.”
ABB: What else are you trying to understand about language and education, and what drew you to this field of study?
IN: I’m also comparing how language is organised in the memories of bilingual people relative to monolinguals. My most recent studies have examined how the language of instruction impacts learning outcomes in lower primary school.
My interest in educational research, especially focusing on learning and cognition, was inspired by my personal experiences. I grew up in a small village in Ghana where school dropout was rampant. Of the approximately 86% of children who enrol in primary school in Ghana, about 29% will drop out before completing the six years of education culminating in a primary school certificate. Dropout is often due to cultural, financial, and religious factors. I have sought out every opportunity to help reduce the rates of dropout among children.
My childhood and my academic experience, which includes extensive community outreach education programs run by NGOs, have inspired my vision of an equitable school atmosphere in which all children thrive.
ABB: Has working in this field changed you?
IN: I use my findings and experiences to shape my own children’s learning at home, and the learning of other children within my small community. I use every opportunity to apply my research findings to help family, colleagues and friends. Through my fieldwork, I have been able to show that a significant number of pupils struggle with learning because of a language barrier.
In Ghana, nearly all education materials are produced in English, and instruction and assessment are carried out predominantly in English as well. However, many children struggle to understand the English language. So, with my children, I first explain concepts in the more familiar local language, before helping them translate their responses into English for school. This approach has helped increase their understanding and unleash their creativity.
For example, in Grade 3, my daughter’s homework was to name the habitat of specific animals after a class on the topic. She was struggling with that assignment, and it appeared that she hadn’t understood the class, probably because it had been taught in English. I simply used our local language to explain the concept, and she was then able to come up with some creative examples in the local language. When she had understood the concept, I helped her translate her ideas into English to answer her teacher’s questions. I have shared this strategy with teachers and friends, and they have found it useful.
ABB: What’s next for you?
IN: My aim is to identify ways to improve policies relating to the language of instruction in lower primary schools. However, it will be necessary to tackle other emerging issues at the same time. Simply modifying policies will not make a significant contribution to raising learning outcomes. Moreover, I am finding that the existing language policy is not reflected in what schools are actually doing. After completing my current research, I want to work with experts to delve more deeply into these inconsistencies, and help schools implement policies effectively.
“It is one thing to know a language, and another to know how to teach in that language.”
It is one thing to know a language, and another to know how to teach in that language. I am eager to learn more about the intricacies of teaching at the lower school level, and to help develop effective support systems for teachers. It will be exciting to engage with teachers nationwide to hone their teaching skills in line with the revised national policy on language of instruction.
Finally, I look forward to organising an international conference to bring together experts in education to exchange new ideas and initiatives relating to the language of instruction, in an effort to overcome some of the challenges we’re facing in Africa. Plans are underway to collaborate with the Ministry of Education in organising this conference. The ministry is excited about the ongoing studies, and looks forward to acting on and sharing the studies’ findings through conferences and workshops in the African sub-region. I am eager to see the impact this work may have on children’s learning.
Footnotes
Ivy Kesewaa Nkrumah is a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana (West Africa). Ivy received a Master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Ilorin in Nigeria and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. She has worked with non-governmental organizations and universities, where she has carried out research while also teaching and mentoring students. Ivy has a great passion for educational research, and has applied her expertise and skills to support the successful implementation of community-based programs that promote education. Ivy is a Jacobs Foundation Research Fellow 2023-2025.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
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