The relationship between languages practices, language policy and educational practices is dialogical, and connects with language ideologies at different levels in society. As the extent to which home languages (also called... [ view full abstract ]
The relationship between languages practices, language policy and educational practices is dialogical, and connects with language ideologies at different levels in society. As the extent to which home languages (also called heritage or community languages) are regarded as a resource varies considerably around the world, so do approaches to language policy and educational practices surrounding them. This colloquium will present and discuss perspectives from three different countries on policies and practices concerning home languages. Insights from these studies contribute to more robust models of support for non-mainstream languages.
In Sweden, language education policies give recently arrived students the right to Multilingual Study Guidance (MSG) in the compulsory and upper-secondary school. MSG is a form of educational support where tutors use languages that students understand to work through subject matter in Swedish. The first presentation shows how translanguaging during MSG helps recently arrived students reach the learning goals of subjects in the Swedish curriculum.
The next presentation places the spotlight on New Zealand, a nation that does not have a comprehensive language policy. While there is legislation in place to protect te reo Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand, and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), the first language of hearing impaired New Zealanders, there are no policies relating to the community languages spoken by migrants. A case will be made for supporting and protecting these languages at the institutional level based on recent research into the language attitudes of young New Zealanders. Findings suggest a link between languages attitudes and the degree of official status afforded to individual languages.
The final presentation highlights the case of language policy in Singapore where affirmative policy measures for facilitating non-mainstream Indian community languages (Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu) have been in place since the early 1990s. Notwithstanding this, community school enrolment data indicate that language-in-education choices among the more recent Indian immigrants are based on assessments of socio-economic advantages rather than notions of familial identity and ethnic culture. The presentation proposes a more balanced second language education model that meets the expectations of settled populations as well as the needs of immigrant communities.
