When it comes to school science, language can determine success

Learners who have access to tangible educational resources, such as books and computers at home, tend to perform better in science than those who do not. This has been proved by a great deal of international research. It is also true in South Africa, but our research has found that intangible factors also play a role in learners' science achievement. These factors include parental education levels, parental involvement in homework - and, crucially, home language, write Dr Andrea Juan and Mariette Visser.