The Classroom Linguistic Landscape (CLL): examining English linguistic imperialism and [de]colonisation

This study examines classroom linguistic landscapes (CLL), the dynamics of linguistic imperialism, and (de) colonisation in educational spaces, and how it is reflected in (post)colonial linguistic ideologies. The reflexive ethnographic approach was conducted using visual ethnography (Barrantes, 2019...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPorta Linguarum Revista Interuniversitaria de Didáctica de las Lenguas Extranjeras no. XII; pp. 89 - 105
Main Author Awal, Abdul
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 16.07.2025
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ISSN1697-7467
2695-8244
DOI10.30827/portalin.viXII.33181

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Summary:This study examines classroom linguistic landscapes (CLL), the dynamics of linguistic imperialism, and (de) colonisation in educational spaces, and how it is reflected in (post)colonial linguistic ideologies. The reflexive ethnographic approach was conducted using visual ethnography (Barrantes, 2019; Pink, 2007) and linguistic landscaping method (Haji-Othman, 2020; Lyons, 2017; Pienimäki et al., 2023). The data were collected through photographic documentation of classroom materials, signage, artifacts, and many others. The analysis showed a significant discrepancy between Bengali Medium (BM) and Qawmi Madrasa Education (ME) in Bangladesh, where BM reinforces the dominance of English signage as a linguistic and cultural tool. By contrast, ME has a more balanced multilingual representation within CLL, including English, Bengali, Arabic, Urdu, and Farsi, thereby resisting English hegemony and actively promoting a more equitable multilingual environment.
ISSN:1697-7467
2695-8244
DOI:10.30827/portalin.viXII.33181