Abstract

This book describes a particular type of educational provision referred to as ‘elite’ or ‘prestigious’ bilingual education, which caters mainly for upwardly mobile, highly educated, higher socio-economic status learners of two or more internationally useful languages. The development of different types of elite bilingual or multilingual educational provision is discussed and an argument is made for the need to study bilingual education in majority as well as in minority contexts.

This volume is a valuable contribution to the study of bilingual education. Some articles contain important observations on the today state of affairs in the planning and organization of bilingual education in particular South American countries and are thus an absolute must for teachers, activists and policy makers involved into respective bilingual education programs.

This text brings together research and personal experiences of experts from many countries, and it justifies the study of elite bilingualism as a legitimate area for continued research. It provides a comprehensive look at a great number of elite bilingual contexts throughout the world and gives the reader a clear picture of what is happening and what needs to be done in this relatively new and growing field of study.

The book will serve as an important new resource for both teachers and researchers in the field of bilingual education.

Such is the novelty and originality of this book, every reader, whether from elite bilingual families or not, will gain much from its contents. Written in a precise and very readable style, this is an eminently sensible, astute and balanced approach from someone with considerable expertise. Few books can claim to be the first in a particular line of study. This one justifiably can, and deserves wide readship.

De Mejia’s book is undoubtedly an exceptionally thought-provoking and stimulating reading…. an innovative work that raises many questions about a new interesting field of research on bilingualism and education. It is a highly recommended book which deserves to be read carefully by scholars, language planners, teachers and parents.

Anne-Marie de Mejía works in the Linguistics Department of the School of Language Sciences at Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia where she is currently co-ordinator of the Bilingualism Research Group.  She obtained her Ph.D in Linguistics from Lancaster University (U.K.) in 1994.  Her research interests include bilingual classroom interaction, the construction of bilingual curricula and processes of empowerment, and bilingual teacher development.

This book provides an ideal starting point for future research, which promises to have many implications beyond the immediate field of elite bilingual education itself.