Abstract
The major rationale behind bilingual education is that native languages are resources that can be used to make learning accessible to all learners in bilingual contexts, and that also deserve to be developed for learners to be bilingually skillful for 21st century global competitiveness. While there exist different bilingual education models that have been used to serve bilinguals in different contexts, recent scholarship suggest that dynamic bilingual education is more approximate to achieving the goals of bilingual education. This article aimed at reviewing the various provisions that Nigeria, a typical multilingual society, has made to utilize and expand the linguistic resources that its linguistically diverse students bring to school. A critical analysis of its national language education policy and its implementation revealed that Nigeria has partially taken a resource-oriented approach to language by welcoming and recognizing the resourcefulness of native languages in fostering school learning. However, it has a systemic aim to transition students to all-English instruction. Developing and using students’ native languages for instruction last only at the lower primary school level and become optional afterwards. It was also found that what is spelt out in the nation’s language policy is far from what is implemented in schools. Such findings necessitate that the nation gives primacy to its rich linguistic resources, devise accountability measures for states and schools, and consider developing a comprehensive dynamic bilingual education policy that matches its linguistic realities. Keywords: language policy, multilingual societies, linguistic pluralism, dynamic bilingual education DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-5-03 Publication date: February 28 th 2021
Highlights
Multilingualism has characterized virtually all nations of the world
Language education policy planning could be complex in linguistic pluralistic countries such as Nigeria
Two paramount aspects of effective bilingual education that a multilingual society like Nigeria is to consider in the planning its language education policy include making education accessible to all learners through bilingual instruction that reflects the language practices they bring to school and developing their bilingual skills for global competitiveness (Crawford, 2004; Garcia, 2009; Jong, 2006)
Summary
Multilingualism has characterized virtually all nations of the world. Nigeria is a typical multilingual society with about 500 native languages are in existence in Nigeria, with English as the official language (Vanguard, 2010). In addition to the multiple languages and English used in Nigeria is an English-based Creole called Pidgin which has many speakers (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2003). These rich linguistic resources are valuable assets that should be preserved and allowed to expand, and a vehicle through which the potentials of the nationals could be driven to its fullness. Every meaningful educational endeavor starts with acknowledging linguistic and cultural resources that learners bring to school and aims at meeting the individual needs of learners (Crawford, 2004; Woodward, 2001). The school as a significant social institution determines whether bilinguals’ native languages are to be valued and maintained or lost (Johnson & Johnson, 2015)
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