International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME)

Proceedings of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education · Volume 1

The Complexity of the Implementation of Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education in Mathematics Classrooms: an Illustrative Case in South Africa

Jill Adler, Shemunyenge Hamukwaya, Anthony Essien

University of the Witwatersrand

49th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2026Helsinki27 July 2026 - 1 August 2026pp. 11–18ISSN 2790-36482026Scopus conference code 336559
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Abstract

From 2025, South Africa introduced mother tongue-based bilingual education to replace the early exit language transition. The study reported in this paper uses a case of a teacher in a Grade 4 classroom to illustrate the complexity of implementing mother tongue-based bilingual education (MTBBE) as envisioned by the curriculum. Using a translanguaging framework, merged with language responsive mathematics teaching, this qualitative study provides empirical evidence of the complexity of simultaneously working across languages, representations and registers where MTBBE is mandated.

Keywords

bilingual educationtranslanguaginglanguage responsive teaching

Recommended citation

Adler, J., Hamukwaya, S., & Essien, A. (2026). The Complexity of the Implementation of Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education in Mathematics Classrooms: an Illustrative Case in South Africa. In Krzywacki H., Hähkiöniemi M., Haataja E., Hannula M.S., Hästö P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Volume 1 (pp. 11–18). Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME). ISSN 2790-3648.
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