My Pre-Trip Thoughts:

     On 3/2/22 seventeen teachers and two members of IREX (The International Research & Exchanges Board) held a pre-departure Zoom meeting regarding our upcoming trip to Morocco slated for March 20022.  We learned that Morocco is larger than the state of California and has approximately 37 million inhabitants.  They have a centralized educational system and serve multi-linguistic schools.

     As an ESOL teacher of 20+ years in public schools in Athens, Georgia my primary job has been to teach Academic English to non-native speakers of English. I saw immediate connections between my students and the students of Morocco who all need to learn the dominant language(s) in order to have the most successful lives possible wherever they live. This need for a common language falls within the realm of Global Competencies and 21st Century Skills.

      I know what it is like for a non-native English-speaking student who enrolls in our schools in Georgia and wondered what it is like for a student in a parallel situation in Morocco. This global connection of schools needing to educate productive citizens who speak the necessary language(s) resonates for students in my school, as well as schools half-way around the planet and formed my guiding question (see above).

What I learned during my International Field Experience: 

     On Monday, March 14, 2022, I left Athens to meet the other members of the Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms cohort to begin our educational visit to Morocco. Seventeen teachers in total representing many locations throughout the US came together to deepen understandings of Global Education.

     We were hosted by Dr. Meríem Lahrizi, our in-country Fulbright consultant and professor of English at University Mohammed V of Rabat who explained relevant history and culture of Morocco upon our arrival to the capital city.

        Dr. Lahrizi taught us that the Moroccan people have long valued education. In fact, the oldest existing and continually operating educational institution world wide is called Al-Qaraouine. According to UNESCO it was founded by Fatima Al-fihria in the year 859. The fact that the school was opened by a woman is also a trend we found true in Morocco: education is open to males and females and encouraged for all.

    Despite being an independent nation for 12 centuries, Morocco was colonized by the French beginning in 1907, first as a "Protectorate" and eventually as a full colony until it gained Independence in 1956. During occupation, a centralized educational system was set up that mirrored that of France. To this day, the curriculum is still highly nationalized with all schools receiving equal funding. (See overview below, based on notes taken while in Morocco.)

           I first began to learn answers to my guiding question regarding additional language teaching and learning when Dr. Lahrizi described the many languages spoken in Morocco.  Darija is the Arabic vernacular used by the majority of the population. However, the people making up the tribes that were incorporated into the Kingdom of Morocco speak dialects collectively known as Tamazight.

       Because it was colonized for so long by France, French is one of the languages of instruction in Morocco. Depending on the school, whether private or public, all school students begin instruction in French by the 3rd grade. When they are in middle school, all Mathematics and Science education is conducted in French. According to Dr. Lahrizi and students with whom I spoke, it is difficult to learn content when one is not fully fluent in the language of instruction. Similarly, instruction in all Universities in Morocco is conducted in either Classical Arabic or in French. In order for students to gain entry into higher-education, they must be fluent in additional languages.

        As it is in a post-Colonial stage of its history, and because the French language has connotations of dominance, the English language has become a more popular additional language sought by the younger generations. Beginning in the 2010s, some English as a foreign language classes are taught by the seventh grade in most public schools (and even earlier in secular private schools). It is the intention of the Ministry of Education to phase French out as the major international language and replace it with English.

    On day three of our visit, 3/17/22, I learned more information to answer my guiding question about additional language instruction in Morocco when we visited Dr Fouad Chafiqi, Director of Curricula for the Ministry of Education. According to the Minister there is a focus on maintaining and strengthening the oral component of the local first language, or as he called "la langue de mere" or mother tongue. Then, the goal is transitioning students to fluency in Classical Arabic, French (and increasingly) English. By the middle grades, Science and Math instruction only occurs in French (with the desire to change this to English as more and more teachers gain proficiency.

        Dr. Chafiqi said that the greatest challenge to education in Morocco is linguistic in nature because there are so many native languages spoken. He also insisted that there is great pride in their languages, so much so that the 2011 Constitution was amended to add the Tamazight languages as co-official languages with Arabic. There is linguistic diversity, which can be a benefit to citizenry, but it can also be difficult for centralized education that typically follows the same texts throughout the nation. Students who arrive at school do not speak the local dialect do not receive any additional language services from the school.

