Consolidating Commonalities in Language and Literacy to Inform Policy

2015 ◽  
pp. 393-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patriann Smith ◽  
Alex Kumi-Yeboah
Keyword(s):  
Policy Development ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Language Planning ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Language Planning And Policy ◽  
Majority World ◽  
World Nation ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
The Impact

This chapter demonstrates how literacy and language planning and policy (LPP) research may be consolidated to inform recommendations for local language policy development and pedagogical literacy instruction in the English-speaking Caribbean region. To achieve this goal, we first identify patterns in literacy research across countries and contexts in the English-speaking Caribbean region, noting assumptions underlying the literature. We then discuss the ways in which language use evolved in one of these English-speaking Caribbean countries, noting the impact of historical and global forces. In presenting St. Lucia as a critical case where Language Planning and Policy (LPP) research, and particularly, the ways in which the historical epochs in which this research has been undertaken influenced the evolution of language use in the country, we identify strategic, epistemological and macro sociopolitical insights emanating from our discussions of language use in this Majority World nation.

scholarly journals Educational Reforms and Language Planning Quandary in Algeria: An Illustration with Arabization

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-47
Author(s):  
Ikhlas Gherzouli
Keyword(s):  
Language Policy ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Language Planning ◽  
Educational Reforms ◽  
Language Planning And Policy ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Government ◽  
Policy And Planning ◽  
The Impact

Summary The paper aims to present a critical review of language policy development in Algeria since its independence (1962) to present time. It takes the policy of Arabization, an important turning point in Algerian history that was troubled with serious problems, as an example of language planning in the country. Data was gathered from policy documents, laws, and newspaper articles. It was then coded into themes before it was analysed employing a documentary research method. To provide a methodical discussion, the first part of the paper explores language policy and planning in Algeria. The second part discusses the impact of Arabization on the country’s current state of policy development in light of the debates over the national educational reforms of 2003. The third part highlights the quandary that language planners face during the processes of language planning and policy making. Lastly, the paper concludes with an evaluation of the process of language policy development in the country. The paper argues that in order to foster sustainable multilingualism and achieve effective educational reforms, a keener recognition of Algerian linguistic diversity by the government is imperative.

Water policy development and governance in the Caribbean: an overview of regional progress

Water Policy ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian C. Cashman
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Colonial Era ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Institutional Status ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Increasing Demand ◽  
Management Institutions

Water management institutions and arrangements in many Caribbean states have not, until recently, altered substantially for some sixty years with the current arrangements reflecting the predominant governance paradigm of a transitional colonial era. This is most obvious in the continuance of a sectoral approach to what might be referred to as the business of government. This, however, is beginning to change such that the water sector in the Caribbean region exhibits varying stages of institutional re-ordering as it seeks to respond to challenges of increasing demand on and for water. This paper reviews the institutional status of water management and water policy developments in the Caribbean through examples from fifteen English-speaking Caribbean states. The trends and influences that are contributing to policy change and governance responses are examined and critiqued, in order to explore where and what potential tensions the re-ordering might give rise to.

Bottom-up multilingualism in Singapore: Code choice on shop signs

English Today ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 8-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guowen Shang ◽  
Shouhui Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Language Use ◽  
Language Planning ◽  
Policy Study ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Language Planning And Policy ◽  
Code Choice ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
The Government ◽  
Paternalistic Attitude

Characterized by a politically censorious and highly regulated society, Singapore is widely considered to be one of the most sophisticated authoritarian systems in history (Lee, 2005). As in many other public and private domains, the government, well known for its paternalistic attitude (Schiffman, 2003), usually practices an active interventional policy on linguistic life, which is extensively explored in language planning and policy study. However, in a few areas where less official intervention is exercised, the linguistic reality has received relatively scant attention. This study sets out to examine to what extent grassroots individuals can use shop signs to express their personal inclinations regarding language use, which may partly demonstrate the virtual vitality of various languages in the multilingual society.

If all Business Education Were in English, Would it Matter?

2011 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 111-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Business Education ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Business Practice ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Content Learning ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Increasingly, English is becoming the dominant language of business education. The reasons are well known: internationalization, globalization, and the desire to prepare students for the business environment in the coming decades. This paper speculates about the impact of English-medium instruction in business education on the nature of English proficiency, the nature of the content learned, and the perspective for business practice. Firstly, students can learn content effectively through a foreign language, and have been doing so for centuries. However, with English-medium instruction in a non-English-speaking environment, the growth in language competences in English may rather lie in specific skills, with the acceptance of ‘fossilized’ language use, reduced accuracy and less nuanced communication, even if CLIL approaches are adopted. Secondly, regarding the impact on content learning, it is possible that the learning itself may be relatively unaffected, but if both students and staff have a less accurate and less nuanced competence in English, the expressive competences may be affected. Thirdly, a language imposes its own perspectives on the world. Business education through the medium of English may engender an English filter on students’ perspectives on business practices and communication. This paper suggests that this matters.

