Early Bilingual Education: The Foundation of Social Integration for Communities Representing National Minorities
Keywords:
Early bilingual education; Georgian as a second language; Strategy, Social integration.Abstract
The issue of minority integration has gained significant relevance and importance for all nations in the context of recent years marked by intensive migration and global conflicts. Experts specializing in national minorities highlight the pivotal role of the educational system as a fundamental tool for the civil integration of ethnic minorities in society. Proficiency in the state language among ethnic minorities is also seen as a significant prerequisite for successful integration. At the same time, bilingual education is receiving growing endorsement within the scientific community as a vital means for fostering bilingual literacy. Research studies affirm that this educational approach effectively addresses language policy challenges in Georgia. Nevertheless, an examination of the reforms and measures implemented to support the acquisition of the state language by minority groups, spanning from the post-independence period in the 90s to the present day, reveals a certain inconsistency in policy and reforms. This inconsistency stands as a primary contributing factor to less favorable outcomes in the field of education. Over the years, the neglect of a critical period for human development - early childhood education and development - has impeded progress in general and higher education. Notably, a pilot program for early bilingual education has been initiated in regions densely populated by national minorities. The program's design took into account international obligations and the sectoral priorities outlined in the Unified National Strategy of Education and
Science. While the initiative itself is significant, a challenge lies in the fact that the program was planned without a preliminary study of the local context. Consequently, measuring the effects of the intervention and considering the possibility of program expansion and replication on a geographical scale may prove challenging in the future
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