Field Research
“The language we use forms an important part of our sense of who we are - of our identity’ – John Edwards, Key Topics in Sociolinguistics, 2009.
Research Question
How do Moroccans use language?
Guiding Questions
What does the language use preference say about their identities expression? How do students (Moroccan) navigate language? Is the language variability an asset or deficit vis-à-vis Global Competency?
Introduction
Language is considered a universal abstract system of signs, independent of language users. How individuals use language is intrinsically motivated and may involve some unpredictability and creativity. Identity is a set of essential characteristics unique to the individual and independent of a language.
When we use language, we do so as individuals with social histories. Our histories are defined by our social groups. Our membership to these groups provides us identities. We have or acquire membership through various pathways including but not limited to birth, activities we engage in and social institutions we are involved in. Our individual and social identities affect and determine our language use. Our social identities with their attendant roles afford us power, status and privilege and these affect and/or determine our language acquisition and language use as well as the freedom to express or use the language. Language use therefore, becomes a powerful means of access to group membership and status. Status however, has sociopolitical and economic forces behind them. The relevancy of our identities is therefore fluid, dynamic and responsive to our contextualized social conditions. Interest in the use of a language is influenced by identity construction which is differentially constructed in our interactions with others. We enter into communicative activities with others as cooperative agents –as individuals interested in the common end. Mutual interest in the interaction enhances language use and the effort put into it.
We, as language users, are social actors whose identities are multiple, varied and emergent from our everyday lived experiences.
Method Used
Data was collected through cultural immersion, literature search, observations, interviews, and presentations from Moroccan TEA/ILEP colleagues before and during the International field experience.
Findings
How do Moroccans use language?
“Morocco is a multilingual country where different languages and varieties are recognized and afforded hierarchical status. Such hierarchy causes an unavoidable social (in) equality when one language is chosen over the other”. Meriem Lahrizz , TGC, 2015 Country host.
Moroccan multilingualism began in 146BC when the Romans reached the Maghreb and occupied North Africa, overpowering the natives, the Amazigh (also known as Berbers). The Arabs arrived in 680AD and brought with them the discipline and memorization of the Quran where the learning of Classical (Standard) Arabic (Fusha) was essential. In 1911, Spain occupied parts of Morocco, and in 1912, signed the Treaty of Fez whereby Spain handed over Morocco to France as a Protectorate. People from this area had to learn Spanish and French in addition to Fusha for religious purposes and Derija( a local derived or generic form of Arabic). By 1956 when Morocco got its independence, colonization has given birth to multilingualism. After independence, classical Arabic (Fusha) became the official language. French retained its elite status (the language use of the elite) and Morocco’s second language. Derija and Tamazight (the early inhabitant’s language) still remained the vernacular and considered inferior to the others and recently, many language users in Morocco also use English.
What does the language use preference say about their identities expression?
As a result of the French colonization, the education system was French. The language of instruction from the age of six (6) to University graduation was French. French became the language of knowledge and access to opportunity. The indigenous language or mother tongue fell lower in the hierarchy of knowledge and opportunity. The use of French language became a status symbol- inability to speak the mother tongue was seen as a status symbol.
As education is a moral and political project (Henry Giroux), educated Moroccans assimilated the identities of French. Fusha (Classical Arabic) and French became ‘keys to socio-economic promotion but they are difficult to learn because they are not the mother tongue, lacked immediate relevancy, are abstract and decontextualized and bring with them linguistic insecurity’(Meriem). Students struggled and felt ‘choked’ in school. The final examination was very high stakes.
Dr. Hassan Radoine, in a key note to a group of Fulbright scholars at the 2015 Annual Seminar in Rabat, mentioned that learning and using English was a choice. He came from the roots of proud Moroccans. The language used were French and classical Arabic. He immersed himself in studying, understanding and living in identity-Moroccan identity and especially the architecture of the Medina of Fez. He started learning English. It was an emotional language. For him, English was a language of escape from French, an escape from perceptions of inferiority. English was his language of self-identification. Learning English was rewarding, for it offered him an opportunity to study, and interact with who was dealing with Moroccan heritage. Becoming a Fulbright scholar himself and attending school in the United States gave him insight and further appreciation for his language use of choice.
