• The Conference
  • Home
  • Programme
  • Venue & directions
  • Organizing Committee
  • Scientific Committee
  • Exhibitors & sponsors
  • Satellite events
  • Conference Party
• Past & future
  • Previous symposia
  • Finland 2014
  • Spain 2016
• About FU Berlin
  • University homepage
  • Humanities at FU

Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 249

Part of Session 107: Minority and Majority Languages within State, Community and Family (Other abstracts in this session)

Parents’ perceptions on urban multilingual school practices

Authors: Ramaut, Griet (1); Sierens, Sven (2)
Submitted by: Ramaut, Griet (Centre for Language and Education, Belgium)

The linguistic capital of bilingual learners from immigrant minorities is denied in the educational system of the Flemish Region in Belgium. The dominant language ideology is monolingual (Dutch only). Languages spoken by low-status minority groups are undervalued and seen as an impediment to social integration and academic achievement. This ideology pervades everyday school policies and practices: L2 submersion is taken for granted as the normal language education paradigm. Some schools even ban the use of home languages from the school premises.

The ‘Home Language in Education’ project in the city of Ghent goes against the mainstream by trying out innovative strategies in dealing with multilingualism at school. It was set up in 2008 in four inner-city primary schools, mostly catering for children from Turkish immigrant families. A longitudinal study (2008-2012) is being conducted to evaluate the effects of the Home Language Project on the pupils’ language proficiency, their attitudes and motivation. As parents are a key factor in the success of the project, this study examines the views and attitudes of the parents.

In particular, the present paper focuses on the effects of the Home Language Project on the parents’ linguistic attitudes and practices. The outcomes of the base-line study (2009), in which 46 parents were interviewed individually, show that L1 is a dominant, persistent part of family dynamics.  Parents believe that L2 learning is the responsibility of the school and broadly accept the monolingual school paradigm. If parents consider L1 use and maintenance as important, they keep it outside the school’s interest. The follow-up study (2011-2012) investigates how the parents’ opinions on and expectations about multilingualism have been influenced by the multilingual school practices during the project and by their participation in the project. When analyzing parents’ attitudes, choices and actions, we will look at the broader social ecology, where monolingualism is still the norm, as well as at the micro level of the school and the family, where teachers and parents can become ‘agents of change‘ in dealing with multilingualism (Hélot & O Laoire 2011).