IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/edt/aucspp/v48y2026i1p366-379.html

Two Foreign Languages In Algerian Primary Education: Cognitive Overload And Psycholinguistic Confusion

Author

Listed:
  • Asma DJAIDJA

    (Associate Professor PhD, Research Laboratory in Sociodidactics of Foreign and Mother Languages in Algeria, University Center of Barika, Algeria)

  • Lakhdar DOURARI

    (Full Professor PhD, Research Laboratory in Sociodidactics of Foreign and Mother Languages in Algeria, University Center of Barika, Algeria)

Abstract

The Algerian educational system is going through a modernisation phase marked by the introduction of English from the third year of primary school, alongside French and Arabic, the official language of instruction. This orientation reflects a political and institutional will to bring younger generations into a multilingual dynamic, in keeping with the demands of a globalised world. Yet this early triple linguistic exposure raises crucial questions at the cognitive, affective, and pedagogical levels. The article examines the effects of teaching two foreign languages simultaneously alongside the official language, and highlights the risks of cognitive overload, identity confusion, and difficulties in school adaptation. It questions the relevance of this strategy and proposes more gradual alternatives suited to the Algerian context, such as the delayed introduction of foreign languages or the adoption of pedagogical approaches that favour a smoother linguistic transition. The aim is to reconcile international openness with respect for pupils' learning capacities, so as to build a sustainable and balanced educational model.

Suggested Citation

  • Asma DJAIDJA & Lakhdar DOURARI, 2026. "Two Foreign Languages In Algerian Primary Education: Cognitive Overload And Psycholinguistic Confusion," Annals of the University of Craiova, Series Psychology, Pedagogy, Teacher Training Department, University of Craiova, vol. 48(1), pages 366-379, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:edt:aucspp:v:48:y:2026:i:1:p:366-379
    DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21058599
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://aucpp.ro/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/27.DJAIDJA_A_DOURARI_L_AUC_PP_2026_no_48_issue_1_pp_366-379.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5281/zenodo.21058599?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nino Tandilashvili & Anna Tandilashvili, 2022. "Academics’ perception of identity (re)construction: a value conflict created by performance orientation [La perception de la (re)construction de l'identité par les universitaires : un conflit de valeurs créé par l'orientation vers la performance]," Post-Print hal-04357704, HAL.
    2. Nino Tandilashvili & Anna Tandilashvili, 2022. "Academics’ perception of identity (re)construction: a value conflict created by performance orientation," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(2), pages 389-416, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Paola Ramassa & Francesco Avallone & Alberto Quagli, 2024. "Can “publishing game” pressures affect the research topic choice? A survey of European accounting researchers," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(2), pages 507-542, June.
    2. Tayyeb Ali Khan & Nasira Jabeen, 2024. "TTS as a recipe to enhance the performance of academic staff in public sector universities of Pakistan," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(4), pages 1199-1236, December.
    3. Francesca Manes-Rossi & Riccardo Mussari & Denita Cepiku, 2022. "Introduction to the special issue: “Performance measurement systems in universities: Threats or opportunities for governance?”," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(2), pages 327-335, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:edt:aucspp:v:48:y:2026:i:1:p:366-379. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dan Valeriu Voinea (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://cis01.central.ucv.ro/DPPD/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.