For my opinion, the studies should be performed in a sufficient developed mother tongue language. The spontaneous understanding will be easier. But off course it depends on the language regarded. I can imagine some languages, which will not be able to descript philosophy or nuclear and elementary particle physics. All students must learn english to a high performance, to be able to read scientific literature and write scientific papers.

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for a Master‟s degree in Language Practice in the School of Languages at the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University

Abstract

An empirical research study was done in an attempt to determine whether mother-tongue subtitling would improve learners‟ comprehension of science. A total of 93 Grade 12 learners from two schools in one township were used in this study. The participants were divided into two equivalent groups: one group watched and listened to mother-tongue subtitled science content material, and the other group watched and listened to the same science content material that was not subtitled. Both groups then wrote a physical science comprehension test after watching and listening to the video. This process was repeated over a period of six weeks during which one lesson was given and one video was shown each week. The comprehension test questions were divided into the recall and understanding domains.

The results of this experiment revealed that mother-tongue subtitling improved the science comprehension of learners in as far as recall is concerned

http://dspace.nwu.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10394/10262/Mahlasela_JT.pdf?sequence=1

Prophet, B., & Dow, P. (1994). Mother tongue language and concept development in science: A Botswana case study. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 7(3), 205-216.

The study described in the paper is concerned with the impact that the language of instruction has on concept development in Botswana secondary school students in science. A lesson dealing with some basic ideas in astronomy was developed in English and in their mother tongue, Setswana. It was taught to samples of Form One and Form Three students in a junior secondary and a senior secondary school in the Kgatleng District. A control group in these schools was taught an unrelated lesson dealing with health issues. Using an interview technique based on models and pictures, an attempt was made to determine the extent to which development of concepts presented to the students in the lesson were affected by the medium of instruction. Analysis of the data collected from the interviews suggests that the language used as the medium of instruction during science lessons has a significant effect on concept attainment for those students who are in Form One. However, the impact of language on concept attainment appear to have no significant effect for those students who are in Form Three of the senior secondary school.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07908319409525178#.VGQ0dPmUdpo

Thanks @Behrouz.  This matter seems to have pros and cons.  I got some info too about the cons.   (DOI:10.1080/01434639708666337; Anthea Fraser Gupta)

'In some language situations primary education in the mother tongue may not be desirable. A number of factors may militate against education in the mother tongue: (1) difficulty in determining the mother tongue. This is especially a problem in multilingual settings where children grow up with multiple mother tongues; (2) definition of 'a language'. Mother tongues may be deemed to be the standard variety; and (3) social and ethnic divisiveness of mother tongue education. In multilingual settings the maintenance of social cohesiveness may be of more importance than the benefitof mother-tongue education.Where patterns of language use are linked to social class, mother-tongue education could further diminish access to power structures by underprivileged groups. Ideological issues can be resolved only in the context of the particular social and political situation. There is no general rule that primary education should be in the mother tongue.'

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01434639708666337?src=recsys#.VGRMlsWSzhM

Some priceless gems for all of us, because we are all greatly dependent on our mother tongue.

'All the praise that is heaped on the classical languages as an educational tool is due in double measure to the mother tongue, which should more justly be called the ‘Mother of Languages’; every new language can only be established by comparison with it…(Jean Paul Friedrich Richter, 1806)

Using the mother tongue, we have (1) learnt to think, (2) learnt to communicate and (3) acquired an intuitive understanding of grammar. The mother tongue is therefore the greatest asset people bring to the task of foreign language learning and provides a Language Acquisition Support System. This theory, which is an alternative to prevailing thought, is presented, explained and put into a historical perspective. The paper does not only redress an imbalance but concludes that drastic re-thinking of FL methodology is called for.'

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09571730385200181?src=recsys#.VGRN0cWSzhM

I think that at the education level you are mentioning, science might also be replaced by history, geography, physics, chemistry, art, etc....  but at the end as a scientist you are facing the situation that your work has to be published, ... most often in English, or not?

Dear @Marcel, you are certainly right.  I don't have any problem with English, but my students have that.  I always advised them to work harder, but many of them have too many distractions.  In the end, we all still must write and publish in English!

Access to science knowledge in the English language was noted as substantial for future employment prospects, to illustrate, “Science information or knowledge is in English. If someone does not understand the English language, she or he will feel lost because she/he cannot compete with people around the world”. The Malaysian Government’s Vision 2020 was clear with these preservice teachers, case in point: “everyone should learn English to be a Malaysian citizen toward achieving Vision 2020

http://www.ejmste.com/v5n2/eurasia_v5n2_hudson.pdf

Thanks Umachandran, it's true.  That (vision 2020) was the brainchild of a previous Prime minister who started ETEMS (English in Teaching of science and mathematics, 2002-2012) in schools and colleges.  But now it's another Prime minister at the helm.  Our Matric colleges continue with ETEMS, but schools have reverted back to using the mother tongue.

