How Diglossia Shapes Student Success: Unraveling the Classroom Language Dilemma
Imagine sitting in a classroom where the teacher speaks a language you only half-understand. The words feel formal, distant, and disconnected from the way you communicate at home. This is the reality for millions of students worldwide who navigate diglossia—a linguistic phenomenon where two distinct varieties of the same language coexist in a society. While one form (the “high” variety) dominates formal settings like schools, media, and government, the other (the “low” variety) thrives in everyday conversations. The gap between these two forms often becomes an invisible barrier to learning, shaping academic outcomes in ways that policymakers and educators are only beginning to address.
What Exactly Is Diglossia?
Diglossia isn’t merely about bilingualism or dialects. It’s a structured relationship between language forms with strict social roles. For example, in Arabic-speaking countries, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is used in textbooks and official speeches, while regional dialects like Egyptian Arabic or Levantine Arabic dominate casual talk. Similarly, Swiss German serves as the spoken language in Switzerland, but Standard German is the default for writing and formal education.
This divide creates a unique challenge for students: They’re expected to master the “high” variety to succeed academically, even though it feels foreign compared to the language they’ve grown up speaking. The result? A silent struggle that impacts confidence, participation, and ultimately, performance.
The Confidence Conundrum
Language isn’t just a tool for communication—it’s tied to identity. When schools prioritize the “high” variety, students who aren’t fluent in it may feel their home language is inferior. A study in Morocco found that children who spoke Darija (a local dialect) at home often hesitated to participate in class discussions taught in MSA. Over time, this reluctance translated into lower grades and reduced enthusiasm for subjects like literature and social studies.
Teachers sometimes misinterpret this hesitation as disinterest or lack of ability. In reality, students are grappling with a linguistic double life. As one educator in Cairo noted, “We’re asking kids to switch cognitive gears constantly. It’s exhausting for them to process math problems or history lessons in a language they rarely use outside school.”
Curriculum Design: A One-Size-Fits-All Problem
Many education systems with diglossic environments use curricula designed for the “high” variety without accommodating the linguistic transition students must make. Textbooks in MSA, for instance, assume prior familiarity with formal vocabulary and grammar rules. But what if a child’s only exposure to MSA is in the classroom?
This mismatch is evident in early literacy outcomes. Research in diglossic regions shows that students take longer to achieve reading fluency compared to peers in monolingual or balanced bilingual systems. The brain has to work harder to decode unfamiliar sounds and structures, slowing down comprehension. For subjects like science and math, where precise terminology matters, the confusion deepens. A student might understand a concept in their spoken dialect but struggle to articulate it in the formal language required for exams.
Teacher Training Gaps
Even well-intentioned educators often lack training to bridge the diglossia gap. Many grew up in the same system and see the “high” variety as the only legitimate medium for teaching. Professional development programs rarely address strategies for integrating students’ home languages into lessons.
In Greece, where Katharevousa (a formal Greek variant) was historically used in education, teachers reported frustration over students’ slow progress. After the government transitioned to Demotic Greek (the spoken form) in the 1980s, engagement improved—but only after decades of trial and error. This example underscores a critical lesson: Teachers need tools to validate students’ linguistic backgrounds while scaffolding their mastery of the formal variety.
Case Studies: Successes and Setbacks
Switzerland’s Balancing Act
Switzerland offers a fascinating example of diglossia managed effectively. Swiss German dialects dominate daily life, but Standard German is used in schools. Here, teachers gradually introduce the formal variety, allowing younger students to respond in dialect during discussions. By secondary school, most children code-switch effortlessly. National literacy rates remain high, suggesting that a flexible, phased approach can mitigate diglossia’s downsides.
The Arabic-Speaking World’s Struggle
Contrast this with many Arabic-speaking countries, where rigid adherence to MSA creates systemic bottlenecks. A 2020 study in Jordan revealed that 60% of grade three students couldn’t read a simple sentence in MSA. NGOs have piloted programs mixing MSA with local dialects in early grades, but scaling these remains a challenge due to political and cultural resistance.
Pathways to Progress
Addressing diglossia’s impact requires systemic shifts:
1. Early Literacy Reforms
Introducing the formal language through immersive, play-based activities can ease the transition. For example, using stories and songs that blend both language varieties helps children recognize connections between their home language and the school’s “high” variety.
2. Teacher Empowerment
Training programs should equip educators to acknowledge and leverage students’ linguistic strengths. Strategies like translanguaging—allowing flexible use of both language varieties—can foster inclusivity without compromising academic standards.
3. Community Engagement
Parents often feel sidelined when schools dismiss their dialect as “incorrect.” Workshops demonstrating how home language skills support formal language acquisition can build trust and collaboration.
4. Policy Innovation
Governments need to reassess curriculum design and assessment methods. Standardized tests prioritizing rote memorization of the “high” variety disproportionately disadvantage diglossic learners. Alternative evaluations focusing on conceptual understanding could level the playing field.
The Bigger Picture
Diglossia isn’t inherently harmful. When managed thoughtfully, it can enrich students’ cognitive flexibility and cultural pride. The key lies in reframing the relationship between language varieties—not as rivals, but as complementary tools. By embracing linguistic diversity in classrooms, schools can transform diglossia from a barrier into a bridge, unlocking potential for millions of learners.
In the end, education shouldn’t be a test of language proficiency but a journey of discovery. When students feel their voice—both literal and figurative—is valued, they’re far more likely to thrive.
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