Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
Editor and Book Reviews Editor: John Edwards (St Francis Xavier University, Canada)
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Volume: 24 Number: 4 Page: 274–289
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A Bilingual Education Pilot Project among the Kam People in Guizhou Province, China
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D. Norman Geary and Yongrong Pan
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This paper surveys China's minority education situation in general and bilingual education situation in particular, with special reference to the interaction between education, language and culture. There
are still many speakers of Kam (approximately 1.5 million), but the Kam language and culture are in decline. A 9- year bilingual education pilot project may help arrest the decline. The project is underway
in Zaidang primary school, Guizhou province, China. The languages taught are Kam and Chinese. The origins of the Zaidang project are described and details of the curriculum taught are outlined. Progress
in the first 3 years has been promising. Plans for the next 6 years are briefly outlined, including some areas that need ongoing research. Five more primary schools in the neighbourhood of Zaidang introduced
Kam preschool in September 2002, to run for a trial period of 3 years. Some theoretical support for the Zaidang project is presented.
Keywords: BILINGUAL EDUCATION, CHINA, GUIZHOU PROVINCE, KAM PEOPLE, MINORITY, CULTURES, PILOT PROJECT
© Multilingual Matters 2003
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