But what about India, Iran?  How is it in your countries?

Is there a link between personal  language capacities of prime ministers and their political decisions to favor a language, or not? I noticed that many politicians make use of translators during international meetings.

Schools have both English and Native language medium of Instructions. but Graduation onwards and above it is only ENGLISH.

All Higher Education Institutions are in English Language. 

According to the 2001 Indian Census there are a total of 122 languages and 234 mother tongues. However, these figures cannot be accepted as final as the Census does not reportlanguages spoken by fewer than 10,000 speakers (for instance, in 1961 around 1652 mother tongues were returned in the Census but only 193 languages were classified)

http://www.languageinindia.com/feb2011/vanishreemastersfinal.pdf

Thanks @Umachandran.  I'm glad that at HE levels, it's all in English in your country.  Now I see why India has so many scientists, professionals who are global citizens.  Here, it's not all universities that practice that.

Thanks Marcel, all my prime ministers are good at English.  (But I don't understand the politics too well.  And I'm a govt servant, so I don't get too involved in politics; just focus on my research and teaching, dear friends.  Politics is sensitive.  Period.)

For my opinion, the studies should be performed in a sufficient developed mother tongue language. The spontaneous understanding will be easier. But off course it depends on the language regarded. I can imagine some languages, which will not be able to descript philosophy or nuclear and elementary particle physics. All students must learn english to a high performance, to be able to read scientific literature and write scientific papers.

Dear Miranda,

I personally say YES, learning science (whatever this term means) by the mother tongue can be very fruitful. Mother tongue is the language of heart and mind. It is well-known that quality education begins with the mother tongue. A strong foundation in the mother tongue ensures effective education and high levels of proficiency in many languages. No one can deny the importance of MT in the development of education. In Jordan, students start almost learning sc in English at the university level.

Dear Miranda,

A few references. you can look for more articles in ELT journal.

Atkinson, D. (1987). The mother tongue in the classroom: A neglected resource?. ELT journal, 41(4), 241-247.

Harbord, J. (1992). The use of the mother tongue in the classroom. ELT journal, 46(4), 350-355.

Carless, D. (2008). Student use of the mother tongue in the task-based classroom. ELT journal, 62(4), 331-338.

Okebukola, P. A., Owolabi, O., & Okebukola, F. O. (2013). Mother tongue as default language of instruction in lower primary science classes: Tension between policy prescription and practice in Nigeria. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 50(1), 62-81.

http://bsc-sslm.edu.hku.hk/f/acadstaff/412/Carless2008.pdf

http://203.72.145.166/elt/files/41-4-1.pdf

http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/

Thanks dear friends.  (I was out for my regular track activities.)

Dear @Hanno, do you have some papers concerning Germany?  At what age do students begin to learn sciences/ math in English?  Is it at high school or at varsity, as in Jordan, as Dr Mohammad said?

[I need some detailed info.]

Thanks @Behrouz, for a lot of good info, and soft copies.  I get into the links soon.

Dear Cecilia, thanks. I really thought nobody from US would take part in my Q, but you are most welcome. Those foreign students are perhaps in high schools and varsities?

Dear friends, I need this info for my papers.  I have several papers on Teaching and Learning of science in English.  Earlier, I only presented at conferences, and submitted to local journals that use APA 5th edition.  Now I need to paraphrase my own writings, add new papers, remove some previous ones because the  present journals do not permit recycling.  That's why I asked for soft copies.  Thanks. 

Dear Miranda,

the official teaching language at public german universities is German. Because we have to absolve our matura (Abitur), where most of us are examined in english, english knowledges are no real problem. The start with english scientific literature is an automatic acompanying effect in the upper studies. I did no research these facts, just my actual know how.

I was not interested at high school lo learn science in my mother tongue. At University I learned the minimal necassary to pass my exminations. Only when I started with research, I was really interested to study science, and in English.

Dear All, Here in India many states are adopting three language formula. One is English, second is mother language of state and a option for third language too till matric. In Uttar Pradesh it is English, Hindi and Urdu. One has to take any two.  In government schools english started at 6th class and become optional in ninth class. Even than the students from these schools are shining in Science subject and could compete with anybody. It seems that the dedication and sincerity with eagerness to learn play bigger role over language. Thanks

I have not evidences, but I think if somebody learn a language as a child, then it would be more fruitful in his/her learning curve as a student.

No empirical evidence is available to me, dear Miranda, but, as a student of languages, I do think that learning and teaching in the mother/native tongue is more constructive from a socio and psycho-linguistic stand point!

