This article draws on two studies of language diversity and adult literacy education in Timor-Leste that were conducted in different regions of the country between 2009 and 2013. Its central focus is on the day-to-day language practices and language values of local participants and the way in which these practices and values relate to national language policies. We first outline the views of language and of language policy-making that underpin our article. We then provide a brief overview of language-in-education policy-making in Timor-Leste with respect to provision for adult literacy. After that, we describe the design and conduct of the two studies and we present selected findings, drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data sources. The quantitative data were generated by means of questionnaire-based interviews and the research participants’ own accounts of their language repertoires, practices and values. The qualitative data were gathered via: (1) observation of adult literacy classes; (2) analysis of photographs of signage in local linguistic landscapes. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our findings for language-in-education policy development in the area of adult literacy provision in countries in the global south, such as Timor-Leste. Here we plead for a greater involvement of teachers and learners as actors, not mere bystanders, who can bring new voices into policy-making processes and into research into these processes.

本文借鉴了2009年至2013年在该国不同地区进行的东帝汶语言多样性和成人识字教育的两项研究。其重点是日常语言实践和当地参与者的语言价值以及这些做法和价值观与国家语言政策相关的方式。我们首先概述了支撑本文的语言和语言政策制定的观点。然后，我们简要概述了东帝汶关于成人扫盲的教育政策制定政策。之后，我们描述了这两项研究的设计和进行，并利用定量和定性的数据来​​源介绍了一些发现。定量数据是通过基于问卷的访谈和研究参与者自己的语言资料，习俗和价值观来生成的。通过以下方式收集定性数据：（1）观察成人识字班；（2）分析当地语言环境中的标牌照片。最后，我们讨论了我们的发现对全球南方国家（如东帝汶）在成人扫盲提供领域中教育语言政策制定的意义。在这里，我们呼吁教师和学习者作为演员，而不仅仅是旁观者更多地参与其中，他们可以为决策过程和对这些过程的研究带来新的声音。（1）观察成人识字班；（2）分析当地语言环境中的标牌照片。最后，我们讨论了我们的发现对全球南方国家（如东帝汶）在成人扫盲提供领域中教育语言政策制定的意义。在这里，我们呼吁教师和学习者作为演员，而不仅仅是旁观者更多地参与其中，他们可以为决策过程和对这些过程的研究带来新的声音。（1）观察成人识字班；（2）分析当地语言环境中的标牌照片。最后，我们讨论了我们的发现对全球南方国家（如东帝汶）在成人扫盲提供领域中教育语言政策制定的意义。在这里，我们呼吁教师和学习者作为演员，而不仅仅是旁观者更多地参与其中，他们可以为决策过程和对这些过程的研究带来新的声音。