A comparative study of educational programs for linguistic minorities in three pluralistic nations: Canada, Peru, and Sweden

This study provides both an overview of current language and education policies for language minorities and a comprehensive comparative analysis of educational programs in Canada, Peru, and Sweden. These three countries, illustrating distinctive situations, were selected on the basis of their pluralistic composition and growing concern with the education of their multiethnic and linguistic minorities.

Two types of data were collected from each country. First, descriptive data regarding the educational system, ethnolinguistic minorities, policies concerning national language and language education, and educational provisions for linguistic minorities were obtained through pertinent documents and other printed materials. Second, supplementary data relating to bilingual/bicultural programs were gathered through a survey questionnaire.

Content analysis of the official documents provided: (a) narrative descriptions of policies concerning language and language education and educational provisions for children of linguistic minorities in Canada, Peru, and Sweden; and (b) a comparative analysis of the bilingual/bicultural programs and/or other types of educational provisions for linguistic minorities in each of these three pluralistic nations, based on the five factors selected for this study, i.e., goals and philosophies, policies, scope and sequence, curriculum, and staffing. The analysis of the survey results provided information on the current status of minority language education programs and the opinions of participants on the major achievements and limitations concerning these programs as well as information on national language policy.

The principal findings regarding language policy and educational provisions for linguistic minority children are provided in terms of their goals and philosophies, policies, scope and sequence, and teacher training. In general, this study establishes that developed pluralistic nations and developing nations as well face complex national and educational language policy issues; language of instruction policy is one of these issues, and the policy governing the extent to which the vernacular language is introduced as a medium or subject of instruction varies from country to country as a function of many social, political, and economic factors.