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/437760?uid=3737864&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&sid=21104531536191

Dear Miranda,

I really like your question. You have nailed the biggest irony of science in a very tacit manner. The conjoining of science and language, has had its own pros and cons and clear beneficiaries. When native language is the same as the universal language of science, it is hard to equal that benefit

I agree with you, dear Kamal, that language is a container that has nothing to do with the content/knowledge.

I think that "science" must be taught by the "languages of science" because a mistake by translation could turn the meaning of a concept upside down. At present, the languages of science are English, German, and French since the major contributions to scientific knowledge come through these languages. I respect other languages including my mother tongue but there is always the need to get first-hand knowledge from the original sources. 

For me, I think that teaching science in the first world language (English language) is better because it facilitates the access to science. 

Dear Miranda,

Dear All,

This is a hard question. I think that the scientific base should be taught using the mother tongue. I note the expressiveness and suitability for understanding of languages is different. Without clear and thorough scientific bases it is impossible to build a good knowledge. Learning in English cannot improve or repair the earlier mistakes but increase the confusion. Somebody who is unable to be a tolerable researcher in his/her mother tongue will be never a good scientist in English.

Well, I disagree. The two most evident proofs I can mention are - generally speaking - in the IB schools (on the one hand) especially those with high reputation. There students are taught science in a foreign language and usually the standards on the long run are very much acceptable. On the other hand there are around the world some very special schools that usually do not depend n the national system but on international standards. I mean, schools run and directed by the French, American, German, or Japanese governments abroad. They teach science in foreign language and here too the results are quite outstanding.

I know both systems either personally or from my family...

Dear Enzo, thanks for your sharing of your school days and how you developed your interest in research.  

(Here I add a link to ETEMS in Malaysia or PPSMI, the Malay acronym.  My college still practices Teaching of Science and Maths in English, but schools stopped doing so.)

http://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj12(CKBS)/7.pdf

Dear Cecilia, thanks.  (My own observations here are that my students lack curiosity, grit and passion for learning.  They have many other legitimate interests, or may I say distractions?)

'It is not easy to understand what is happening today with learning difficulties, but they are observable. There are other variables, such as new approaches to teaching (homeschooling tries to escape them). '

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_has_happened_to_the_natural_curiosity_of_students

Dear Demetris, I do agree with your view.  'I think if somebody learn a language as a child, then it would be more fruitful in his/her learning curve as a student.'  Thanks dear @Nidhi: 'When native language is the same as the universal language of science, it is hard to equal that benefit'.  (I'm from a family that speaks native English, and that's our only wealth. Now most of my family members are residing in UK.)

Thanks Profs Marwan, Kamal for the info on Jordan.

Dear Dr Nizar, thanks.  I believe this is so right:  'I respect other languages including my mother tongue but there is always the need to get first-hand knowledge from the original sources.'  But perhaps it's more critical to university and college students.  (I firmly believe that we reap what we sow.  Even though it requires effort, it's worthwhile to learn a language well.  My cousins had great difficulty in learning our national language, and as teenagers they left for UK and prefer to work there.)

Dear @Mounir, and @Andras, thanks.  I believe that most of us are doing research in difficult areas, under difficult circumstances.  'Learning in English cannot improve or repair the earlier mistakes but increase the confusion.'  Related to what you said, Yuen & Siu (2014) stated that although students became more proficient in English (the second language), that was used as a medium for instruction of content subjects like Science, their performance in the content subjects suffered.  (Now, I hope to have students who have built up a correct understanding of science since school days; but many come to college with many wrong ideas.)

Dear @Carlos, it's fine to disagree.  My question asked if you agree or disagree.  But please provide some more info on: 'There students are taught science in a foreign language and usually the standards on the long run are very much acceptable. On the other hand there are around the world some very special schools that usually do not depend n the national system but on international standards. I mean, schools run and directed by the French, American, German, or Japanese governments abroad. They teach science in foreign language and here too the results are quite outstanding.'

Speaking from the narrow vantage point of my own experience - I was a University student in three different languages - I think it makes no difference.

Oddly enough - I would even venture that I felt benefits from being taught in languages other than my mother tongue: there is a level of abstraction inherent in using a language other than your own, and I was studying highly abstract disciplines - using what was to me an abstract language reflected, perfectly suited, and possibly even enhanced that study.

First time in India, the state of Punjab is venturing into teaching Medicine in Native language. This may become precedence to other states to follow.

The government has already directed the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) to start project of translating medical books into Punjabi. The step is already raising eyebrows as this could mean that the future doctors in Punjab would be cut out of latest research in the medical field which is shared across India and the world in English.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Now-MMBS-books-in-Punjabi/articleshow/45104793.cms

I agree completely. I find that students understand the concepts more deeply.

