Language policy and third language learning: the case of Swahili in Uganda

Abstract

The paper examines the role of language policy and planning in teaching and learning a third language, using the case of Swahili in Uganda. In this paper, it is argued that the partial implementation of the language in education policy or lack thereof negates the realization of the national objective of trilingual population that can linguistically function at the local, regional and international levels. Drawing from Tollefson’s (2006) language planning framework, the study posits that partial implementation of the language policy and more specifically the language in education policy impedes second or additional language acquisition in a linguistically diverse society. In this paper, we rely on data from a biographical questionnaire, a proficiency test and documentary analysis to draw conclusions on the effect of language policy and language in education policy on the teaching and learning of Swahili as a third language in Uganda.