The Reality of Linguistic Practices in the Algerian School in the Context of Linguistic Plurality A Field Study among First-Year Secondary Education Learners

Abstract

This study aims to examine the reality of linguistic practices in the Algerian school in light of the linguistic plurality that characterises the Algerian sociolinguistic space, and to demonstrate its reflection on the linguistic environment of teaching and learning. It also seeks to monitor the extent to which Standard Arabic is present, in comparison with colloquial dialect and foreign languages, in learning situations among first-year secondary education learners, given that this level represents a transitional stage in the learning path of the Algerian learner. To achieve these objectives, the study adopted the descriptive analytical method, drawing on the questionnaire as a research tool. The questionnaire was administered to the research sample with a view to investigating learners' opinions regarding linguistic practices inside the classroom. The study reached a set of findings, the most prominent of which is the existence of factors that hinder communication in Arabic, including feelings of shyness, exposure to ridicule and bullying, and the influence of the learner's social milieu. The findings also showed that learners at this stage are aware that academic achievement is linked to the possession of good linguistic competence, since Standard Arabic is the language adopted in official examinations.