I agree. I find that students interact more, contribute and suggest more and, more understand different notions and concepts.

Hey guy , I agree that one can apprehend knowledge at some extent in his or her mother tongue than any other language foreign to him or her. However, for the dispersal or diffusion of knowledge at large ( global ) needs to be present in uni-language accepted by mass society.        

Hey guy , I agree that one can apprehend knowledge at some extent in his or her mother tongue than any other language foreign to him or her. However, for the dispersal or diffusion of knowledge at large ( global ) needs to be present in uni-language accepted by mass society.        

It depends on what a language is mother tongue. If this tongue is of high level it is true, if on the contrary - I have a lot doubts. The researcher simply must to speak o read the high level languages ti form properly his thinking.

Definitely any subject is learnt better in the first language than the second one. However I think we have to make the difference here between the fist language and the parents' language. So if the first language is meant by "mother tongue" yes.

I agree with teaching science in native language at the high school level. Deep understanding of science concepts is hard enough, let's not make it harder by adding a language barrier. Do we want the students to be proficient in English or to learn science?.

I was thought in my native language in high school. At university level, the instruction language was in Persian but most text books were in English. My own experience in learning languages is that we learn a language much faster when we are immersed in the society. I learned English and French during my studies in Montreal, Canada. IMHO.

Thanks @Behrouz and all.  I have got useful info for my paper, especially from the links on the first page.  Your opinions are fine, but you know that I need to cite.  (@Behrouz, the papers you sent on another thread (papers by Schellenger) have gone into my literature review.  So will a few more from here, thanks.)

I  agree that the best way to learn a language is by immersion, but the mother tongue or first language can be a friend to this learning.  It's helpful to compare the sentence structures of first and subsequent  languages (IMHO).  

I have been teaching Anatomy to first year Medical students in Portugal, for over 21 years.

One of the best teaching experiences I had, at the beginning of my career might be useful to the present debate:

In 1994, I was invited to teach Anatomy to a group of 20 mixed foreign students that came from all over the World, from Macau (China), Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinee, Angola (Africa) and Timor (Indonesia)

Many of the students weren't fluent in Portuguese nor in English, and communicated mostly in their native languages, that I couldn't follow.  I decided to teach in my own native language. And I noticed that I had to teach Portuguese, as well as the latin terms of Anatomy, fundamenting my speach with graphic aids, including photografic slides and drawings.

Strangely enough, we had tremendous success in this endeavour. The students showed great facility in learning Anatomy (maybe even in a quicker and easier way than those native students that  I usually teach).

Of course, Anatomy is in itself a different current in Sciences. It involves, on itself the ability to learn a new language of its own. And this may explain the tremendous facility that these mixed students showed and how well they improved their skills.

I hope that this strange experience in teaching sciences was helpful to your debate, and  Isend my best regards from the South of Europe.

Maria. 

Hi I agree with @kamal that teaching of science is nothing to do with mother tongue or mother language as all around the world science is being taught predominantly in english.

Mother tongue is the best medium for study during childhood. Great Philosopher: Socrates and Poet: Rabindranath Tagore had already quoted this matter in their writings in the past. The subject Pedagogy tells that- for a child, mother tongue is like first milk which he/she can take and digest well. I think you have got your valuable references for this answer. Thank You.

i agree to this... if these subjects are first taught in the mother tongue, then they will learn more.

My elementary school was taught in German. Middle school brought English also into the teaching. I went to a high school in which the science courses were taught in English and all other courses were taught in Arabic. College was then taught in Arabic, but we had references that were in English. Graduate school was all in English.

The moral of the story is that you need to have a good balance between the mother language (or the language that you happen to speak well) and also know enough English to allow you mobility across other geographical locations and also access to other resources of knowledge. I do not "need" the German.

Thanks for your views.  Dear @Cecilia, I have observed the same 2 observations: 

1) people who have to learn more than one language, can more easily introduce additional foreign languages, and

2) people whose native language is complex, also, learn more easily a foreign language.

I believe these persons have already got inbuilt 'constructivism links' when they went through the first round of learning the 2nd language, so it's easy for learning subsequent (3rd, 4th, 5th...nth) languages.  One of my friends has moved to Dubai to work for Emirates.  Perhaps when he returns, I can learn Arabic.

My Tamil friends (from India) learn English so very easily, because Tamil isn't easy. (Neither is Chinese.)  My thanks to all friends; I wish you a good weekend.

