Exploring Algerian Parental Attitudes And Perceptions Towards English Integration In Third Grade Education: A Sociolinguistic Study.

Abstract

In 2022, the President of Algeria announced the introduction of teaching the English language into primary school, effective from the school year 2022/2023, amidst unprecedented controversy in almost every respect of life in Algeria. Actually, just two months after the declaration of that decision, the Minister of National Education started executing the opening decision through recruitment and preparing textbooks in preparation for running fast training.

This research, situated within the field of sociolinguistics, aims to analyze the integration of English in third-year primary education and to understand parents' responses to this reform. The central research question guiding this study is: What are parents' perceptions regarding the integration of English in third-year primary education? Additional questions include: Will the teaching of English enhance the Algerian educational system? Is the decision to introduce this language at the primary level accepted by all parents of children enrolled in third-year primary? Could English eventually replace French as a medium of instruction? Motivated by the recent emergence of this topic, we posited several hypotheses: (1) Teaching English at the primary level is becoming a necessity; (2) Parents value English language learning but perceive that this decision was made hastily; and (3) The rapid implementation of this reform aims to enhance students' use of English from a young age. To gather concrete information, we employed two investigative tools: a questionnaire directed at parents of third-year primary students and recorded interviews with three parents to add credibility and compare insights. The results indicate that most parents exhibit a positive attitude towards the introduction of English in third-year primary classes, although some express skepticism. Parents generally view English as a language of the future and essential for preparing younger generations for greater global engagement. Furthermore, they recognize English as a language of development, asserting their ability to assist their children due to their basic knowledge of the language. While many parents observe enthusiasm among their children for learning foreign languages, some express concerns about the challenges posed by learning two languages simultaneously.