minority language education with special reference to the cultural adaptation of the ethiopian

463 Pages·2015·26.85 MB·English

by  Nega Worku Debela

\1A
MIruONTTY LANGUAGE EDUCATION WITH SPECIAT
REFERENcE To rnn Currun¡.r AolrramoN
OF THE ETHIOPIAN COMVTUT.TTY
IN SOTMTAUSTRALIA
w
Nega Worku Debela
MEd (Leeds University), BEd (Addis Abeba University),
BA (Asmara University)
This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirements
for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department
of Education at the University of Adelaide, December 1995.
tv
Preliminary
Table of Contents-------- ----iv
Abstract-- --------vii
Declaration-
Acknowledgments- ----------ix
Tables--- ----x
List of
List of Figures-- ---xi
List of Maps---- --xii
List of Plates---- --xiii
Appendices------- ---xiv
List of
List of Abbreviations------ ----------xvi
A Glossary of Amharic Terms Which Appear in the Text ----------xvii
PART I THEORETICAT FRAMEWORK and METHODOLOGY---L'24
Intsoduction----- ----'----3
Chapter 1.
1..1 Theoretical Framewor
1.2 Application of Cultural Systems Analysis to Ethiopians
Australia--------
in -----13
1.3 Researdt Methods ----'--'16
Respondents---- ---------22
1.4 Profite of
PART II AN OVERVIEW OF LANGUAGE EDUCATION-.---.2*I43
Chapter 2. Minority Language and Education:
Review---
A Critical ------2ç68
Situations------- ----------27
2.1 Language Contact
2.2 Orientations in Minority Language Education:
The Supporters'Perspective-------- ---40
2.3 Orientations in Minority Language Education:
Sceptics'Perspective---- --''-----54
The
2.4 Paradigms for Minority Language Education
Chapter 3. Languages in Australia -'69-99
History--'--- ---------70
3.1 Australia's Linguistic
3.2 Australian National Policy on Languages----- -----'---7 I
3.3 South Australian State Policy on Languages--------'-'--91
v
Chapter 4. Community Language Education:
Exemplars------
The School -100-143
Introductory 101
Vietnamese---- --------103
4.1
4.2ltalian
---118
4.3 Ara 132
(Amharic)------
4.4 Ethiopian -------139
PART III THE COMMUNITY BASED STUDY:
ETHIOPIAN-AUSTRALIANS------
THE CASE of --t44-179
Chapter 5. An Investigation of Ethiopians in
Australia
South ---145
5.1 Brief History of Ethiopia: Migration and Settlement
in Australia-------- -------146
5.2Integration with the Australian Society --------163
5.3 Classifying Respondents into Value Clusters- ---------177
System
Chapter 6. The Ethiopian Ideological --------180-215
Identity
6.1 The Question of ---181
Attitudes-
6.2 Ideational and Realistic ---190
6.3 Tendencies: Language Shift, Erosion, Revitalization
and Maintenance-- ----198
Tradition- --'-'-'---203
6.4 Amharas' Heritage and
6.5 The Issue of VisibiliLy
Residence ----'---'209
6.6 Future Intended
Culture
6.7 Attitudes to Various Aspects of ------272
Systen¡-
Chapter 7. The Ethiopian Religious ----'--21ç237
Values
7.1 Systems of Religious -'----217
7.2 Religious Composition of Ethiopians in Ethiopia
Australia-
and South -----227
7.3 The Ethiopian Orthodox Church in South Australia----229
7.4 Religion,Identity and Maintenance of
Traditions
Ethiopian -----232
V¡
Chapter 8. The Ethiopian Social System- --23&268
Values---
8.1 Systems of Social ------'239
8.2 Marital Status and the Attraction of Ethiopian
Life----- -------244
Family
8.3 Types of Marriages and Marriage Intentions -'---'----250
8.4 The Neighbourhood
Culture --------261
8.5 Related Ethiopian Aspects of
8.6 Other Social Organisations----- --266
System--
Chapter 9. The Ethiopian Linguistic 269'317
9.1 Language Background of Respondents------ -'---'---270
Amharic-------
9.2 Home Domain Usage of -'-281
School?-- ---------287
9.3 Why Amharic
Neighbourhood----
9.4 Language and -295
Mastery'-'---- '-------296
9.5 Language
9.6 Analysis of Languages Transaction by Linguistic
Inventory System--- -----301
9.7 Australian Schools in the Eyes of Ethiopian Australians-305
Chapter 10 Clusters of Cultural Values : A Typolory----'----31&343
10.1 Examples of Respondents in the Value Clusters------319
10.2 Mobility of Individuals among Value Clusters--------331
PART IV CONCLUSIO
PART V REFERENCES AND APPENDICES--- ----352-426
V¡¡
This thesis endeavoured to examine different views on language
education which are pertinent to the teaching of minority languages in
schools with special reference to the cultural adaptation of the Ethiopian
community in South Australia.
The research methodology was based on multiple triangulation
approach. The implementation of language policies as they relate to the
teaching of community languages in the schools was studied by means
of interviews and non-participant classroom observation techniques. The
research participants consisted of school principals, both teachers and
students of Languages Other Than English (LOTE) and English as a
Second Language (ESL). The community language classes under
investigation were Vietnamese and Italian, which were part of regular
school programs, and Arabic and Amharic (Ethiopian) which were
taught in the context of language education carried out in part-time
ethnic schools. The investigation of the Amharic language school formed
the nucleus for a lrolistic study of the Ethiopian community in South
Australia.
The Ethiopian community, which represents one of the most recent
immigrant groups, was studied by the adoption of humanistic
sociological approach. Data were collected by using oral memoirs, in-
