Ethnolinguistic diversity in Britain: Policies and practice in school and society

Abstract

Abstract The paper describes the efforts of three indigenous minority‐language communities in Britain (Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, and British Sign Language) to achieve mother‐tongue education. It argues that their experiences illustrate aspects of social structure in Britain that are overlooked in conventional class analysis. The reluctance of the UK in the past to cater for the linguistic and cultural needs of the indigenous minorities is linked to present difficulties in coping with the immigrant minorities and with the demand for EC languages in preparation for the Internal European Market of 1992. Assimilationist assumptions still underlie current policies and practice. Multilingualism is seen as a transitional phenomenon, and acculturation as the exchange of one culture for another rather than the acquisition of bicultural or bilingual identities and abilities. Ethnic diversity is presented as a problem, not as societal enrichment. The paper draws parallels between the teaching of the indigenous languag...