The linguistic models of compulsory education in the Basque Autonomous Community and in Catalonia: a comparative view

Abstract

This article presents a comparative perspective of the linguistic models in compulsory education in the Basque Autonomous Community, where three models coexist; one with Castilian as the main language of learning (model A), another in which Castilian and Basque are both languages of learning (model B) and a third with Basque as the main language of learning (model D), and in Catalonia, where a single common education model has been implemented,, with Catalan as the main language of learning. This article details the process through which each model was implemented since the restoration of self-governance and outlines the results related to the linguistic competences of pupils and to linguistic uses in the school environment. The article concludes with shared thoughts on the social debates around the models and on the challenges that they must address to trilingualise the school population (in a minoritised language, in Castilian and in English), and to update and strengthen schools' contribution to the processes of revitalising Basque and Catalan.