     To proceed to post-secondary educational opportunities, students must pass a "baccalaureate" exam which is conducted currently in Arabic and French. Another challenge Moroccan Education faces is that the fourteen major public universities are overcrowded and that many of the best and brightest students leave the country for education in France and other European nations. Less than 20% of the population graduate and matriculate it to the University level due to high drop out rates at all three levels of K-12 schooling. Many students leave formal schooling because they live in rural areas and there are no secondary schools available. Others leave school seeking jobs.

An Interview with a Student: 

       On Day Seven (March 21, 2022) we were given a tour by undergraduate students of the English Department of Mohammed V University in Rabat. I had the good fortune of meeting Imane Anknioune, a student who was previously a non-native speaker of the local dialect in the school she first attended as a five year old. As Ms. Anknioune toured our group around campus, I asked her questions regarding her experiences as a language learner. We continued our conversation on-line, and she kindly replied to my questions below.

(1) Where in Morocco are you from?

Originally speaking, I am from Taroudant, located in Southeastern Morocco. It is situated east of Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate. Those are the roots of both my parents and my grandparents from my mom & dad.

(2) What language did you speak at home when you were young?

My first language acquisition is Amazigh. Both my parents speak it, and they transmitted that language to me when I was kid. Also, I used to be there in Taroudant and other regions visiting my family and I spoke with them only in Amazigh.  

(3) At what age did you begin to learn other languages?

I started to learn the Moroccan Dialect which is Darija at the age (4-5 years old ) when we moved to the city Sale for my schooling in order to get access to study that's why my dad moved and start a new living, raising his family here in Sale to guarantee a better future for his kids. My Dad used to speak both Darija & Amazigh. In the contrary, my Mom speaks only Amazigh at that time.  So, to answer your question clearly I started learning Darija from school & the environment I am living in because all my friends speaks Darija but, me not. And I started learning it by imitating, hearing a lot my friends, playing with friends, memorizing some common sentences. However, I still remember I always hated school at that time of primary school because I felt strange. For example, when they make a joke using Darija I was the only person who did not get that joke ... it took for me a lot of time to understand the meaning behind. But, I was lovable with my friends even the distance of language. Last and not least, my dad helped me a lot with learning the Darija language to engage with community. 

That was my story with learning Darija. Concerning French & Classical Arabic, I learned both of them at primary school in parallel at the age of 6 years old. By the way, I went to private school, I was lucky enough! But, for public schools started learning French in third grade between 9-10 years old with really low quality and they use a Moroccan textbook. However, in private schools most of them use French textbooks. It is expensive a bit. 

For the English Language, I started learning it at the age 13-14 years old in high school. It was a public one this time because private schools are very expensive. My sister and I went both of us to private school for primary school and we pursued the rest in public school. But, my youngest sister studied primary & college privately and she is really doing so good with languages and other subjects. For my English, It improved a lot not at school but more when I was selected to be a student with ''Access Program'' at Amideast. Believe me, It was life changing for me and that's why I chose to pursue my academic studies in the English studies where we do study Cultural Studies & Linguistics. I am majoring in Linguistics but, I love both Culture & Literature. I am still doing my best to improve my Academic skills in order to be qualified world wide and my communication skills.

(4) You mentioned that you were not a native speaker. What was it like to be the only one in your class who was not a native speaker?

Yes, I did mention that I wasn't a native speaker because I was the only person speaking Amazigh. Of course it was hard and I found some difficulties engaging with the teacher lesson & engaging with my classmates and had at that time fragile & sensitive personality. But, my dad was always there beside me and when I came back home complaining that I didn't understand the lesson, I started hating the school cause I lost my motivation. I told my parents that I am sick, I don't want to go to school, and always found it difficult to do my homework even my dad did his best to jump this step. I could tell that my dad played a huge role to get back my confidence back because he always go to school and talk to my teachers that I am struggling with understanding my teachers and they tried to check on me while students write from the board. So, It passes smoothly!

(5) At what point did you begin to learn French and English?

I learned French at the age of six years old, and English thirteen years old.

