TURKISH-LANGUAGE EDUCATORS AS LANGUAGE MANAGERS: BILINGUALISM IN PRACTICE

Christina Maligkoudi, Ourania Karabournou

Abstract


Minority education has a long-standing presence in the region of Thrace, Greece. The bilingual curriculum followed in minority schools is of particular interest, as some subjects are taught in Turkish while others are taught in Greek. However, to what extent can one speak of substantial bilingual education when the two languages do not interact either in teaching practices or within the curriculum itself? This study aims to explore the perceptions and practices of teachers involved in the Turkish-language curriculum of minority elementary schools regarding their students’ bilingualism. The research was conducted through interviews with nine teachers, and the data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The main findings reveal a strong paradox: although educators generally adopt a more monolingual perspective on bilingualism, they nonetheless inevitably employ translanguaging teaching approaches to address their learners’ needs. However, due to the intense ideological conflicts in the region of Thrace, they appear reluctant to acknowledge these practices openly.

Keywords


minority education, bilingualism, bilingual education, teachers’ attitudes and practices

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i8.6817

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