Abstract:

Each country involved in globalization faces the challenge of optimal adaptation to the process while keeping intact its ethnical, cultural and language diversity which may be endangered by the very global processes it is trying to adjust to. This task underlies the language and educational policy of the government and can be solved in different ways with due consideration of language, political and cultural situation of the country.

The paper explores how the implications of globalization and the reaction to global challenges are represented in language and educational policy of Canada towards immigrants. The political, cultural and language situation facing the “challenge of globalization” is studied. Language and educational policy in Canada is analyzed as a response to this challenge. As a result, a complete and detailed picture of the linguistic dimension of globalization emerges.

The research objectives include the analysis of language and educational policy in Canada towards immigrants, its patterns, and main tools with special emphasis on the links between the language situation, educational policy and immigration patterns. Language and educational policy towards immigrants is regarded as an issue of topical significance as immigrants provide a considerable part of Canada’s population increase with growing rates.

The hypothesis of the study is that changing immigration patterns to Canada may lead to the change in the language situation of the country and therefore in the patterns of language and educational policy.

The research methodology included theoretical analysis and systematization of government documents, statistical data, analytical materials and Internet sites.

In the course of the study the influence of immigrants on the language situation and educational policy in Canada was analyzed. The results of the analysis show that the language situation and educational policy of Canada can be described by growing multilingualism and multiculturalism. The conclusion is made that a new type of bilingualism, different from traditional Anglo-French bilingualism, is emerging in Canada. The new bilingualism is considered to be one of the most important results of the language and educational policy aimed at preserving linguistic diversity of Canada.

Keywords:

Language policy, educational policy, Canada, globalization, bilingualism, multiculturalism, immigrants.