THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION, THE SELECTION OF LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION AND THE PLACE OF AFAN OROMO IN ETHIOPIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Abstract

The issue of education raises the role of language in the educational process. This is because it is through language that education gets life and it is through education that language develops In other words, in talking about education, it is inevitable that the question of language should be arise, since it is mainly through language that knowledge is shared. Besides, it is said that the language of instruction is at the heart of any learning process, since effective teaching and learning depend on clear and understandable communication. In connection to this, it is argued that the selection of an appropriate medium of instruction is one of the most significant factors that contribute to the effectiveness of any educational system.  However, selecting the language of instruction appears to be problematic and difficult. The main purposes of this article are to describe the role of language in education and to assess how the language of instruction is selected in monolingual and multilingual contexts. It will also explore the selection of language of instruction in Ethiopian context and the place of Afan Oromo in Ethiopian Education System.

Key Words: Afan Oromo, Education, Ethiopia, Learning, Language of Instruction, Mother Tongue

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