Bilingualism, Immersion Programmes and Language Learning in the Basque Country

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide information concerning the educational system in the Basque Country, as the literature currently available in foreign languages regarding this subject is scant. The Basque language coexists with Spanish in the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC), the former being the majority language and the latter the minority one. This paper gives a brief insight into the Basque Country and the Basque language (number of speakers and actual use of the minority language) and the reverse language shift efforts made to date, before focusing on its main theme, that of immersion programmes. The linguistic and non-linguistic results obtained so far will be analysed, as well as compared with those of the Spanish educational system. The conclusion reached is that the effects of bilingualism and immersion programmes are clearly beneficial in the Basque context. However, it should be borne in mind that these immersion programmes are seen as a necessary step towards multilingualism at school, a parental demand with which the Basque educational system intends to deal.