Language policy and instructional practice dichotomy: The case of primary schools in Ghana

“Clear grounding in a location gives us the confidence to engage with knowledge from other locations as we deconstruct and reconstruct them with our purposes” (Canagarajah, 2005, p. 15). This quote serves the basis of what this paper presents on language policy and pedagogical practices in Ghana. Language plays an important role in pedagogy, it is the medium through which concepts are thought, learned and also assessed. The use of foreign language as a medium of instruction in multilingual classroom is often characterized by a number of challenges. This paper reports of a study which sort to explore headteachers’ and teachers’ knowledge about the Ghanaian medium of instruction policy and how this policy is being applied in Ghanaian schools. Interviews were carried out with 10 headteachers selected from 10 schools. Qualitative analysis of the results revealed what appeared to be gaps between what the policy says and what the research participants do in their schools. Implication for these gaps between policy and practice on students’ learning outcomes is discussed to inform future policies in Ghana and other Sub-Saharan Africa that have similar situation as in Ghana.

► We explore headteachers’ and teachers’ knowledge about the Ghanaian medium of instruction policy and how this policy is being applied in Ghanaian schools.
► The social constructs within a particular society or school systems determine the purpose and use of language.
► The results show that schools do not appear to follow the language of instruction policy.
► The colonial language is thought to supersede the native language in providing children with conceptual understanding.