Muslim Students Learning L2 and FL in Minority Primary Schools in Thrace: Relational Instances of Tri/Bilingualism

Maria Dimasi,Stella Theologou

doi:10.5539/jel.v8n6p150

Abstract

The Muslim minority in Thrace is a heterogeneous group of people regarding their cultural and linguistic identities. It consists of Muslims of Turkish origin who speak Turkish as their mother tongue, of Pomaks, who speak Pomak, and of Roma, who speak Romani. Their educational-linguistic situation is fraught with long-lasting problems, which are attributed to the inherent characteristics of &lsquo;Minority &Epsilon;ducation&rsquo;, a term used to describe a specific group of primary and secondary schools, situated exclusively in the area of Thrace, that operates under a special regime, as stipulated in legal instruments of international law and bilateral agreements, and can be attended only by Muslim minority children.  Extensive research over the years has shown that there are serious impediments in these students learning Greek as an L2, even after the implementation of the Project for Reform in the Education of Muslim Children (PEM) and the additional educational material that targeted this particular religious minority. The results show that most of these students do not achieve a language level of A2 in Greek and, thus, exhibit low school performance. Similar results have been recorded in research papers concerning learning English as a FL, which is a compulsory school subject, by Muslim minority students in both public and minority primary schools. These students also fail to achieve the foreign language attainment level set in the school curriculum.  The present paper seeks to outline the unchartered causes of this situation, delve into the language situation of Muslim students and suggest possible and viable solutions.

Highlights

Extensive research over the years has shown that there are serious impediments in these students learning Greek as an L2, even after the implementation of the Project for Reform in the Education of Muslim Children (PEM) and the additional educational material that targeted this particular religious minority
The terms bilingualism and trilingualism need to be clarified and redefined in relation to the different language groups that belong to the Muslim minority in Thrace and the extent of multilingualism encountered within this group
The teaching methodology and material used in minority and public schools should be reconsidered and re-designed in relation to the aforementioned issues of trilingualism and bilingualism Muslim students face and with respect to their mother tongues and cultural backgrounds

Summary

Definitions and Conceptual Framework

It is important to clarify certain concepts such as L2, FL, bilingualism and trilingualism in relation to the Muslim group which is studied in the present paper before attempting any suggestions that will offer viable solutions to the previously-described language situation of these students. Both terms seem to be freely interchangeable in most research papers. The term L2 is usually used instead of FL to refer to all other languages learnt besides the mother tongue It refers to a situation where two or three different languages (abstand languages) are used in a particular speech community. In the present paper the term trilingualism is used to highlight the fact that pomak and romani are constantly ignored as the mother tongues of a large part of Muslim students

Population of the Muslim Minority in Thrace

Teaching L2 in Minority Primary Schools in Thrace

Teaching L2 to Muslim Students in the Public Primary Schools in Thrace

Teaching FL in Minority Primary Schools in Thrace

Findings

Discussion