depth interviews and participant observation techniques. The data from
the Ethiopian community were analysed in terms of a theoretical
framework which consisted of ideological, social, religious and linguistic
systems of cultural values. This led to the identification of three value
clusters (Ethiopian Monocultural, Bicultural and Anglo-Assimilate) that
were used to classify the respondents on the basis of their value
activation.
One of the main findings of the investigation on Ethiopian community is
the ability of its members to retain the Ethiopian cultural values while
showing a high degree of adaptation to the Australian way of living,
mainty through their success in learning English. This tenacity of
Ethiopian ctrltural retention is partly a reflection of the relative recency of
the arrival of most of its members in South Australia. It was also found to
rest in the historically grounded valuation and high esteem in which
Ethiopians regard their culture and their desire to perpetuate it, while
thoroughly integrating into the Australian society. The thesis throws light
on the way Australian values were adopted and modified or, at times,
rejected by the participants. The research has also identified individuals
moving across Ëthiopian/Australian ethnicity continuum either towards
majority culture or towards Ethiopian culture. Among Ethiopian values
Amharic language could be viewed as a core of culture not only for
Amharas themselves but also for most members of other Ethiopian ethnic
groups in South Australia.
viii
This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award
of any other degree or diploma in any university and, to the best of the
author's knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously
published or written by another Person, except when due reference is
made in the text of the thesis.
I consent to the thesis being made available for photocopying and loan,
if accepted for the award of the degree.
NEGA DEBELA
lX
From the conception of the topic till the writing up of the conclusion, this
thesis has been supported by two complementary advisers.
Consequently, the researcher got the benefit of utilising two different
types of advising skilts. On the one hand, there was perfectionist attitude
and support given by Professor Smolicz and, on the other hand, there was
a consistent and continuous suPPort provided by Miss Margaret
Secombe, who positively valued the ideas of the researcher at all times. It
would not have been possible to reach at this level of the thesis without
the scholarly approach of Professor Smolicz who never got tired of
looking at each and every word as an outsider and then providing
feedback as a supervisor on how it should be put to the readers. I enjoyed
all the constructive critiques put forward by Professor Smolicz and used
them to build the whole thesis up to its present level. Therefore, I wish to
thank my supervisor Professor Smolicz for the invaluable contribution he
made to this thesis and the interest he showed in all of my work, and on
Ethiopians in particular.
I also wish to thank Miss Secombe, who was always encouraging me,
and whose support at all stages helped to shape the thesis. She has been
the positive pillar of my research investigation which backed me uP
whenever I needed it.
I would like to express my gratitude to the participants of this study who
gave their time freely to share their experiences; to many others, too
nurnerous to mention by name, for their support which eased the labour
of collecting data and completing this thesis.
I wish to thank Ms. Wendy Buxton for reading the draft tirelessly and for
giving valuable comments.
Finally, I want to thank my wife Hellen Yigzaw Bihonegn, for her
continuous encouragement and support. I would like to dedicate this
thesis to her.
X
Table page
1. Research Methods Used vis a vis All Respondents----"""-"'---17
2. School Respondents and Languages Taught and Obsewed---'22
Visited-- ""'-"-"--'lO2
3. Summary of Schools
4. Ethiopian Respondents' Assessment of Their Experience of
Integration--------- "'-------207
5. Classification of Ethiopian Respondents by Their Choice of
Residence
Future Intended --209
6. Summary of Classification of Respondents by their Religious
Affiliation
7. Respondents' Friendship Patterns and Preferred Celebrations--243
8. Classification of Respondents by Their Marital Status------------246
9. Classification of Respondents by Number of Languages
They Activate- '---275
10. Classification of Language Families Spoken by the
Responden
11. Classification of Respondents by the Degree of Importance
to Amharic- "279
they Showed
12. Classification of Written Language Ability of Respondents
Cluster--- -"------"297
by Value
xi
Figure Page
1. Households Interviewed in this Research
2. Teacher's Assessment of Amharic Language Skills------------'-140
3. The Relationship between Ideational and Realistic
Attitudes Towards Minority Language
Maintenance Among Ethiopians in South Australia--------195
4. Ctassification of Borderline Cases in Terms of Expected
Mobility-----'-
and Reverse -----------333
xil
Page
Map 1. Ethiopia in the World MaP----- ------"'--Írontispiece
Map 2. Ethiopia and Roman Africa in the IVth Century---------------148
Map 3. Ethnic Based Divisions of Ethiopia since 1991 156
Ethiopia-
Map 4. Ancient Linguistic Map of ---277