In:Aspects of Latin American Spanish Dialectology: In honor of Terrell A. Morgan
Edited by Manuel Díaz-Campos and Sandro Sessarego
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 32] 2021
► pp. 241–274
Chapter 11Twenty years of Guaraní-Spanish bilingual education in
Paraguay
Published online: 12 January 2021
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.32.11gyn
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.32.11gyn
Abstract
The Paraguayan constitution instituted
Guaraní-Spanish bilingualism in 1992. Although law provides for
Guaraní literacy instruction with Spanish as a second language, the
de facto model for the two decades following officialization was one
of Spanish literacy instruction with Guaraní as a second language.
This model works well in bilingual districts; however, the 2002
Paraguayan census reported 1,319,777 monolingual Guaraní speakers,
and 146,618 households that identified as Guaraní-dominant. Test
results of over 300 third graders are incontrovertible: Spanish
literacy instruction with Guaraní as a second language produces
semilingualism (i.e., written production at less than half of
comprehension). Bringing Paraguayan education into line with legal
requirements is a priority for the sake of children’s academic
linguistic proficiency and the future of Guaraní.
Keywords: Guaraní, bilingual education, Spanish, indigenous languages
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Historical, demographic, sociolinguistic, psycholinguistic, and
legal foundations of Paraguayan bilingual education
- 2.1A sociolinguistic history of Paraguayan bilingualism
- 2.2Demography and sociolinguistics of Paraguayan bilingualism
- 3.Legal foundations of bilingual education in Paraguay
- 3.1Unesco 1996: Universal declaration of linguistic rights
- 3.2Law 4251 “of languages” (December 29, 2010)
- 4.The first National Plan for the Maintenance of Bilingual Education, 1995
- 5.Measurement of bilingual proficiency in Guaraní-speaking towns of
the Paraguayan interior (2001, 2009, 2013)
- 5.1Instrument validity and reliability
- 5.2Guaraní and Spanish modalities, compared (2001)
- 5.3Confirmation of semilingualism caused by Spanish submersion of Guaraní-speaking children
-
6.Sociolinguistic and academic consequences of Spanish submersion
for the Guaraní-speaking interior of Paraguay (2013)
- 6.1Bilingual profile of four classes
- 6.1.1Third grade, morning shift, section A (N = 31)
- 6.1.2Third grade, morning shift, section B (N = 33)
- 6.1.3Third grade, afternoon shift, section A (N = 27)
- 6.1.4Third grade, afternoon shift, section B (N = 32)
- 6.1Bilingual profile of four classes
- 7.Discussion, conclusion, and recommendations
Note References
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