Preserving the Mother Tongue of Ethnic Minority Students through Experiential Activities in Primary Schools: An Exploratory Study in the Northern Mountainous Region of Vietnam
Abstract
The mother tongue plays an important role in the cultural identity and overall development of individuals belonging to an ethnic minority group. This study examined the current status of native?language usage among ethnic minority students in primary schools in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam, as well as the efforts to preserve the native language and educate students in their native language through experiential activities in schools. A survey was conducted with 1210 primary school teachers. The study also employed situational exercises to assess the language proficiency of 455 ethnic minority students in grades 3, 4, and 5. This assessment was based on observations and conversations with students during experiential activities at school. The results show that while students expressed a desire to use their mother tongue for learning and communication, the rate of native-language use varied between different ethnic minority groups. Moreover, the study identified factors influencing education for preserving the mother tongue of ethnic minority students. The research outcomes serve as a foundation for proposing measures to maintain the native language and educate students in their native language, especially ethnic minority students, in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.8.15
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