English Major – Language Programs and Policies in Multilingual Societies

LANGUAGE PLANNING b. Deciding who will teach these languages and

ensuring there are enough qualified teachers.
➢ Language planning refers to the organized efforts—
c. Determining which students will receive language
through ideas, laws, or regulations (collectively called
education and how they are selected.
language policy)—to deliberately influence how
d. Selecting the teaching methods to be used.
languages are used in one or more communities.
e. Establishing how student language skills will be
➢ This can mean encouraging a change in language use
assessed.
or working to prevent changes from occurring.
f. Figuring out the financial and logistical support
➢ Essentially, language planning is about intentional,
needed for language programs.
future-focused changes in language systems or how
3. Quasi or Non-Governmental Organizations: Groups
people speak in society.
like churches or multinational companies also influence
➢ While governments are the most visible actors in
language use by promoting certain languages in their
language planning, many smaller-scale efforts also
activities.
happen in various social settings for different goals.
4. Other Organizations and Individuals: Some bodies
➢ At its core, language planning is anyone’s attempt to
may influence language use unintentionally, as a
modify how a community uses language for a particular
byproduct of their primary goals—for example, the
purpose.
International Olympic Committee deciding which
Key Actors in Language Planning languages are used in international events.

1. Government Agencies: Governments play a crucial Goals of Language Planning

role in setting language policies and making decisions at
1. Language Purification: This goal focuses on keeping a
both the official policy level and within bureaucratic
language “pure” and consistent. It has two aspects:
systems.
a. External Purification: Efforts to protect the
2. Education Agencies: Schools and educational
language from outside influences, reducing
authorities make many important language-related
foreign words and usages.
decisions, including:
b. Internal Purification: Enforcing strict rules about
a. Choosing which language(s) will be part of the
what counts as correct usage within the language
curriculum.
itself.
1
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English Major – Language Programs and Policies in Multilingual Societies
2. Language Revival: This involves efforts to bring back WEAK FORMS OF EDUCATION FOR BILINGUALISM
or strengthen languages that are endangered or extinct:
a. Language Restoration: Reviving a language that
has died out completely (e.g., Hebrew).
b. Language Revitalization: Strengthening and
energizing a language still in limited use but at
risk.
c. Language Reversal: Reversing negative trends
by increasing the use of a language that may not
be endangered but was losing ground.
3. Language Reform: Making quick changes to a
language’s writing system, spelling, vocabulary, or
grammar to make it easier to use or learn.
4. Language Standardization: Developing a single,
uniform version of a language, often linked to nation-
building, supported by tools like grammar books and
dictionaries.
5. Language Spread: Efforts to increase the number of
speakers of a language, which sometimes causes a shift 1. Submersion Education (Rapid Majority Language
away from other languages. Learning without Support): In submersion education,
6. Language Maintenance: Protecting languages from students who speak a minority or different language are
dying out or changing too much. This applies both to placed directly into mainstream classrooms where the
endangered minority languages and dominant majority language is used. They are expected to quickly
languages that may drift away from their standardized pick up the dominant language by immersion, often with
form. little or no support in their native language. This method
can be challenging because students may struggle to
understand lessons while adjusting to the new language
environment.
2
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English Major – Language Programs and Policies in Multilingual Societies
2. Segregationist Education (Minority Language Only exclusively in the minority language. Often organized by
to Maintain Separation): Segregationist education the minority community itself, this education model
involves providing schooling exclusively in the minority seeks to protect its language and cultural identity by
language, but this approach is often imposed by those isolating itself from the dominant majority’s language
in power to keep minority groups separate and and culture, supporting monolingualism and
subordinate. It restricts minority students from learning monoculturalism within the minority group.
the majority language and tends to reinforce social
STRONG FORMS OF EDUCATION FOR BILINGUALISM
divisions and unequal status.
3. Transitional Bilingual Education (Moving from Home
Language to Majority Language): This approach uses
bilingual education with the goal of helping students shift
from their home or minority language to the dominant
majority language. Over time, the use of the home
language in the classroom decreases while the majority
language becomes more prominent, aiming for full
assimilation of students into the majority language
group.
4. Mainstream Education with Foreign Language
