Interactive and Conflict Strategies of Bilingual Teachers and Students in Iran’s Monolingual Educational System

The aim of research was to identify and determine interactive and conflict strategies of bilingual teachers and students in Iran’s monolingual educational system through the analysis of their lived experiences. This was a qualitative study using phenomenological approach and research population included all the teachers and pupils of the primary schools in five selected cities of Kermanshah province selected through purposeful sampling method. The sample size of the research for teachers was fifteen (9 male and 6 female teachers of Grades 1-6) and for pupils including five classes (three boys’ classes and two girls’ classes of Grade 6) with an average of 31 students in each class (in total 155 students). To collect data, researchers used semi-structured interviews with teachers and group interviews with students, and for data analysis, Braun, Clarke thematic method was used. The first finding of the research indicates that the reaction of teachers and students about formal language can be divided into two groups of interactive and conflict strategies. In terms of nature, both types of strategies are based on the three principles of acceptance, submission and resistance. The second finding revealed that teachers simultaneously benefit from strategies based on positive and negative reinforcement to promote the Persian language in the classroom and school. The third finding shows that some teachers and pupils have defensive reactions against the linguistic assimilation policy of the formal education system. According to the findings, it is suggested to Iranian educational planners to increase the role of mother tongue in the learning process of bilingual students.