Language of education, its impact on children’s well-being, achievement, identity

Egyptian writer and journalist and specialist in behavioral disorders and autism, Nisreen Matouk, commented on the Syrian Ministry of Education’s decision to restrict education in the Kurdish language to only three school periods, speaking to our agency about the repercussions of the decision on students’ educational development and psychological well-being, particularly after years of receiving their education in their mother tongue.

Nisreen Matouk explained that learning in one’s mother tongue plays a fundamental role in the formation of a person and their identity from childhood. She noted that the mother tongue is the first language through which a child’s mind opens up to the world, and through it, the child understands themselves and what is happening around them. It also enables the child to express their feelings and thoughts easily and safely, without fear or hesitation.

She pointed out that language is not merely a means of communication, but is, in fact, the “intellectual and psychological vessel” through which a child develops an understanding of themselves and the world, and learns to express their feelings and thoughts. She stressed that mastering the mother tongue enhances a child’s self-confidence and has a significant impact on their emotional balance.

She described learning in the mother tongue as an essential bridge to cultural and social belonging, saying: “Through it, the values of the child’s community, its history, and its cultural and popular heritage are passed on to them, allowing them to grow up with a cohesive identity.”

She added: “Learning their mother tongue gives children a solid cognitive and psychological foundation and identity, protecting them from losing themselves when they are exposed to other cultures and societies that do not share the same intellectual and religious identities as their own community.”

The relationship between language and a sense of confidence and belonging

Nisreen said that the language of instruction plays a fundamental role in strengthening a child’s self-confidence and sense of belonging, something that educators also affirm.

In terms of confidence, learning in the mother tongue helps children become more capable and proficient, while reducing cognitive strain and language anxiety. This allows them to express their thoughts fluently and has a positive impact on their academic achievement and their sense of competence and ability to make an impact.

As for belonging and identity, language is considered the primary cultural vessel of the human being. Learning in the mother tongue contributes to strengthening a child’s connection to their roots, family, and community, protects them from psychological alienation, and gives them an identity that is proud of its origins while remaining flexible, particularly when they later begin learning another language while maintaining a balance with their mother tongue. This is known as “positive bilingualism.”

The effects of separating a child from their language

The journalist and behavioral specialist noted that depriving a child of education in their mother tongue leaves significant negative behavioral and social effects, most notably increased stress and language anxiety. This may manifest in withdrawal and psychological alienation, or in frustration and defiant behavior resulting from an inability to clearly express themselves and their needs.

She added: “Their ability to communicate effectively with their family and peers becomes weaker, creating a sense of cultural gap and isolation. This, in turn, negatively affects their self-esteem and consequently their sense of belonging.”

She pointed out that learning in the mother tongue helps children express their feelings and thoughts more effectively in terms of spontaneous emotional expression, because the mother tongue is the language of emotions. A child possesses a deeper vocabulary and more nuanced expressive and semantic dimensions in this language, enabling them to accurately describe what is connected to their inner feelings. They can therefore express themselves through words without the barriers of translation.

From an intellectual perspective, the mother tongue provides children with a low-strain cognitive capacity, giving them greater confidence and mental flexibility to organize their thoughts, formulate concepts, develop critical thinking, and enhance effective communication.

The connection between the mother tongue and memory

Nisreen Matouk noted that the mother tongue is closely connected to memory and comprehension through two main aspects.

The first is working memory and processing. When the brain processes information in the mother tongue, it requires less neural effort, leaving more capacity in working memory to store new information and process it more deeply.

The second is the connection with prior knowledge. The mother tongue is linked to early neural networks, making it easier to retrieve concepts stored in long-term memory, connect different pieces of knowledge to one another, and consolidate them until they are needed for later recall.

The specialist stressed that imposing an educational language other than the mother tongue leads to psychological and behavioral problems, resulting in what is known as a “language gap.” The most prominent problems include language anxiety, low self-esteem, feelings of failure, and psychological alienation.

Behavioral problems, meanwhile, may include frustration manifested in social withdrawal and isolation, or impulsive and defiant behaviors as a reaction to heightened nervous-system stress and difficulty communicating with the surrounding environment.

She stated that mastering the mother tongue has a positive initial impact on a child’s personality, giving individuals psychological resilience and pride in their identity, while enhancing emotional intelligence and self-esteem. It also gives a person greater verbal fluency, flexibility, and a stronger ability to empathize and listen. In addition, it forms a solid foundation for confident cultural communication with different civilizations, without fear of losing or distorting one’s identity.

She noted that the mother tongue serves as a person’s cognitive and cultural lens. It establishes the general frameworks of the concepts that they understand and build upon emotionally, and consequently in their analysis of the things and events around them. This guides their cognitive patterns and shapes the approach they adopt to solving problems.

She stressed that the mother tongue constitutes the reference point for an individual’s identity and the fundamental pillar of pride in their civilizational heritage. It also strengthens their sense of belonging through a shared understanding of the cultural symbols and values within their community.

Regarding the importance of children hearing their mother tongue at home and at school, Nisreen said that linguistic consistency between home and school creates a stable bridge that provides children with a complete sense of security. It enables them to transfer their daily experiences and deep emotions between the two environments in a familiar manner, without encountering a barrier that hinders their expression.

She explained: “When a child receives academic concepts and educational instructions in the same language in which they build their imagination and live their family life, the mental strain resulting from decoding a new language is reduced. This directly contributes to their psychological calmness and behavioral discipline inside the classroom.”

Nisreen Matouk concluded her remarks by saying: “Consistency prevents what is known as environmental duality or contradiction. As a result, children understand moral and behavioral boundaries and rules more deeply because they are expressed using the same words and language in which they were raised.”

ANHA