Education Language Policy and Bilingual Education: The Impact of French Language Policy in Primary Education in Niger

Using our research findings and taking into account Niger' sociopolitical profile and its organizational context, we recommend a careful implementation of a bilingual education program which advocates the use of regional languages (Hausa, Zarma-Songhai, Fulfulde, Kanuri and Tamajeq) along with French in primary education. The regional languages must serve first as means of instruction from first up to fourth grade, while French is taught as a subject; and in fifth and sixth grade French must become the language of instruction and the regional languages must be taught as subjects. The promotion of French and national languages throughout the primary education system is argued to be more advantageous pedagogically than a transitional bilingual education program which ends the use of mother tongue in the child's education. It is suggested that such proposal be implemented progressively while the extensive teacher training and language development activities are undertaken by government and private institutions which are in favor of the use of national languages in education and the finding of long-term solutions to the education language problems in Niger.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Linguistics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Alidou, Hassana

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bokamba, Eyamba G.

• Education, Administration

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9737030

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/82662