Polynesian youth literature and bilingual philosophical discussions at school
Résumé
Thisresearch is motivated by curiosity, the need to better understand and better meet the needs of the Polynesian education
system. In fact, in the multilingual Polynesian school, what is the meaning of the quest for knowledge and truth ? This
study is a qualitative and exploratory research. The experiment will take place in Moorea, in class of year one (entry into
learning to read, gateway class...). Initiating philosophical discussions at school from works of youth literature is possible
(Chirouter, 2011). In addition, the school institution recognizes the interest of these practices (official programs, 2015).
This research is innovative thanks to the parental involvement as well as its literary and linguistic Polynesian dimensions.
Discussions can be in French or in Tahitian because the aim is rather to develop cognitive abilities, using the language as
a tool (Vygotsky, 1935). The problematic is in what way would the practice of philosophical discussions based on
endogenous youth literature stimulate the cognitive skills of the group ? As regards the method envisaged and analytical
instruments, a corpus of Polynesian youth literature will be selected according to specific criteria Parents will be invited
to come and read a text in class and participate in the discussions. A work of understanding, and interpretation will then
be followed by a discussion with a philosophical aim. The sessions will be recorded (linguistic transcription of exchanges,
corpus study : cognitive interactions, analysis according to the taxonomy of Bloom; process of thought at work). Semi
directional interviews with parents and oral questionnaires to students will be conducted. It may seem that some pieces
of Polynesian literature would allow for philosophical reflection in the classroom, and that these discussions would
develop the learning of philosophizing, reading and oral language. In addition, parental involvement would facilitate an
additive bilingualism.