(6) It is clear that you are a gifted language learner? Could you please sum up why you love languages as you so clearly do?

I loved this question a lot. I don't see myself as gifted language learner. I see myself as a hard working person and smart in learning things. I learned by observing people while speaking and I memorize the best sentences & phrases. I love languages a lot because I see people who speaks different languages are attractive. And when you had the chance to learn a language you learn the culture as well. Like, you are reading from different books. You become more peaceful and open, however, you approach life from variable perspectives. Also, I feel confident communicating with different people and I am ready to learn something new. I improved my speaking listening a lot to podcasts, music, watching movie & speaking in front of mirror and when never I had the chance to speak with a native speaker I don't think  if my language is good or not and just take the initiative because I believe learning is a process not just in language but, in any aspects in life. And I enjoy the journey! I am looking forward to learning other languages. As a future linguist I am more aware how things work in our brains, I should just put more efforts to increase my knowledge and devote time for learning at least one 20 mins per day.

      Also during that visit, we learned that the problem of not having a singular dominant language can be further exacerbated because teachers can be placed to teach in schools in areas of Morocco where they do not share the same vernacular spoken by the students. Furthermore, most federally certified teachers graduating from the École Normale are given employment in a rural school for the first two years of placement. Dr. Lahrizi said that there is no linguistic consideration given to teachers as they are placed in their first teaching positions.

     Upon studying the situation further, I realized that many people around the world are in a similar situation and do not study learn their "mother language" in school. (see here for more information). Apparently the Covid Pandemic has also worsened the problem, leaving many more students to learn content in a new language.

       As a veteran teacher of English for non-native speakers, I am accustomed to being in classrooms with students who do not yet speak English. However I have been in situations such as this for over twenty years, and I still find in challenging to teach procedures and content. I imagine it to be incredibly difficult for first year teachers placed in locales of new languages. 

See below for presentations and photos of our International Field Experience to Morocco.

Post-International Field Experience Reflection:

    I have long been concerned with the outsider student, the one who does not automatically fit in or belong with the others. These students can be different on account of any one or more of the following: native language, ethnicity, ability and dis-ability, gender, religion, etc. Teaching "outsiders" to fit in culturally and linguistically has been my professional life's work. When I reflect on our once-in-a-lifetime Fulbright trip, I am beyond content since so much of what educators deal with in Morocco is what I experience in the USA. It was refreshing to hear their perspectives and for me to contribute to the narrative.

   On the surface level, it seems that there are few parallels among the schools in the US and the schools in Morocco. We have but one primary language of instruction in the US and that is English. Most students in Morocco arrive at elementary school knowing either an indigenous language or in Darija, which is truly an oral language, not written (or a vernacular). Students must then learn Classic Arabic, French, English and perhaps even Spanish as they progress in schooling. Only the most academically strong students succeed and pass "the BAC" exam.

    However, on closer inspection, the students where I teach have far more in common with their Moroccan counterparts than meets the eye. Only a very small percentage of the students in our school district are fluent in standardized/ Academic English. The overwhelming majority speak one of a few dialects at home that are also oral (vernaculars) and not transcribed word for word. This is similar to the students in Morocco who usually arrive at school knowing only vernaculars. 

     I categorize the overwhelming majority of students in our districts as students non-native speakers of Academic English. I say this with deep admiration for all dialects and with recognition of the need for our students to master the dominant codes in order to have the most successful lives possible. I can say this humbly as I am a first-generation college student who only encountered Academic English in the school setting and am comfortable teaching it to students from all entry points.

Similar to students in Morocco, my English Learners must learn content in an additional language and pass exams in this new language. The more I learned about Morocco, the more similarities I see with students and teachers in Athens, Georgia.

Going Forward: Actively integrating Global Competencies into my Classroom 

    I share a similar sentiment as my fellow Moroccan counterparts in that I, too, feel like I could also do a better job of educating my students for local occupation opportunities. In particular, I want to boost my students' soft-skills and global communication strategies. These skills are not as explicit in our curriculum as I think they could be. These are some of the same challenges listed by the teachers I met in Morocco at all levels of education.

   Our Project on Becoming Better Global Citizens at the High School Level

Our Project on Becoming Better Global Citizens at the Middle School Level