Curriculum et besoins langagiers en zone d'éducation linguistique plurielle

Si l'on peut raisonnablement postuler que la recherche a un rôle majeur à jouer dans la conception et l'élaboration du curriculum, elle a alors le devoir d'interroger les données qu'elle fournit au corps social. Cet article réexamine certains travaux conduits dans la zone du sud-ouest de l'Océan Indien et montre que, si la recherche veut répondre aux besoins des apprenants et des enseignants, elle doit commencer par modéliser les pratiques langagières réelles.There is general agreement that research informs the design of curriculum. In multilingual contexts, the theoretical assumptions which underpin empirical investigations and the quality of knowledge provided to the community of practice is a determining element in the way curriculum is both conceived and produced. This paper re-examines research undertaken on language issues in Mauritius and in some other islands of the Indian Ocean. It aims to show how observations previously put forward and based on the hypothesis that language operate within fixed boundaries and in a compartmentalised manner are erroneous. In fact, the paper argues that so long as research is not ready to validate actual language usage, the curriculum will not respond to the actual needs of both teachers and learners.