Change in Language of Instruction in Russian Medium Schools: Multilevel Analysis of Attitudes and Language Proficiency

Abstract

This study aims to explain the positions regarding change in language of instruction in Russian-medium schools. The empirical basis for this article is a representative survey conducted in 2009 among pupils (n = 1026) and teachers (n = 548) in Estonia. The results indicate that in the case of teachers' language proficiency, individual resources (citizenship, Estonian-language media) dominate over regional (ethnic composition) ones. Regarding pupils' language proficiency, apart from individual factors (gender, Estonian-language media), school-level activities are essential (language immersion, teachers' in-service training). While pupils' positive attitudes towards education change are characterized by individual and school cultural resources, teachers' attitudes are more autonomous and express general societal affiliation. The article suggests that the "cultural translation" ability of the relevant individuals and in the public turns out to have critical relevance in the context of implementing integration policy and in the communication of changes in education.

Changes in Language Policy in Estonia: Self-Descriptions of Russian-Speaking Students

“…Also, the attitudes of stakeholders may develop in interaction with one another and multiple mediums. For instance, the results of a previous study revealed the mutual influence of attitudes between students and teachers: teachers' active participation in in-service training and their positive attitudes to the transition to Estonianlanguage teaching are significant supportive factors in explaining students' attitudes to change in the language of instruction (Masso and Soll 2014).…”

“…For instance, a study conducted in Estonia (Masso et al 2013) demonstrated that students whose mother tongue is Russian and who study bilingually or in Estonian are exposed on a daily basis to a diversity of socio-linguistic experiences that express a connection to Estonian society. Another study (Masso and Soll 2014) indicates that shaping an identity independently from the daily socio-linguistic experience can be due to the variety of stakeholders associated with educational changes and the complexity of communicating the related changes. However, the ethno-cultural self-descriptions of students studying in Russian-language secondary schools have not been analysed in the context of educational change -and the goal of this paper is to fill this gap.…”

“…But there are very few studies concentrating on the role of the communicative process in the implementation of language policy and the ethnocultural self-descriptions of Russian-speaking students in the context of change in the language of instruction (see e.g. Masso and Soll 2014). This article focuses on the perception of the main language policy change in Estonia -the transition to Estonian-language instruction in Russian-medium schools -by analysing the ethno-cultural self-descriptions of individual students.…”

Õppekeele roll Eesti venekeelsete õpilaste etnokultuurilise identiteedi kujunemisel

“…Samuti on varasemates haridusteoreetilistes identiteedikäsitlustes (vt nt Fift h & Wagner, 2007) huvitutud peaasjalikult kontekstist, mistõttu on koolis toimuv kommunikatsioon jäänud tähelepanuta. Ka empiirilised uuringud (Masso et al, 2013;Masso & Soll, 2014) on näidanud, kui oluline on kommunikatiivsete protsesside, nt haridusmuutustega seotud sõnumite edastamine ja nende tõlgendamine erinevate sidusrühmade poolt muudatuste elluviimisel.…”

“…Mainitud meetodit ehk väliste identifi tseerivate kategooriate internaliseerimist ja tõlgendamist on varem kasutatud identiteedi kui suhteliselt 2 Valimisse sattunud eri õppekeeles õppivad õpilased on Eesti geograafi liste piirkondade kaupa jaotunud suhteliselt ühtlaselt. Analüüs keskendub eelkõige õppekeele rollile identiteediloomes, mitte niivõrd olmelise keelekeskkonna ja õppekeele kombinatsioonidele, mis on olnud varasemate artiklite fookuses (Masso & Soll, 2014). Eri piirkondade kaasamise eesmärk on olnud tagada kvalitatiivsele käsitlusviisile omane vastuste mitmekesisus.…”