Publications
Publication details [#62978]
Hajisoteriou, Christina and Panayiotis Angelides. 2017. Language learning and intercultural education: barriers and prospects in the Cypriot context. Current Issues in Language Planning 18 (3) : 241–263.
Publication type
Article in journal
Publication language
English
Keywords
Language as a subject
Place, Publisher
Routledge
Journal WWW
Annotation
The main aim of this inquiry is to explore the barriers and prospects of intercultural education in Cypriot schools of the southern part of the island with regard to not only learning the language of the reception country, but also the language of origin. Taking this as the point of departure, this inquiry examines the content and goals of Cypriot policy, its contradictions, and transformation regarding this issue. The assay draws upon policy documents gathered from the Ministry of Education and Culture and interviews carried out with Cypriot policy-makers. The Ministry has initiated an educational reform, covering a reform of the national curriculum, towards a more intercultural orientation. Despite Cyprus being officially a trilingual country, intercultural education policies in the south part of Cyprus almost exclusively relate to Greek-language teaching, fostering cultural assimilation. The absence of a coherent policy, along with inadequate teacher training, and collaboration between schools and migrant families are further impediments to intercultural education. To this end, fostering migrants’ inclusion requires the re-conceptualisation and re-structuring of Cypriot education and schooling.