Dear Francesca, you say: 'An Observer might say: the Student has understood Nothing. Though, the Reality is, that the Student has understood very much, the Student rightly disagree, and therefore the Student appears not to have learned anything, because the Student, practically, consciously or not, refuses to repeat Concepts and Things,

which he/she consider mere or very much Nonsenses.

I see this happening many Times: though, the SchoolSystem is based on Doctrines, and these can be learned and studied by People who like to be indoctrinated'.

I can only say that in science we have to follow rules, and cannot afford to refuse concepts.  For example, if the genetic inheritance follows Mendelian laws, we have to write using Mendel's method; if inheritance is by linked genes, that is a deviation from Mendelian laws, we lose marks if we write using Mendel's method. Too much freedom may not be good for us.  Besides, we learn by observing and imitating our significant others.  I think we need to be humble to admit that certain lessons that we learn from imperfect humans (like ourselves) are good lessons.  Thanks to all of you.

You are right, dear Cecilia.  We learned many things the hard way.  The learning tasks were not softened.  Perhaps our hard hearts were softened?  I just did a survey on my students.  Many reported that they 'rarely or sometimes' put in effort to learn science well.  But for us, it was either 'often or always'.  Perhaps the effect is that there are more scholars among our generation than the young people, who imbibed scientific values?  

There never is " too much freedom." I find our University system is too closed to nontraditional teaching methods. We need to embrace innovative teaching and learning in an age where the internet has linked people from all over the globe. It is possible to utilize many sources of information, and it is possible to teach with the goal of accelerated learning.  For example, how often do you allow students to learn within groups? Do you insist on individual work only? What is gained?

Dear friends, thanks for your views.  @Raid and Francesca, perhaps you did not understand concerning 'too much freedom'.  I believe that we need to follow rules that benefit the whole society like school rules or traffic rules.  But some individuals dislike this, because it puts a brake on freedom.  That's all that I'm saying.  Thanks.

@Raid, you say: 'For example, how often do you allow students to learn within groups? Do you insist on individual work only? What is gained?'   All this while with 5 cohorts at college, I have used collaborative teaching.  I reported on the results with one of the cohorts in this paper.  (On social media, we do not gauge people well unless we interact with them over a long time.  Besides, we are on RG for reasons that may not be the same.  Thanks.)

Article Facilitating Cooperative Learning Among Matriculation Biology Students

Dear Francesca, these days we don't ask students to learn by heart (or learn like a parrot).  I ask my students to learn with understanding and create some strategies that enable them to remember.

Just a few things that I can discuss with you:  'Today is all about Money and Business and ... Personalism of certain People, belonging to certain Lobbies: it is so blatantly obvious.'  It's true that life on this earth requires money, but I think that real happiness is not found in 'money and business'.  I think that being content with what I have is great happiness.  But you may agree or disagree, it's ok.

Perhaps to many people in this world,  'Humility has no Value'.  But I find it has great value, to help me improve myself.  Everyday, I'm learning.  You will know if you are with me on various threads.  But with this rainy season, I lose internet connections, and my time on RG is less, my posts are short. SOLIDARITY TO YOU :)

In lower level of learning it might be beneficial for understanding concepts with a language of a mother tongue that has concept representations in kids cognitive faculty and the scientific things at those levels do not have specific and peculiar symbols.

But for higher learning, probably acquaintance is more important than mother tongue. Besides not all languages do have enough words and conceptual definitions for every scientific concept and symbol that is an outcomes of centuries of concerted efforts from across the globe.

Most scientific terminologies for instance (particularly medicine ) do have a Greek or Latin origin and meanings where they may not have direct local equivalences  in other languages. The same thing with mathematics, you see mathematical manuscripts in every society and languages, but still the mathematical symbols and specific variables remain invariant. In fact learning mathematics is independent of human languages as it is by itself a language of its own with symbols, semantics and rules.

Dear Francesca, dear all, at times there are things that would seem so good, but it's not possible.  As Francesca said, 'I would prefer a common Language to exist on Earth, in order to be able and easier communicate one another.'   Then the next BEST thing for me (and all of us) to do is to be sufficiently good at the language that researchers and scientists use - English.  But in my multicultural country, I need to know some Chinese dialects and Tamil.  Many of my Indian friends are from South India, and they speak Tamil.  I am thankful that they are most willing to teach me.  As I said, being humble is good, because they laugh when I make mistakes, and there's no reason to be offended at all.

Thanks very much @Dejenie.  I like the way you describe Maths, thanks: 'you see mathematical manuscripts in every society and languages, but still the mathematical symbols and specific variables remain invariant. In fact learning mathematics is independent of human languages as it is by itself a language of its own with symbols, semantics and rules.'

When I read that I think to myself, it applies just as well to MUSIC!