This need to ‘escape’ the French language and the French education system was also evident during the meeting with MATE (Moroccan Association of Teachers of English) at Ecole Normale Superieure. The President, Mr. Nourddine Bendouqi addressed the Western (especially French and English) influence on their education system, the need to maintain the cultural heritage while meeting global competency standards especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and skill development. This perhaps drives the current effort in Morocco to teach the Science classes in English as well as having the students take their graduating examinations in French(Baccalaureate) and/or English (Baccalaureate).
When asked what language he prefers to use, my host teacher, Abdellatif El Moncef –an English teacher, without hesitation said English. For him also, it is his chosen language (as in self-identification). The language use preference here is a means of being in control vis-à-vis being controlled.
How do students (Moroccan) navigate language?
The students in the schools we visited, seem to navigate the various languages used in school very well. The language of instruction is classical Arabic and French mostly and English for students who are studying the sciences. It is not uncommon to hear several languages going on at the same time or a sentence stating in one language and ending in another.
Is the language variability an asset or deficit vis-à-vis Global Competency?
It depends. Globally competent people communicate ideas effectively with diverse audiences, bridging geographic, linguistic, ideological, and cultural barriers.
Moroccans see themselves –at least the ones we interacted with as global citizens. They see themselves often as part of Europe and also part of Africa. Their relationship with Europe and Africa affords them opportunity to play key roles in the region. Moroccans are welcoming and would try to engage strangers in conversations in different languages. These are considered assets.
For Dr. Hassan, Abdellatif, and other educated Moroccans, the language variability is definitely an asset. Dr. Hassan travels all over the world teaching. According to him, the whole horizon is there; there is nothing to hide; you are not scared of how you make your living; you have an international career.
As a result of the nature of the education system in Morocco, there were evidence of differential opportunity and access to education and language use. In the schools we visited, since instruction was in French, many of the students and staff we encountered felt handicapped. Even with the multilingual proficiency, they are not proficient English language users. As English is increasingly becoming the language of commerce and digital learning, adult English learning centers are cropping up all over Morocco. Abdellatif teaches also in one of those centers.
“The language we use forms an important part of our sense of who we are - of our identity’ – John Edwards, Key Topics in Sociolinguistics, 2009.
Research Question
How do Moroccans use language?
Guiding Questions
What does the language use preference say about their identities expression? How do students (Moroccan) navigate language? Is the language variability an asset or deficit vis-à-vis Global Competency?
Introduction
Language is considered a universal abstract system of signs, independent of language users. How individuals use language is intrinsically motivated and may involve some unpredictability and creativity. Identity is a set of essential characteristics unique to the individual and independent of a language.
When we use language, we do so as individuals with social histories. Our histories are defined by our social groups. Our membership to these groups provides us identities. We have or acquire membership through various pathways including but not limited to birth, activities we engage in and social institutions we are involved in. Our individual and social identities affect and determine our language use. Our social identities with their attendant roles afford us power, status and privilege and these affect and/or determine our language acquisition and language use as well as the freedom to express or use the language. Language use therefore, becomes a powerful means of access to group membership and status. Status however, has sociopolitical and economic forces behind them. The relevancy of our identities is therefore fluid, dynamic and responsive to our contextualized social conditions. Interest in the use of a language is influenced by identity construction which is differentially constructed in our interactions with others. We enter into communicative activities with others as cooperative agents –as individuals interested in the common end. Mutual interest in the interaction enhances language use and the effort put into it.
We, as language users, are social actors whose identities are multiple, varied and emergent from our everyday lived experiences.
Method Used
Data was collected through cultural immersion, literature search, observations, interviews, and presentations from Moroccan TEA/ILEP colleagues before and during the International field experience.
Findings
How do Moroccans use language?
“Morocco is a multilingual country where different languages and varieties are recognized and afforded hierarchical status. Such hierarchy causes an unavoidable social (in) equality when one language is chosen over the other”. Meriem Lahrizz , TGC, 2015 Country host.
