How to preserve the native language: education for Russian speaking children in the United Arab Emirates

At the moment there are no systematically organized educational possibilities to preserve and support the native language for the children of Russian speaking permanent residents in the UAE. The purpose of the article is to identify the degree of language preservation for the children of Russian expats getting their education in the UAE. The research materials are based on the results of a survey hold in the Russian families living in the UAE whose children study in English: 72 respondents were interviewed, more than 800 replies and comments were received. The questions concerned the use of Russian in communication with family and friends, reading books and watching movies, as well as the attitude of parents towards the possible loss of language and the ways to avoid it. The theoretical basis of the study was made up of the scientific works devoted to the issues of heritage languages functioning, children’s bilingualism, preserving Russian language and culture in the families of Russian speaking migrants and expats. It was revealed that already after two years of living abroad and studying in English a significant proportion of children lose their native language. It has been determined that not all parents realize the seriousness of the problem and feel ready to take any measures to solve it. Most families do not feel supported by Russian government or educational structures, while the only active centre in the UAE is the parish at the church of St. Philip the Apostle in Sharjah, which implements the original extra-curriculum programs in Sunday school format, socially oriented activities and hobby clubs. The authors propose options for supporting and preserving the Russian language for children in the UAE, that suggests a close connection between Russian state and religious agencies.