Allameh Tabataba’i University Strategic Recommendations for  Administrative Bodies

Allameh Tabataba’i University Strategic Recommendations for Administrative Bodies

Bilingualism in Iran: Opportunity or Threat?

Author
Department of Linguistics, Allameh Tabataba'i University
Abstract
Bilingualism in Iran is a pervasive and capacity-building phenomenon that, if approached scientifically, can lead to the enhancement of cognitive abilities, the strengthening of problem-solving, the expansion of job opportunities, and social development; however, unprofessional handling exacerbates consequences such as academic decline, linguistic and psychological divides, and identity conflicts between ethnic and national identities. Understanding bilingualism requires defining a spectrum from "minimum proficiency" to "full fluency," distinguishing between language and literacy, and differentiating "language education" from "instruction through language." Evidence indicates that success in learning a second language depends on the consolidation of the first language, and neglecting the mother tongue causes the Persian language to assume the role of a "foreign language" for certain children. In the educational domain, the centralization of curricula and the implementation of a uniform program across diverse regions have weakened educational justice, necessitating the design of indigenous educational packages tailored to regional cultures and languages. Proposed strategies include making preschool compulsory and initiating formal education from the age of five for non-Persian-speaking children, teaching Persian as a skill, enhancing in-service training for teachers, utilizing graduates in teaching Persian to non-Persian speakers, developing multimedia content and utilizing public media, implementing pilot mother-tongue-based education in several provinces, and revising the university entrance exam (Konkoor) indigenous admission policy in light of its implications for national cohesion.
Keywords