The teaching of Catalan in Catalonia

Abstract

One of the greatest challenges the language planners in Catalonia face in their drive to promote Catalan to an equal status with Castilian is that of teaching the language to the large non-Catalan population now found in Catalonia. This paper examines the provision of Catalan and the use of Catalan as a medium in Catalonia's education system at all levels. A new legal framework has allowed the local Catalan government considerable scope to upgrade the teaching of Catalan. Whether resources and the support from the community are sufficient, and whether the policy favours Catalan aggressively enough to prevent Castilian remaining always the dominant partner are discussed