Language attitudes in Catalan multilingual classrooms: educational implications

Abstract

ABSTRACTCatalonia is the Autonomous Community of Spain with the highest proportion of immigrant students. This study analyses the language attitudes of Catalan, as well as the possible explanatory variables for such attitudes, for a large sample with a high proportion of immigrant students and a great linguistic diversity. A questionnaire was given to 1206 second- and fourth-year secondary school students from which linguistic attitudes were evaluated. The questionnaire also evaluated the socio-cultural level and socio-professional level of the students’ families, age on arrival and length of stay of the immigrant students in the host country. Results show that most attitudes are favourable, although the rate of neutral attitudes is significant in all groups. It is seen as necessary to work specifically with Spanish-speaking students within the immigrant group, as they showed less favourable attitudes towards Catalan than the rest. The language spoken at home was significant with regard to attitudes towards Catalan and Spanish, while the age on arrival and the length of stay were significant with regard to attitudes towards Catalan, English and the immigrants’ L1. These results allow for the potential implementation of educational interventions to improve the coexistence of these languages in school.