Beyond assimilation and ethnocentricity: Teaching Modern Greek as a foreign and/or second language prepared by Gerente Eva & Stoyiannidou Haroula

Scope/Rational of the Study Compare and contrast the experiences of students and teachers of Modern Greek as a 2 nd language in two different settings: –The USA: Greek Immigrant communities –Greece: new immigrants and historic minorities

Introduction Observations: –Methods and materials used to teach Greek as a 2 nd language originated primarily in the USA and in response to the needs of Greek immigrants abroad (examples of books from the early 20 th century to mid- 1980s)(also foreign university students in Greece). –These methods and materials were used in an ad hoc way to respond to the learning needs of a growing number of new immigrants in Greece attending schools and adult literacy programs (mid- to late-1980s).

Research Questions What are the actual methods and materials used in Greece and the USA to teach Modern Greek as a 2 nd language? How are they used in the classroom level? To what extent classroom realities of teaching/learning Modern Greek as a L2 promote ethnocentric, assimilationist, and/or pluralistically diverse ideologies of language and schooling? (Pavlidou, 1991; Trudgill, 2000; Zambeta, 2000).

Theoretical background Literature on ideologies of language and schooling (Bloomaert, Gee, Gal, Ricento, Wiley, Woolard, others). Literature on linguistic human rights specifically for the European Community (Skutnabb-Kangas and R. Phillipson, eurolang.net, etc.). Literature about the question of language and schooling in Greek communities in past and present times (Ferguson, Hasiotis, Kiliari, Pavlidou, Trudgill, Zambeta). Comparative Educational perspectives on textbook analysis (Kelly, Fragoudaki, Xochelis).

Research Methodology Discourse analysis (Cazden, Dijk, Fairclough). –Classroom discourses and their relationship(s) to overlapping and interrelated communities of Greek speakers (e.g., foreign nationals of Greek origin living abroad; Greek nationals living in Greece; historical minorities living in Greece). –Textbook analysis; focus on stereotypes for Greek-speakers and non-speakers).

Teaching Greek as L2 in the USA Greek-American communities –1880s to 1950s (2 nd and 3 rd generational immigrants) –1950s to 1980s (2 nd wave of 1 st generation immigrants) –1980s to today (no more 1 st generation immigrants) The Greek Orthodox church The Greek Government The European Community and other partners (higher education in the USA, Greece, and elsewhere).

Teaching Greek as L2 in Greece The case of Slavs and Turks (threatening to Greek nationalists; Trudgill, 2000:252)) The case of Albanians and Vlachs (non- threatening) The case of Armenians The case of Ladino or Spanish-speakers in Thessalonica. The case of Greek Roma (10,000) The case of new immigrants from different countries (Eastern Europe, Russia, other).

Implications Renewed interest in the development of methods and materials to teach Greek as a 2 nd language as manifested in Greece and abroad. Partnerships between the Church, the Greek State, Greek and Foreign Universities, and the targeted communities (e.g., seminars organized by the University of Crete).

The missing connection Balanced bilingualism –The need for authentic literature to represent targeted communities in their complexity and diversity (e.g., Albanians living in Greece). -Literacy development in minoritized languages in Greece among the targeted communities and the society at large.

Suggestions for Future Research Classroom ethnographies Auto-biographies and focus group discussions on – language diversity and schooling –Identity formation for learners of Modern Greek as a 2 nd language –Inter-cultural perspectives (stereotypes) for Greek and non-Greek speakers.