A simple Shona tutoring venture that wasn’t so simple
When I started helping children with Shona around 2019, I have to be honest—I was anxious, but figured it couldn’t be too difficult. Just helping children with Shona in whatever way I imagined, right? But as I met more learners and worked with them, I quickly realised the problem wasn’t as simple as ‘teach the words and the grammar.’
You see, when we learn our first language as children, we’re immersed in it. We hear it, speak it, and live it before we even realise we’re ‘learning’ anything. And as that happens, even those around us don’t even realise they are teaching. But when you’re older and learning an additional language—especially when you can read and write as you learn—people mistakenly believe that studying it like math or science is enough. It isn’t. Languages live in conversation. You need to speak and hear them daily for them to stick.
I saw this first-hand: no matter how committed my students were to vocabulary lists and grammar exercises, something was missing. They weren’t using the language in their daily lives.
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Why Shona feels different for today’s kids
Growing up, my parents couldn’t sustain an English conversation for as little as five minutes. Shona was the air we breathed. But many Zimbabwean parents today—including my own generation—can easily have full conversations in English without switching once to Shona.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing for bilingualism, but it does mean many homes are no longer language-rich environments for Shona. And without that immersion, the language loses its natural place in a child’s life.
How I Tried to Bridge the Gap
I knew I couldn’t be in my learners’ homes making sure they spoke Shona, but I could bridge the gap in another way. I decided to create a digital library of beautiful children’s stories in both Shona and English—something learners could access anytime, anywhere.
After putting the collection together, I figured perhaps schools could use the same. I approached about eight top private schools. I thought they’d jump at the chance. The reality? My resource ‘wasn’t a priority.’ It seemed the general consensus was that schools couldn’t afford it—either financially or just to allocate time for its use. In one particular instance, I was told the school had no business exposing learners to digital resources, as that would burden parents with supervision.
I then produced four printed Shona titles, thinking that might help. Sadly, it didn’t change my luck.
Why Shona learning is so hard right now
These rejections opened my eyes to the wider challenges Shona faces.
- Shona often gets just one period a week in schools.
- Supplemental resources are extremely limited.
- Piracy discourages publishers from producing new Shona books.
- Writers have little incentive to create because the market is so small and poorly funded.
- Government spending on educational materials has changed significantly, leaving even fewer resources for non-core subjects.
These challenges don’t just affect language skills—they also weaken the bonds of heritage, identity, and cultural pride, along with the economic and social benefits that come from a strong sense of self and belonging. Societies that value their language and culture are better positioned to thrive in every aspect—economically, socially, and politically.
Champions Matter
When the institutions that once carried this responsibility are struggling, the duty falls to individuals. We need champions for Shona—people who keep the language alive, promote cultural pride, and fill the gaps left by schools and publishers.
Champions are not passive supporters; they are drivers of change. They create opportunities to use Shona, encourage others to speak it, and demonstrate its value. These champions can be parents, teachers, community leaders, or even older siblings.
Family Is the Heart of Learning
If schools aren’t stepping up, the strongest force for Shona learning lies at home. Children learn a language best when it’s part of everyday life—spoken at the dinner table, in bedtime stories, during games, and in conversations with grandparents.
Extended family members play a vital role here too. Storytelling, singing traditional songs, or even sharing proverbs in Shona builds a living connection to culture that no textbook can match.
Technology Can Help Too
While some schools resist digital learning, technology is one of the most powerful tools we have for keeping Shona relevant. Audio stories, mobile apps, and online communities make it possible for learners anywhere in the world to stay connected to the language.
That’s one of the reasons I created ZimbOriginal’s learning site – which includes the digital story library that supports the Shona learning program. Learning a language through stories exposes learners to much more vocabulary than drills and flashcards could ever achieve, without waiting for a weekly lesson at school. By using these resources, families can reinforce learning at home naturally, without pressure, while still fostering pride and fluency in the language.
Changing How We See Shona
One of the biggest challenges isn’t just time or resources—it’s attitude. In many communities, English is seen as the language of success, while Shona is viewed as inferior or even inadequate. But if we do not use it, how does it become better? Through its use, we make it better—not anyone else.
Negative perceptions lead learners and parents to see Shona as less valuable, resulting in less practice and more language loss over time. Changing this mindset is as important as teaching the language itself.
We All Have a Role to Play
Shona won’t survive on school timetables alone. It needs to live in homes, communities, and hearts. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or simply someone who loves the language, you have the power to keep it alive.
We all have a part to play—by speaking Shona daily, encouraging its use in meaningful ways, and passing on its stories and wisdom to the next generation.
And if you’re looking for a way to start, explore the stories and resources we’ve created at Zimboriginal. Because every conversation, every story, and every champion counts in keeping Shona strong.