MSA Learning / Teaching Processes in Algeria: The Case of Primary School

Abstract

There is much concern regarding linguistic distance between the home language and the school tongue of the Algerian pupil. However, this concern does not appear to filter down into in-service teacher training and so this apparent lack of training may result in a lack of awareness with regard to representing bi-dialecticism within classroom displays. The paper tries to describe the various teaching activities we observed during fall semester 2022 in two different classrooms with two teachers (respectively T1 and T2). The intention is to show how the three learning areas that are covered in grade 1, namely, Numeracy, Literacy and Life Skills are approached and taught on a daily basis in these classrooms with specific reference to the various language activities we observed. The research has shown that monolingualism causes problems on two different levels, on the educational level and also on the government level. On one hand, the educational issues have to do with the difficulties that AA-speaking pupils have in learning and that include reading and writing in MSA. On the other hand, the language policy adopted by the government is what makes the learning process challenging for both the teachers and the learners.