Achievement and challenges in education
AILA review Volume 21
John Benjamins Publishing Company Website
This volume includes research by specialists in minority languages and
multilingual education from five European regions (Basque Country,
Catalonia, Friesland, Ireland and Wales). In their educational
contexts, the minority languages discussed are in contact with other,
stronger languages which are majority languages in each of the regions
(Spanish in the Basque Country and Catalonia, Dutch in Friesland,
English in Ireland and Wales) and also with further languages of
international communication. This issue of AILA Review analyzes the
results of research conducted on bilingual and multilingual programs in
which a ´unique´ minority language is used as one of the languages of
instruction. Specifically it looks at the results of research studies
on proficiency in the majority, minority and other languages, academic
outcomes and attitudes. It also examines challenges of teaching through
a minority language in a changing world facing globalization,
immigration as well as the spread of English. These minority language
programs have their own characteristics but their analysis and
evaluation provide useful information for other languages in similar
situations.