'It will be funny [to speak Hindi]': Travelling Englishes and perceptions about learning migrant languages in Qatar

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-200
Author(s):  
Sara Hillman
Keyword(s):  
National Identity ◽  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Language Planning ◽  
The West ◽  
Language Planning And Policy ◽  
The Impact

Abstract 'Travelling' Englishes and neo-liberal ideologies and policies to Qatar have implications for perceptions towards languages other than English, in particular Qatar's migrant languages. The current spotlight on the West and English in Qatar, often viewed in juxtaposition to Arabic, and in competition with it, has led to other languages that play an important role in the society and are part of the linguistic ecology of the region, being ignored. While the capital, status and position of these languages is variable, Qatar has chosen to favour English, leaving multilingualism and linguistic diversity off the agenda. This study examines Qatari students' perceptions about learning migrant languages in Qatar vis-à-vis English and looks at how the mobility of Englishes has in some ways generated further inequalities in Qatar, especially regarding knowledge and appreciation of its migrant languages. Important implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the interface of the impact of travelling Englishes with Qatar's growing linguistic diversity and trajectories related to language planning and policy, as well as Qatar's national identity and visions.

scholarly journals Variable impact of Malaysia's national language planning on non-Malay speakers in Sarawak

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 381-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su-Hie Ting
Keyword(s):  
Language Policy ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Language Planning ◽  
Compulsory Education ◽  
National Language ◽  
English Usage ◽  
International Standing ◽  
National Language Policy ◽  
The Impact

The study examined the impact of the national language policy on the language use of three main ethnic groups in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. The data analyzed was based on a sociolinguistic survey on language use in six domains that involved 937 Malay, Chinese and Iban adolescents from three major towns in Sarawak. The results showed that the use of Bahasa Malaysia exceeded English usage for all three ethnic groups, showing the success of compulsory education in the national language. However, the language planning has greater impact on the Iban than on the Chinese who are shifting away from the ethnic languages of the Chinese sub-groups to Mandarin Chinese. The availability of an alternative standard language with international standing which also functions as a symbol of cultural solidarity compromises the impact of the national language policy.

Language Planning and Policy Development for Court Interpretation Services in the United States

1986 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Schweda Nicholson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Language Planning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Language Planning And Policy ◽  
El Sistema

RESUMO Lingvo-planado kaj evoluigo de politiko por kortuminterpretaj servoj en Usono Ene de la ĝenerala tereno de lingvo-planado kaj politiko-evoluigo, lastatempe okazis akcelo en organizitaj klopodoj liveri altkvalitajn kortuminterpretajn servojn al neparo-lantoj de la angla lingvo, kiuj havas kontakton kun la usona kortuma sistemo. La nuna artikolo resumas la historion de federaciaj leĝoj, kiuj koncernas utiligon de in-terpretistoj, kun speciala atento al la plej lasta federacia leĝa preskribo, la Lego pri Kortumaj Interpretistoj de 1978 (Publika Lego 95-539). Ĝi ankaǔ detale esploras la Rajtigekzamenon por Hispanaj/Anglaj Interpretistoj en Federaciaj Kortumoj, kiun elformulis la Administra Fako de la Usonaj Kortumoj. Je la stata nivelo, oni ankau pridiskutas kelkajn problemojn pri la selekto de kortuminterpretistoj en la juraj sistemoj de Kalifornio kaj Novjorko. Krome, oni priskribas lastatempajn klopodojn evoluigi koheran kaj inkluzivan politikon pri utiligo de interpretistoj en la Distrikto Kolumbio kaj la Ŝtato Nov-Ĵerzeo. Fine, estas prezentataj kelkaj ĝeneralaj proponoj por plibonigi la mezan kvaliton de interpretaj servoj en kortumaj procedoj. SUMARIO Planeamiento del lenguaje y politica a desarrollar para los servicios de interpretation en la corte de los Estados Unidos Dentro del amplio campo de acción para el planeamiento del lenguaje y la politica de desarrollo, se han organizado y recientemente acelerado esfuerzos para proveer de alta calidad a los servicios de interpretación de la corte, para personas que no hablan el inglés y que entran en contacto con el sistema judicial americano. Este articulo sigue la historia de las leyes federales referentes al uso de interpretes; destacando la mas re-ciente provisión del estatuto federal: el acto de intérpretes de la corte en 1978 (ley publica 95-539). Tambien explora en detalle el exámen elaborado por la oficina administrativa de la corte de los E.U. para obtener el certificado de interprete de la corte federal en espanol/-inglés. A nivel estatal se discuten varios problemas respecto a la selección de los intérpretes de la corte dentro del sistema legal de California y Nueva York. Además se describen los esfuerzos recientes para elaborar una politica coherente y amplia para uso de los interpretes en los distritos de Columbia y Nueva Jersey. Final-mente el articulo delinea algunas propuestas generales para el mejoramiento de la calidad de los servicios de interpretación en los procedimientos judiciales.

Evaluations in the English-Speaking Commonwealth Caribbean Region: Lessons From the Field

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-276
Author(s):  
Nadini Persaud ◽  
Ruby Dagher
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Quality Of Data ◽  
Program Evaluations ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Commonwealth Caribbean ◽  
Limited Culture ◽  
The Impact

This article shares lessons from the field with program evaluations in the English-Speaking Commonwealth Caribbean (ESCC) region. The research highlighted that the challenges faced by evaluators working in the ESCC are quite similar to those experienced by evaluators elsewhere. However, the findings note the impact of the region’s colonial past and the developing–developed nexus on the ESCC people’s sense of pride and their desire to demonstrate the level of their expertise and its equivalence to the expertise associated with people in North America and Europe. These factors seem to contribute to an important undertone for evaluations in the region and for the challenges that evaluators face, including the limited culture of evaluation as well as the availability and quality of data.

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