Investigating Language Education Policy

Introduction: Definitions

Before we can discuss how to carry out or read ¹ research in language education policy, we need to define the field. Language education policy is a significant part of language policy. In the model developed by Kloss ( 1966) and enriched by Cooper ( 1989), language policy deals with the status of languages and varieties (are they official or not?), their form (are they appropriately cultivated to perform the functions associated with their status?), and who (apart from people who grew up speaking them) else should learn them. Cooper called this last point 'language acquisition policy' and I call it language education policy. In practice, these three areas are closely intertwined. For instance, in a nation where a language is official (in status), it will generally be used as the medium of instruction in state schools and therefore will need a writing system and terminology for modern concepts and technologies and have