Attitudes towards Language(s) of Instruction in Higher Education Institutions of Science and Technology in Morocco

Abstract

Nowadays, the language of instruction has become a bone of contention among educationalists, experts and language policy specialists in the Moroccan linguistic landscape. It is widely observed that French is the language of instruction in almost all higher education institutions of science and technology throughout Morocco. However, there have been calls to restore French by English since the latter is gaining grounds globally as a language of instruction in the fields of science and technology. This debate reflects controversy and diversity of views concerning the most appropriate and effective language of instruction. This study aims at contributing to this ongoing debate regarding this complex issue. Therefore, the focus is on exploring university professors and students’ attitudes towards their preferred language of instruction and learning especially in higher education institutions of science and technology. The data was collected using two questionnaires administered to university professors and engineering students in the National School for Applied Sciences in Marrakech. The data was analyzed quantitatively to investigate the participants’ preferences over the language of instruction in this educational context. The findings of the study show that both students and professors hold positive attitudes towards French and English with more preference for English as a language of instruction. The paper concludes by discussing some implications and recommendations especially for language planning and language policy as it will serve as a solid background and reference for educators and researchers.