PROBLEMS OF VOLUNTARY RETURNEES CHILDREN IN MOTHER TONGUE ACQUISITION

Albanian society experienced emigration during the last twenty years. This phenomenon was associated with a major problem: the negligence of the mother tongue and its marginality in relation to the foreign language of the host country. This research examines some of the learning difficulties of the mother tongue posed to returned emigrant’s children when they integrate in Albanian schools. We have tried to tackle the problem both theoretically and practically. On the theoretical side, it is underlined the importance of learning the mother tongue, the advantages of a bilingual child and the benefits from mother tongue. On the practical side, aiming to have a closer look at the situation, we met schoolchildren, teachers, and also parents in one of the cities which has the biggest number of voluntary returnee families, interviewed schoolchildren, teachers and visited an immigrant family. In conclusion we suggest, for voluntary returnees children to be able to easily integrate in the society and become an active factor in the education process. Specific programs which address their needs must be designed and implemented. These children should be constantly and continuously helped by teachers, psychologists and their respective families.