I do not have empirical evidence to support my view but from my experience as a parent, I believe that it is not necessarily the mother tongue. The students have to be taught in the language they can understand. My daughter who is fluent in both Malay and English did well in math and science regardless of the medium of instruction. She was not affected much during the switch of medium of instruction from Malay to English and vice versa. However, my son who is not very fluent in English was badly affected by the switch and needed extra help in both subjects.

Dear Francesca, dear all, thanks for feedback.  @Francesca, I agree that no language should be more important than another.  Here it's not about importance, but about adjusting to our complex environment.  In a multi ethnic country like mine, it's very often that we need to understand and speak at least some of other languages.  I grew up in Penang, where Malays could speak the Chinese dialect; so I was greatly motivated to learn Malay and some Tamil.  Thanks dear Francesca for the video, it's really inspiring; and for info about Esperanto.  I have found out more about Esperanto:)

Thanks to Nor Ashikin, for your sharing as a mum.  I think a lot depends on the CHILD and also on particular teacher who teaches the subject.

'The main activity in a constructivist classroom is solving problems. Students use inquiry methods to ask questions, investigate a topic, and use a variety of resources to find solutions and answers. As students explore the topic, they draw conclusions, and, as exploration continues, they revisit those conclusions. Exploration of questions leads to more questions.'

http://www.ucdoer.ie/index.php/Education_Theory/Constructivism_and_Social_Constructivism_in_the_Classroom

In India, we are now having a new issue on language teachings. Some schools have Three languages ie.,

First language - Medium of Education (Science, Maths and Social)

Second language - Native or Mother tongue (Tamil / Hindi / Telugu / Malayalam etc.,)

Third Language - Sanskrit / French / German / Japanese / Chinese etc.,

Not all schools have Third language, but many prominent ones do have.

Third language: Govt asks KVs (Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan ) to not replace Sanskrit with German - Following a litigation by the Sanskrit Shikshak Sangh against alleged “replacement” of Sanskrit with foreign languages in Kendriya Vidyalayas, the HRD Ministry has asked the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan to reconsider its decision. The KV schools will now not offer foreign languages as third language

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/third-language-govt-asks-kvs-to-not-replace-sanskrit-with-german/

Dear @Miranda, absolutely, the students learn the sciences better if these subjects are first taught in the mother tongue! No doubt! Sorry for the late response! 

Thanks for your views.  Dear @Umachandran, normally we use first language to refer to mother tongue, and second language here is English.  (So TESL is Test of English as second language.)  Here, we can learn a third language like French, in some places, but it's expensive.

Dear Prof Ljubomir, so at what age do Serbian students learn science in English?  In Jordan, it's at varsity.  And they have no problem at all, as Prof Kamal said.

Dear @Miranda, in my country students learn science in their native language! Teaching science  in English is available for foreign students! Of course, Serbian students use many scientific literature in English and most of them know English very good!

Thanks Prof Ljubomir.  I understand now.  It will be people like you who study in US and Behrouz who studied in Canada, who study in English.  As Prof Kamal said 30% of his medical students go to US, to work.  Thanks to all of you!  I have added several additional parts to my literature review for 2 papers on Teaching and Learning Biology in English.  As some of you know, I re-phrase my paragraphs to avoid all kinds of plagiarism.  THANKS TO ALL  :)

Dear @Miranda, you are welcome always. I am very much convinced that you will avoid  all kinds of plagiarism! Good luck!

How about Hitchcock?

http://izquotes.com/quote/85780

Dear Prof Ljubomir, thanks for the link about Hitchcock.  I don't know him too well.  But since he died in 1980, he has escaped the effects of APA 6th edition, that mentions self plagiarism.  If he was a researcher, he could 'cut and paste' his Intro, Review and Methods sections, from previous papers into new papers :)  No rules then to say that it's wrong :)

Miranda, The sooner one learns a foreign language the better. He will master that language more if he gives a true use to it. The language science is taught first will not interfer on how the person will think his world in the future. Language is only vehicle to meaning. We can conclude that some feelings taught in a mother tongue may be hard to transfer from one language to another. Say, it is hard to say a love you in a foreign language. Same with cursing. People may repeat swear words in another language and feels ashamed to say those words in his own language. 

Vilemar, I agree that it's better if someone learns another language at an early age.  So in relation to this question, it's a boon to learn English as a child.  But I'm not sure that I agree with this: 'The language science is taught first will not interfere on how the person will think his world in the future. Language is only vehicle to meaning.'  How can a student construct meaning if s/he cannot understand the language well?  S/he may get many misconceptions!

Now this part is true: 'People may repeat swear words in another language and feels ashamed to say those words in his own language.'  Isn't it due to a good understanding of MEANING in own language that a person is ashamed to swear in his/her own language, whereas using words of another language, the seriousness of what is spoken/ sworn may not take much significance?