Moroccan multilingualism began in 146BC when the Romans reached the Maghreb and occupied North Africa, overpowering the natives, the Amazigh (also known as Berbers). The Arabs arrived in 680AD and brought with them the discipline and memorization of the Quran where the learning of Classical (Standard) Arabic (Fusha) was essential. In 1911, Spain occupied parts of Morocco, and in 1912, signed the Treaty of Fez whereby Spain handed over Morocco to France as a Protectorate. People from this area had to learn Spanish and French in addition to Fusha for religious purposes and Derija( a local derived or generic form of Arabic). By 1956 when Morocco got its independence, colonization has given birth to multilingualism. After independence, classical Arabic (Fusha) became the official language. French retained its elite status (the language use of the elite) and Morocco’s second language. Derija and Tamazight (the early inhabitant’s language) still remained the vernacular and considered inferior to the others and recently, many language users in Morocco also use English.
What does the language use preference say about their identities expression?
As a result of the French colonization, the education system was French. The language of instruction from the age of six (6) to University graduation was French. French became the language of knowledge and access to opportunity. The indigenous language or mother tongue fell lower in the hierarchy of knowledge and opportunity. The use of French language became a status symbol- inability to speak the mother tongue was seen as a status symbol.
As education is a moral and political project (Henry Giroux), educated Moroccans assimilated the identities of French. Fusha (Classical Arabic) and French became ‘keys to socio-economic promotion but they are difficult to learn because they are not the mother tongue, lacked immediate relevancy, are abstract and decontextualized and bring with them linguistic insecurity’(Meriem). Students struggled and felt ‘choked’ in school. The final examination was very high stakes.
Dr. Hassan Radoine, in a key note to a group of Fulbright scholars at the 2015 Annual Seminar in Rabat, mentioned that learning and using English was a choice. He came from the roots of proud Moroccans. The language used were French and classical Arabic. He immersed himself in studying, understanding and living in identity-Moroccan identity and especially the architecture of the Medina of Fez. He started learning English. It was an emotional language. For him, English was a language of escape from French, an escape from perceptions of inferiority. English was his language of self-identification. Learning English was rewarding, for it offered him an opportunity to study, and interact with who was dealing with Moroccan heritage. Becoming a Fulbright scholar himself and attending school in the United States gave him insight and further appreciation for his language use of choice.
This need to ‘escape’ the French language and the French education system was also evident during the meeting with MATE (Moroccan Association of Teachers of English) at Ecole Normale Superieure. The President, Mr. Nourddine Bendouqi addressed the Western (especially French and English) influence on their education system, the need to maintain the cultural heritage while meeting global competency standards especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and skill development. This perhaps drives the current effort in Morocco to teach the Science classes in English as well as having the students take their graduating examinations in French(Baccalaureate) and/or English (Baccalaureate).
When asked what language he prefers to use, my host teacher, Abdellatif El Moncef –an English teacher, without hesitation said English. For him also, it is his chosen language (as in self-identification). The language use preference here is a means of being in control vis-à-vis being controlled.
How do students (Moroccan) navigate language?
The students in the schools we visited, seem to navigate the various languages used in school very well. The language of instruction is classical Arabic and French mostly and English for students who are studying the sciences. It is not uncommon to hear several languages going on at the same time or a sentence stating in one language and ending in another.
Is the language variability an asset or deficit vis-à-vis Global Competency?
It depends. Globally competent people communicate ideas effectively with diverse audiences, bridging geographic, linguistic, ideological, and cultural barriers.
Moroccans see themselves –at least the ones we interacted with as global citizens. They see themselves often as part of Europe and also part of Africa. Their relationship with Europe and Africa affords them opportunity to play key roles in the region. Moroccans are welcoming and would try to engage strangers in conversations in different languages. These are considered assets.
For Dr. Hassan, Abdellatif, and other educated Moroccans, the language variability is definitely an asset. Dr. Hassan travels all over the world teaching. According to him, the whole horizon is there; there is nothing to hide; you are not scared of how you make your living; you have an international career.
As a result of the nature of the education system in Morocco, there were evidence of differential opportunity and access to education and language use. In the schools we visited, since instruction was in French, many of the students and staff we encountered felt handicapped. Even with the multilingual proficiency, they are not proficient English language users. As English is increasingly becoming the language of commerce and digital learning, adult English learning centers are cropping up all over Morocco. Abdellatif teaches also in one of those centers.