Lokesh Singh
Independent Researcher
Chhattisgarh, India
Abstract
This study examines the multifaceted impact of English-language schools on the gradual erosion of local dialects in India’s tier-2 cities. Building on a mixed-methods framework, it incorporates quantitative data from a survey of 200 students, parents, and teachers across three urban centers alongside qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews with educational administrators and local linguists. The analysis reveals a pronounced shift toward English usage in both academic and social contexts, with respondents reporting an average reduction of dialect use by over 60% within four years of English-medium enrollment. Parental aspirations and school policies prioritizing English proficiency emerge as the predominant drivers of this shift, while limited curricular space, resource constraints, and a lack of dialect pedagogy further exacerbate dialect attrition. Despite statutory mandates for mother-tongue instruction and sporadic community initiatives to preserve regional speech forms, dialect instruction remains peripheral. The study underscores the need for integrated bilingual pedagogies, targeted teacher training, and robust community-school partnerships to counteract dialect decline without compromising English-medium benefits. Through comprehensive recommendations—ranging from dialect-infused lesson planning to extracurricular storytelling clubs—it offers an actionable roadmap for policymakers, educators, and community stakeholders to foster a linguistically resilient generation that values both global competencies and cultural heritage.
Keywords
Local Dialect Erosion, English-Language Schools, Tier-2 Cities, Language Shift, Bilingual Education
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