Choosing languages for teaching in primary school classrooms

Whilst Timorese teachers are aware and largely compliant with the linguistic policies that are promulgated through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (MECYS), they also face competing ideological, social and pragmatic pressures in regard to the languages they use in their classrooms. Furthermore as the knowledge of language teaching in a multi-lingual context has not been addressed system-wide, teachers are encountering significant challenges in enhancing the bilingual and bi-literate competency of their students.

This chapter explores some of the issues facing Timorese primary school teachers as they attempt to teach both academic and linguistic knowledge. By drawing on classroom video footage, teacher interviews and official policy documents, it is suggested that because the national language policy for classroom teaching is unclear, teachers' classroom strategies are missing both proficiency in Portuguese and specific language methodology to address the reality of students' linguistic knowledge. However this chapter also identifies this as an opportunity for the MECYS and the school community to explore what is envisaged for the people of Timor-Leste in terms of creating a bilingual and biliterate nation.