Dear Francesca, I just quote from Hussin Hejase.  It's a fact.

'Many researchers who do not teach in elite universities across the globe (as divided above) have hard times to enter the circle of the A-Journals although researched topics are highly more practical to 80% of the world communities versus the 5% of elite publications and read by less than 20% of the world communities!

What do you think?'

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Is_there_Research_Publishing_Divide

Dear Miranda,

I also agree with you that if a student manages a language he will be able to be learn science better. But this does not mean that any subject needs to be taught in the foreign language. As far as the person is proficient in a language he will be able to study any subject. As we are not here to make our ideas to be accepted over others and this questions is very intesting, please post some links which supports that idea and we can develop more of that concept and not depend on our personal experiences only.

Yes I agree with you Dr Miranda

Thanks dear @Vilemar.  I am happy for this: 'As we are not here to make our ideas to be accepted over others and this questions is very interesting, please post some links which supports that idea and we can develop more of that concept and not being based on our personal experiences only.'  If you observe on this thread from RG friends, most agree that it's efficient to use the first language or mother tongue to build understanding of concepts.  I also observe that from the links posted by Behrouz etc, there have been more papers supporting that.  Thanks.

Dear Francesca, although I'm a Malaysian, I prefer to keep quiet about many issues. On RG, I'm an ordinary researcher, not an expert on matters pertaining to Malaysia.  I understand your ideologies, but like Vilemar, I am not here to make 'our ideas to be accepted over others'.  I believe in FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE, and I don't have any right to go on and on about my own belief.  I wish all my friends well and wish them a great celebration of their festivals and holy days.  Generally I keep my research questions free from issues of religion.  To all of you who have contributed great feedback and support, my thanks.

Dear Miranda,

Trying to add to our good rewarding and pleasant discussion. (This idea is not written on stones) There is not a right age to teach one subject in a foreign language, According to what you expect from your students, you can teach them science at any age. They will soon develop the competency in order to learn with the language code they have. Or if you want to go deep into the science with your students, they will be required to be proficient in the foreign langauge from the start. I understand that science, or any subject, may make it easier to learn a new language because the focous will not be on the structure only but on the message. The other way around, thinking that subject will be better learned if they are taught in any other language, does not seem to be proved elsewhere.

I know that culture may interfer with science teaching a lot more than a language code. Or at a higher level, a community may have little resources students can use as a reference in their own mother tongue. 

I got some links you can see below. Not that I agree with them. But it can be of some help for your research. As we said before our goal is not to prove a point for us, but for the benefit of our community. I will read those links through too. This subject is of a high intest to me too.

http://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt/v6_issue2/kocakulah/

http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&context=teachlearnfacpub

http://www.uibk.ac.at/anglistik/staff/freeman/course-documents/diane_chaos_paper.pdf

https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/9901/1/shaffer.pdf

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED037702.pdf

http://www.academia.edu/7480021/CHALLENGES_OF_MOTHER_TONGUE_AS_A_MEDIUM_OF_INSTRUCTION_IN_SCHOOLS

I hope it helps. I will comment on them later too if I think my opion changes about it. 

Good luck on your study! I would like to see it when you conclude it. 

Thanks Vilemar, please see the 7th answer on page 1 of this thread, by @Umachandran.  It's our govt policy for science and maths to be learned in English (2003-2012) in schools.  In 2013, it reverted back to the native language for schools, but for matriculation colleges, it's still in English.  I focus on helping students to understand, I discourage learning like a parrot, but I encourage students to create strategies to recall.  This research question is tied up with my papers using music mnemonics.  I ask questions that benefit my research.  Thanks.

http://www.ejmste.com/v5n2/eurasia_v5n2_hudson.pdf

Conference Paper Musical Mnemonics to Facilitate Learning of Matriculation Bi...

I fully agree that students learn the sciences better if these subjects are first taught in the mother tongue.

Thanks dear friends, most of all for your links.  Prof Ljubomir, Behrouz and Vilemar, I have read the USEFUL LINKS from you all.  The question appears simple, but I'm always asking for EVIDENCES.  That's the way to go ahead when I haven't a grant.

@Vilemar, you can read the journal papers that I wrote in 2014 that are published.  When you compare them to the conference papers I wrote in 2013, you will see a great improvement, because of the papers from Prof Ljubomir, Patrick, Behrouz et al.  The literature review is improved, so is the discussion!  (@Vilemar, I attach one of the papers.)

Friends, RG is the place where we get USEFUL RESEARCH INFO, and please be generous to share useful info and papers.  Short comments and one-liners are good enough for FB, but not sufficient for poor researchers like me from developing countries.

