Complexities and orientations Conference Languages of Schooling within a European Framework for Languages of Education: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Prague, 8-10 November 2007 Council of Europe, Language Policy Division Piet-Hein van de Ven Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands

1.Points of departure 2.Complexities 3.Languages in Education 4.Aims and Values

Points of departure 1Language is ensuring: -cultural diversity -democratic citizenship -social inclusion -access to/success in the school curriculum. 2 Curriculum decisions about policy and practice take place in the context of a complex network of aims and values.

Complexities: 1.Forms of plurality 2.Globalisation and unifying 3.The Knowledge Society

Complexities Forms of plurality (1) Linguistics and literature studies: -polyparadigmatic domain -Several & different subdisciplines Language and literature: -several systemic dimensions (syntaxis, semantics, pragmatics; literary and social repertoires) - several and different discourses (genres) -- etc.

Complexities: Forms of plurality (2) Knowledges populations/groups - resources histories - methodseducation Languages -views & semiotic systems- systems Identities religions Principleseconomic systems - actionsLearning - values

Complexities: Globalisation and unifying tendencies o Globalisation processes (industry, cultural practices, fashion, English, …) o National unification (nation, people, heritage, history, religion, …) o European c-ordination (Common European Framework of References for Languages)

Complexities: Knowledge society Economic growth High(er) level of education learning to learn; life long learning obsolete knowledge forms of knowledge knowledge ~competences

Languages in / of education The field LANGUAGES OF EDUCATION AND VARIETIES REPRESENTED IN THE SCHOOL (as elements of the curriculum and/or part of pupils' repertoire) Regional, minority and migrant languages and varieties (when they are not the language of schooling but recognised within or outside the curriculum). MAIN LANGUAGE(S) OF SCHOOLING (official, national or regional or minority, if they are official media of instruction) Language as a subject. linguistic competence, metalinguistic knowledge, literary/cultural knowledge and appreciation Languageacross the curriculum (for teaching other subjects) Diverse types of text and “rhetorical styles” of various subjects Foreign languages and varieties taught in school (which may become partial or second languages of schooling, in the case of bilingual teaching, partial immersion)

Languages in /of education Not all languages in school are languages of school education Languages in school: different categories, different status, but change is possible Language(s) of schooling: keystone of all languages of school: achieving school’s objectives and pupils’successes. Concern: The relationship between main language (s) of school and languages of pupils

Aims and Values Bildung - personal growth, cultural heritage, economic growth, equality,... Transmission/construction of knowledge, skills, attitudes,, metacognition Cultures and competences: ethics, civic, emotional, creative, critical, aesthetic, linguistic, technical, scientific, physical

Bildung to develop and bring out the full potential of a human being, based on his/her nature, but stimulated and structured by education (nurture). This dynamic concept encompasses the product or relative state reached by a human being as well as the process of becoming educated/becoming one’s own self. During this process the mental, cultural and practical capacities as much as the personal and social competencies are being developed and continuously widened in a holistic way (Vollmer, 2006, p. 7).