Language Ideology and Power in Educational Policy Discourse: A Critical Sociolinguistic Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71435/688515Keywords:
Language Ideology, Educational Policy Discourse, Critical Discourse Analysis , Linguistic Inequality , Minority Language RightsAbstract
Purpose: This study examines how language ideology and institutional power are constructed, negotiated, and reproduced in educational policy discourse, focusing on language hierarchy, linguistic representation, educational opportunities, and minority-language participation.
Subjects and Methods: This qualitative study employed Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), informed by Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework and van Dijk’s socio-cognitive perspective. Data were obtained from 36 national and regional educational policy documents across multilingual contexts in Asia, Europe, and Africa, complemented by semi-structured interviews with 24 participants in Malaysia, comprising 10 policymakers and 14 senior educators. Data were analyzed through thematic coding, lexical analysis, and documentary-interview triangulation.
Results: Five interconnected patterns emerged. National and international languages dominated policy references, accounting for 85.09% of coded references. Language functions were differentiated across educational domains, with minority and heritage languages primarily associated with cultural and foundational learning. Deficit-oriented learner labels represented 67.20% of coded learner descriptions. Economic rationality, particularly competitiveness and employability, legitimized language priorities. Explicit minority-language consultation appeared in only 16.67% of documents.
Conclusions: Educational language policies may recognize multilingualism while maintaining unequal linguistic legitimacy and institutional participation. The study highlights the importance of balancing global competitiveness with linguistic rights, inclusive curricula, and meaningful minority-community participation in educational decision-making.
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