El contexto sociolingüístico de la enseñanza y adquisición del español en escuelas indígenas bilingües en el Valle del Mezquital

Abstract

This paper summarizes some of the results of a project of research into the sociolinguistic conflict between Spanish and Otomí in a bilingual indigenous area of Mexico. The analysis concentrates on the sociolinguistic conditions and institutional factors (e.g. methods and materials) affecting the process of the acquisition and teaching of Spanish as a second language in the primary schools. The paper also presents an ethnographic analysis of verbal interaction in the classroom. The author concludes that, at least in the schools where observation was carried out, there is no truly bilingual education, but rather the attempt to “castellanize” (teach Spanish to) the pupils as quickly as possible. The contradictions between the methods and materials, on the one hand, and the sociolinguistic conditions on the other, impede the process of acquiring Spanish and endanger the maintenance of Otomí in the classroom.