Alsatian versus Standard German: Regional Language Bilingual Primary Education in Alsace

Autor/in	Harrison, Michelle Anne
Titel	Alsatian versus Standard German: Regional Language Bilingual Primary Education in Alsace
Quelle	In: Multilingua: Journal of Cross-Cultural and Interlanguage Communication, 35 (2016) 3, S.277-303 (27 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0167-8507
DOI	10.1515/multi-2014-0046
Schlagwörter	German; Language Variation; Bilingual Education; Elementary School Students; Geographic Regions; Language of Instruction; Educational Policy; Classroom Techniques; Language Usage; Dialects; Language Attitudes; Standard Spoken Usage; Parent Attitudes; Family Environment; Language Maintenance; Geographic Location; Foreign Countries; France + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Deutscher; Sprachenvielfalt; Bilingual teaching; Bilingualer Unterricht; Teaching language; Unterrichtssprache; Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Klassenführung; Sprachgebrauch; Dialect; Dialekt; Sprachverhalten; Gesprochene Sprache; Umgangssprache; Elternverhalten; Familienmilieu; Sprachpflege; Ausland; Frankreich
Abstract	This article examines the current situation of regional language bilingual primary education in Alsace and contends that the regional language presents a special case in the context of France. The language comprises two varieties: Alsatian, which traditionally has been widely spoken, and Standard German, used as the language of reference and writing. The advantages of learning Standard German have been highlighted by language-in-education policy-makers: as well as being the written form of the regional language, German is promoted as the most widely spoken language in the European Union, the language of neighbouring countries, an asset in the search for employment and an aid to learning another powerful language in our increasingly globalized world, namely English. Nevertheless, Alsatian can be, and in some cases is being, employed in the classroom, although it remains in a minority position in comparison to Standard German. Based on original research undertaken in the region, the article aims to explore current classroom practices, which are sometimes found to be incongruous with official language-in-education policy. It analyses the language attitudes of parents and considers the effect of these attitudes on the promotion of Alsatian and Standard German. Practices and attitudes in city and small town locations are compared to evaluate the influence of urban and peri-urban settings. As the transmission of Alsatian is no longer guaranteed in the home, the article investigates whether the school can promote this traditional, non-standardized regional variety alongside the dominant standard languages, and whether parents wish for this to happen. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01