ERIC Number: EJ1204927
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1467-5986
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
China's Minority Preferential Policies and the Schooling of Indigenous Tibetan Children: The Weakest Link
Phuntsog, Nawang
Intercultural Education, v30 n1 p68-82 2019
Since the introduction of the Chinese colonial education system into Tibet in the 1960s, the Tibetan language has been caught in the crossfire. Because of Tibetan language's perceived strong relationship with national identity and its alleged separatist implications, the Chinese leadership has always maintained an uneasy and sceptical outlook on it. Textbooks in Lhasa and other urban areas are exceedingly written in Chinese. The invalidation of mother tongue in the schooling process causes serious emotional trauma resulting in low academic achievement and low proficiency in the native language. The People's Republic of China's constitution guarantees the freedom of all nationalities 'to use and develop their own spoken and written languages'. The trajectory of Tibetan language has, however, reflected the political winds sweeping across the plateau rather than educational imperatives. Therefore, this conceptual paper uses language-as-problem, language-as-right and language-as-resource framework for the critical analysis of language policy in occupied Tibet. Additionally, the role of social media is explored in language revitalisation despite PRC's draconian language policing political agenda. A strong additive bilingual education with the sustained use of Tibetan language of instruction is advanced for enhancing both Tibetan and Chinese proficiency and academic achievements of indigenous children.
Descriptors: Minority Group Students, Foreign Countries, Sino Tibetan Languages, Self Concept, Mandarin Chinese, Geographic Regions, Native Language, Civil Rights, Language Planning, Public Policy, Role, Social Media, Language Maintenance, Political Influences, Bilingual Education, Language of Instruction, Academic Achievement, Language Proficiency, Poetry, Indigenous Populations
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A