Article Musical Mnemonics to Facilitate Learning of Protein Synthesi...

Adults can have a tough time learning a new language. Some opt for language immersion, in which the person spends all their time reading, listening to and speaking the new language. Now research reveals that immersion students do indeed learn the new language faster than students studying the language in a classroom situation—but immersion comes with a price.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/language-immersion-impedes-access-t-09-11-30/

Thanks @Umachandran, what we practiced when I was teaching in secondary school was a modified form of immersion.  We had English days.  On Monday and Tuesdays, all informal conversations were to be in English. With exceptions, of course. The normal curriculum is not affected.  But so far, my head of dept and I were not able to implement that in this college yet..  We tried last semester, but although our director supported us, someone came along to oppose this idea.  (Sorry, I was away from RG for some time.  But from last night and this morning's work, I completed a first draft of a new paper.)

Dear friends, today I have some good news for all concerned educators.  After decades since English was replaced by the national language, and with continued low performance in international exams like PISA 2009, 2012, the King (Sultan) of Johor, a southern state recommended that Malaysia should follow the example of our neighbor, Singapore, that continues to excel in its education.  Singapore was in top 5 positions for Reading, math and scientific literacy in PISA 2012, while Malaysia was in the bottom third of 65 countries.

Do you mean to say that the Sultan recommended that English be used?

Yes, I believe so.  But he's the king of one state only, while education is actually decided by the federal govt.  Still he's quite a powerful and caring Sultan.  He's the first to criticize GST that causes hardship to his people.  GST was imposed since 2015 04 01.

'KUALA LUMPUR, May 10 — The Johor government has announced plans to absorb RM3.19 million in Goods and Services Tax (GST) imposed on services provided by the local government, days after state ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar criticised the use of the taxation system for government services.' - See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/johor-to-absorb-rm3.19m-in-gst-for-services#sthash.CDmCElX5.dpuf

The use of mother tongue instruction is a measure of effective teaching of nursery school pupils and so the means of instruction is the recommended for the teaching of school subject at the elementary level.

https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=64&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDMQFjADODw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.interesjournals.org%2Ffull-articles%2Fmother-tongue-instruction-and-academic-achievement-of-pupils-in-nursery-schools.pdf%3Fview%3Dinline&ei=AHNVVemeNYTZU_7UgdAB&usg=AFQjCNGZeT_GvGn2t0dkXLNBquPMPuDgdA

Quite often, colleges use references/texts that are written in English, so while the instruction may be mainly in the mother tongue, some English is used. Graduate students in particular may be prepared to continue towards a Ph.D. overseas, and then, having studied the material in English will give them a head start.

Elementary school should be taught in the mother tongue that the parents of the children use at home. This is reasonable to do. It is very useful to also teach children a second and a third language. Children learn languages quickly.

I read a paper that English for Teaching Maths and Science (2003 - 2011 in Malaysia) failed mainly due to the teacher factor.  I'm quite inclined to agree, but it did not fail in every school.  Have a look at my review of Ian Kennedy's paper.  I have uploaded the paper by my countrymen, "Failure of ETeMS...".

IN WHICH COUNTRIES DID TEACHING SCIENCE IN ENGLISH, THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE, MEET WITH ASTOUNDING SUCCESS?

Conference Paper How can education through One Laptop Per Child empower schol...

Dear all, this morning, I had a message sent by my colleague on Whatsapp, that Math and science will switch back to being in English under the current MBMMBI (Uphold Malay, strengthen English).  The education minister who was also the deputy prime minister has changed.

Dear @Vilemar has mentioned this reference before : The effect of teaching in native and foreign language on students' conceptual understanding in science courses! 

Some of the conclusions of this research follow: "The results of the study indicate that there is a considerable difference between the two groups of students: those who studied the science course in the native language (Ss2) and those who studied in a foreign language (Ss1). Findings showed that Ss2 gave more scientifically acceptable answers to the questions than did Ss1. Besides, Ss1 had more difficulties in explaining the reasons for their answers; presumably because of the scientific language they used in their written explanations...

Teaching the main courses such as mathematics and science through a foreign language may lead to misconceptions in understanding. - Vigotsky...

New regulations about teaching the academic courses in native language will help students' conceptual understanding. For further studies, it is suggested to conduct research at English medium universities in different departments such as engineering and business administration, with a wide range of samples and to come up with different ideas."

https://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt/v6_issue2/kocakulah/

Thanks Ljubomir.  There was 1 study that Behrouz provided earlier.  Prophet and Dow found that 15 year olds in Botswana were able to understand science in English, but this was not so for younger children (13 years).