Abstract:

Language and its significance to Circassians in Israel. The study will also assess how this case supports theoretical notions related to the role of the school system, home and community in this process. Particularly, the study aims to challenge the theoretical notion that intergenerational transmission is the core player in the process of language maintenance. Other areas of examination include the manner in which the school system assists in maintaining the Circassian language, and under what conditions the Circassian schools would be able to reverse the process of language decay. One of the main conclusions of this study is that the official school system doesn’t support the minority language as would be expected by the community, but rather prioritizes Hebrew over Circassian. However, the school staff and emerging leadership are seeking to make fundamental changes in the school curriculum to empower the Circassian language and culture.

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