Classroom Language Use in a Multilingual Community--the Indo-Fijians in Fiji 1

Abstract

This paper reports on language use patterns in eight primary schools in Fiji. It looks specifically at the schism between policy and practice in vernacular language use in the classroom for Indo-Fijians, who form nearly half of Fiji's population. Forty-eight Indo-Fijian children and their teachers were observed in multi- and mono-ethnic (Indo-Fijian) schools and in city, small town and rural schools. Indo-Fijians know Fiji Hindi as their mother tongue, English as the lingua franca and official language, learn Shudh Hindi/Urdu (SH/Urdu) at school and pick up Fijian from their neighbours and friends. SH/Urdu is the educationally acceptable mother tongue for use as the 'vernacular' language of instruction in the first 3 years of primary school. Indo-Fijians have limited proficiency in this language. The study looked at how each language was used in the classroom and for which functions as well as current student proficiencies in each language.