A Proposal for an Educational Transitional Program Where Algerian Arabic is Used as a Medium of Instruction The Case of First and Second year Pupils of Mihi Mohamed Belhadj Primary School- El Oued

Abstract

Abstract The current dissertation examines the complexity of the Algerian sociolinguistic situation and its influence on the educational system. The existence of modern standard Arabic as a medium of instruction on one hand and Algerian Arabic, the first language of the Algerian learner, on the other hand, makes the learning process an arduous one. In our research, we are aiming at investigating the possibility of planning and implementing a suggestive pilot program for using mother tongue as a medium of instruction in primary school education to facilitate the learning/ teaching process, to develop the students’ educational level, and to improve schools results. To reach our goals, we followed the mixed method approach, where we opted for two different research tools to gather the needed data and fulfill our research needs. The used research tools are namely, two classroom observations and a semi-structured questionnaire. The research population was first and second year primary school students’ of ‘Mihi Mohamed Belhadj’, in El-Oued, from which a sample of two classes (n=70 students) and two teachers were chosen. For the questionnaire, it was handed to thirty teachers (n=30) chosen randomly from a population of nearly 120 teachers (N=120) from three different primary schools in El-Oued namely: Mihi Mohamed Belhadj, Naghmoush Salah Tahar, and Nssira El Mouldi primary school. The findings indicate that the teachers lack awareness about this linguistic problem which overwhelms their classrooms. They believe that the lack of exposure to modern standard Arabic is the primary reason for language problems and that Algerian Arabic, the mother tongue is a low variety and does not need to be promoted in the school. However, they use it widely in their classes. The thesis concludes that planning and implementing a pilot transitional program using the first language as a medium of instruction in primary school education may solve the problem.