The most outstanding characteristic of language in education policy for South Asia (SA) is its multilingualism. All through recorded history the seven countries that constitute SA have been multilingual. For at least the first two decades of their existence as sovereign states the large nation states of SA failed to take into account this…

Discusses the changing status of Quebec French, as witnessed by laws governing its use and official nature, its actual usage as a communication tool, and attitudes of Anglophones and Francophones toward it. (AM)

The National University of Ireland has rejected a move to drop the Irish language requirement. This is in line with government policy, since 1913, to promote Gaelic as the main language, particularly through education. But surveys show a decline in the use of Irish in the schools. (SJL)

Examines the position of Tamil as the language of an ethnic minority in Malaysia and Singapore, placing the issue of Tamil and language maintenance within the larger sociolinguistic milieu in the two countries and drawing conclusions about the role of language policy and planning in the determination of linguistic outcomes. (SM)

Outlines the current language situation in Singapore in relation to demographic and political changes. Reasons are given for the preeminence of English and the push for Mandarin Chinese as the official language. The role of Premier Lee Kwan Yew and the media in propounding the Republic language policy is discussed. (Author/PJM)

Explains the relationship between international trade and language competence in Australia and describes programs to enable students to spend part of their study time learning European Community (EC) languages in countries other than their own. Also discusses the status of foreign language learning in the United Kingdom. (SM)

Significant features of the official October 1990 orthographic reforms in French are outlined and their pedagogical implications are discussed briefly. The changes, primarily simplifications and not major changes, affect use of the hyphen, plurals, diacritical markings, verb tenses, and correction of anomalies. (MSE)

Reviews U.S. language policy as revealed by efforts made to assimilate immigrants in four historical periods. Studies kinds of instruction for new arrivals, specifically the Indochinese. (Author/APM)

The Zanzibar Ministry of Education instituted an English reading program into all secondary schools in 1989 to raise the levels of English teaching and learning (English being the medium of instruction and testing from secondary level and beyond). The program description and conclusions include implications for program design and implementation.…

The following papers on the issue of multilingualism in second language instruction are included: (1) "Problemes linguistiques dans les societes plurilingues (Linguistic Problems in Multilingual Societies)," by Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow; (2) "Aim: Multilingualism. The Dismantling of Resistance and Prejudice," by Eva Koberski; (3)…

Examines current language policy in Canada, particularly regarding Quebec, and discusses possible future developments. (AM)

While English was supported as an official language in India during her pre-independence days, it was during the post-independence days that English bilingualism became widespread. The influence of English can be seen in higher education, elementary and secondary education, national institutions, in the press, and in broadcasting, publishing, and…

Examines the spatial basis of language planning for the Welsh-speaking regions of the United Kingdom and discusses the relationship between language planning and language rights. Conflict between rights of individuals and rights of groups and between rights of Welsh speakers and those of English speakers are also discussed. (Author/PJM)

Presents the design of a long-term project aimed at facilitating communication among social scientists in different countries by the production of a new kind of encyclopedia, called the INTERCOCTA Encyclopedia. The project does not attempt to standardize or legislate terminology. (JDH)

Three individualistic accounts of social justice, (natural rights, human welfare, and fairness) are applicable to language policy planning in education. The article considers them limited and recommends a collectivist account which views various groups' needs as potentially different. It notes that language minority students require schooling…