Power, Prestige and Bilingualism International Perspectives on Elite Bilingual Education

by Mejia, Anne-Marie de

• ISBN13: 9781853595905
• ISBN10: 185359590X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-07-22
• Publisher: Multilingual Matters

Summary

This book describes a particular type of educational provision referred to as ‘elite’ or ‘prestigious’ bilingual education, which caters mainly for upwardly mobile, highly educated, higher socio-economic status learners of two or more internationally useful languages. The development of different types of elite bilingual or multilingual educational provision is discussed and an argument is made for the need to study bilingual education in majority as well as in minority contexts.

Author Biography

Anne-Marie de Mejía works in the Linguistics Department of the School of Language Sciences at Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia where she is currently co-ordinator of the Bilingualism Research Group. She obtained her Ph.D in Linguistics from Lancaster University (U.K.) in 1994. Her research interests include bilingual classroom interaction, the construction of bilingual curricula and processes of empowerment, and bilingual teacher development.

Table of Contents

Foreword	viii
Introduction	x
Acknowledgements	xiii
Part 1 General Perspectives and Issues
Elite Bilingualism as a World-wide Phenomenon	3	(29)
Globalism, Localism, Internationalism and Multilingualism	3	(2)
Educational Responses	5	(1)
Finishing Schools	6	(2)
Language Schools	8	(6)
International Schools	14	(8)
European Schools	22	(4)
Canadian Immersion Programmes	26	(4)
Conclusion	30	(2)
Definitions and Distinctions	32	(19)
Introduction	32	(4)
Language as Symbolic Capital	36	(1)
Diglossia and Triglossia in Relation to Bilingualism	37	(2)
Additive, Elite and Prestigious Bilingualism	39	(4)
Transitional, Maintenance and Enrichment Bilingual Education	43	(2)
Language Intensification and Bilingual Education Programmes	45	(1)
First Language, Second Language, Foreign Language, Other Language	46	(1)
Dominant Language, Majority Language, World Language, International Language	47	(2)
Conclusion	49	(2)
Elite Bilingualism as a Sociocultural Phenomenon	51	(24)
Introduction	51	(1)
Definitions and Understandings	52	(4)
Intercultural Marriage	56	(9)
Culture and Education	65	(3)
Culture and Business	68	(5)
Conclusion	73	(2)
Teaching and Learning in Elite Bilingual Classrooms	75	(27)
Introduction	75	(1)
Classroom Language Use	76	(3)
Relationship Between Content and Language	79	(4)
Cultural Considerations	83	(2)
Particular Instances	85	(15)
Conclusion	100	(2)
Relationships and Participants in Elite Bilingual Educational Processes	102	(22)
Introduction	102	(1)
Parents	103	(11)
School Administrators	114	(3)
Teachers	117	(3)
Students	120	(3)
Conclusion	123	(1)
Research Traditions and Trends, Partnerships and Empowerment in Elite Bilingual Educational Contexts	124	(17)
Introduction	124	(1)
Research Traditions	124	(5)
An Experiment in Empowerment: The Case of Gimnasio la Colina, Cali, Colombia	129	(9)
Conclusion	138	(3)
Part 2 Overview of Elite Bilingual Provision in Specific Contexts of Implementation
Africa: Multilingualism, Vernaculars, Intra-and International Languages	141	(17)
Introduction	141	(1)
Morocco	141	(9)
Tanzania	150	(7)
Conclusion	157	(1)
South America: From Provision for Expatriates to Bilingual Education for Host Country Nationals	158	(25)
Introduction	158	(1)
Brazil	159	(6)
Argentina	165	(8)
Colombia	173	(8)
Conclusion	181	(2)
Asia: 'Languages of the Head and Languages of the Heart'	183	(26)
Introduction	183	(1)
Japan	184	(8)
Hong Kong	192	(8)
Brunei Darussalam	200	(7)
Conclusion	207	(2)
Europe: Prestige Languages and International Communication	209	(26)
Introduction	209	(1)
Finland	210	(8)
Sweden	218	(3)
Belgium	221	(5)
Catalonia	226	(7)
Conclusion	233	(2)
Oceania: Immersion in Languages Other than English	235	(11)
Introduction	235	(1)
Australia	235	(9)
Conclusion	244	(2)
The Discourse of Elite Bilingual Education: A Critical Analysis	246	(18)
Introduction	246	(1)
An Analysis of Selected Extracts Taken from the Advertising of Elite Bilingual Educational Programmes	247	(7)
Implications for School Policy and Practice	254	(1)
An Analysis of the Inaugural Address by The Bruneian Minister of Education to the 'Bilingualism and National Development Conference', Brunei, 1991	255	(7)
Conclusion	262	(2)
Common Problem Areas in the Practice of Bilingual Pedagogy in Elite Educational Contexts	264	(30)
Introduction	264	(1)
Teacher Perceptions on Bilingual Classroom Practice	264	(2)
Motivation and Opportunities to use Foreign or Other Languages	266	(4)
Student Language Proficiency Level	270	(5)
Development of Biliteracy	275	(2)
Language and Content	277	(4)
Language and Culture	281	(2)
Child and Adolescent Development	283	(3)
Parental Involvement	286	(2)
Material and Human Resources	288	(4)
Conclusions	292	(2)
Conclusions and Future Perspectives on Practice and Research in Elite Bilingual Education	294	(10)
Introduction	294	(1)
Dominant Themes and Issues	294	(3)
Further Lines of Enquiry	297	(3)
Recommendations for Effective Policy and Practice	300	(2)
Final Comments	302	(2)
References	304	(15)
Index	319