Teaching (FLT): In this model, students learn a foreign
language as just another subject within the regular
1. Immersion Bilingual Education: Building Strong
curriculum—like math or history—rather than through
Skills in Both Languages: This type of bilingual
immersion or bilingual teaching. Languages such as
education aims for students to become fluent in a
French, German, or Spanish are introduced gradually
second (target) language while maintaining their original
and treated mainly as academic subjects, not as means
mother tongue. The goal is for students to learn to
of communication.
speak, read, and write effectively in the new language
5. Separatist Education (Promoting Minority Language
without sacrificing their skills or achievements in their
and Culture Exclusively): Separatist education aims to
native language.
keep the minority language and culture alive by teaching
3
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English Major – Language Programs and Policies in Multilingual Societies
2. Developmental Maintenance and Heritage Language involves analyzing factors such as the learners’ current
Bilingual Education (Preserving and Growing Both language skills, their mother tongue(s), the languages
Languages): This approach is designed for children used in the community and workplace, and the purposes
from language minority backgrounds to use their native for learning the language (e.g., education, employment,
or heritage language as a primary means of instruction cultural preservation). Understanding these needs helps
at school, alongside the majority language. The goal is ensure the program is relevant and effective.
true bilingualism, where the minority language is actively 2. Goals and objectives: After understanding the
maintained and developed while students also gain language needs, the next step is to establish what the
proficiency in the majority language. program aims to achieve. Goals are broad statements
3. Dual Language Bilingual Education (Equal Use of about desired outcomes, such as promoting bilingualism
Two Languages in One Classroom): In dual language or improving literacy. Objectives are specific,
programs, classrooms consist of roughly equal numbers measurable targets, like students being able to hold a
of students from minority and majority language basic conversation in the target language or pass a
backgrounds. Both languages are used equally as proficiency test by the end of the course. Clear goals and
mediums of instruction, supporting balanced objectives guide curriculum design and assessment.
bilingualism and cultural exchange between the groups. 3. Develop curriculum and syllabus: The curriculum
4. 4. Bilingual Education in Majority Languages outlines the overall framework and content to be taught,
(Teaching in Two Widely Spoken Languages): This including language skills (listening, speaking, reading,
form of bilingual education happens in communities writing), cultural knowledge, and language functions.
where two majority languages coexist widely, and many The syllabus breaks down the curriculum into detailed
people are already bilingual or multilingual. Schools use units or topics, specifying the sequence and scope of
both major languages as teaching media, reflecting the lessons. This ensures structured and progressive
community’s multilingual reality. learning tailored to meet the goals and objectives.
4. Materials and resources: Effective language programs
DESGINING AND DEVELOPING A LANGUAGE PROGRAM
require appropriate materials such as textbooks, audio-
1. Understanding language needs: Before creating a visual aids, digital resources, and real-life
language program, it’s crucial to assess the linguistic communication tools. These materials should be
needs of the target learners and community. This culturally relevant, age-appropriate, and aligned with the
4
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English Major – Language Programs and Policies in Multilingual Societies
curriculum. Sometimes, new materials need to be
developed to fit specific language varieties or learner
contexts.
5. Design and develop lesson plans: Lesson plans
specify the activities, teaching methods, and timing for
individual classes. They include objectives for each
lesson, exercises, interaction formats, and assessment
methods. Good lesson plans are flexible and engaging,
ensuring that each session builds on prior learning and
keeps students motivated.
6. Test and evaluate the program: Evaluation involves
both formative (ongoing) and summative (final)
assessments to check if learners are meeting the
program objectives. It also includes gathering feedback
from students, teachers, and stakeholders about the
program’s content, delivery, and outcomes. Testing
helps identify strengths and weaknesses in both learner
performance and the program itself.
7. Revise and refine: Language programs should not be
static. Using evaluation data and feedback, developers
revise the curriculum, materials, and teaching methods
to better address learners’ needs and overcome
challenges. This continuous improvement process
ensures the program stays effective, relevant, and
responsive to changing language and community
dynamics.

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someone to access it, please contact us immediately. Sharing educational resources is encouraged, but profiting from free content is not. Thank you for your honesty and support!)