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Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 1287

Part of General Paper Session (Other abstracts in this session)

Investigating bilingualism / multilingualism in immigrant families in Cyprus

Authors: Kontouli, Demetra; Kleanthous, Antreas; Pitrakkou, Kristia
Submitted by: Kontouli, Demetra (University of Cyprus, Cyprus)

Public schools in Cyprus have been accommodating in the last years, large numbers of immigrant students, as a result of recent migration from countries from the middle east (e.g. Iraq) that have experienced recent warfare. The monolingual and “monoethnic” character of Cypriot schools is rapidly changing with students from varied linguistics, religious and ethnic background. However, on a policy level things appear more static, with state policies categorizing all these students in the broad category of”foreing-speaking” students, reinforcing a static and bipolar dichotomy between “us/native speaker” and “others/non-Greek speakers”. Studies in the area of multilingual and multicultural education have indicated that this kind of classification, based on linguistic and cultural difference, often includes and creates political consequences: linguistic difference is recognized as language deficit, usually leading to the  development of policies of cultural assimilation or exclusion (Baker 2001).

Within this context, the current study investigates immigrant Arab-speaking families living in Cyprus. The main objective is to investigate their experiences as immigrant parents and students, residing in urban centres with strict monolingual educational policies and experiencing the legitimized institutional discourse of “one language-one culture” promoted in public education in Cyprus. More particularly, the paper explores, through their narratives,  the families’ experiences in relation to : first, their transition in Cyprus and their adjustement in the social life in the host country. Second, their contact with the educational system of Cyprus and the various language and educational policies they encountered.  Thirdly, through their experiences the paper seeks to map down the attitides and values they developed as bilingual/multilinguals in monolinguals public schools.  The methodology adopted was case study research, focusing on four Arab-speaking families. The main data collection techniques were focus group interviews with various members of the family, along with participant observation mainly from the domain of home and rich field notes on the surrounding environment of each family, the  literacy practices and the  everyday life.

Data analysis indicated that first, there was a strong rhetoric in all families on the difficulties they encountered for establishing a political refugee status; however they all portrayed in a positive manner their experiences with the educational system. Revealing was the fact  that  their main concern was not to preserve their bilingual or multilingual identities but  to acquire and become academically competent in the dominant language, mostly as a means for surviving and succeeding in the host society (e.g . Cypriot community integration, vocational rehabilitation, access to higher education etc.). As regard to their language competence, it was indicated that  in a variety of contexts and literacy practices, individual bilingualism was developed, especially in spoken language (listening, speaking). In contrast, learning skills in writing (reading and writing), which included the decoding of implicit meanings (critical literacy) presented difficulties, particularly in cases of older children.

References:

Baker, C (2001) Foundations of Bilingualism and Bilingual Education Athens: Gutenberg