Bilingual education in the Herman Ottó Grammar School in Miskolc Challenges, chances and difficulties

Bilingual education in Miskolc Languages:  Elementary level :  English  German  Secondary level :  English  German  French  Spanish

Bilingual education in Miskolc Subjects taught in the target language:  Elementary level :  Physical education  Art and music  Nature / biology  History  Secondary level :  History  Biology  Geography  Mathematics  Computer studies  Civilization  Physical education

Bilingual education in Miskolc Formulas :  Two types of bilingual classes at secondary level :  4 year studies : B1 level required in the target language  5 year studies : No knowledge required in the target language – ”0” year intensive language learning in order to reach B1 level at the end of the school year

Bilingual education in the Herman Ottó Grammar School : English section :  4 year formula  subjects taught in English :  History  Biology / Mathematics  Civilization Spanish section :  5 year formula  Subjects taught in Spanish :  History  Geography  Computer studies

Bilingual education in the Herman Ottó Grammar School : Challenges :  Careful selection of the right type of learners (able to follow and perseverant enough)  Adjustment of the teaching to the always changing governmental policy

Bilingual education in the Herman Ottó Grammar School : Difficulties in material development:  Lack of adequate course books  Foreign course books do not fulfill Hungarian requirements  Translated material from Hungarian is not adequate for this type of education  Isolated material development in schools – lack of coordination on a national level

Bilingual education in the Herman Ottó Grammar School : Difficulties in material development:  Adjustment of the teaching material to the requirements of the final exams  no separately defined requirements for bilingual programmes  preparation to the upper level final exam

Bilingual education in the Herman Ottó Grammar School : Difficulties in staff development :  no / scattered initial and postgraduate training for history / biology / etc. teachers in foreign languages  difficulty in replacing a teacher in bilingual programmes  Integration of (often changing) native teachers

Bilingual education in the Herman Ottó Grammar School : Advantages :  a chance for a ”smaller” language to be taught intensively (Spanish)  possibility of everyday casual exchange with native speakers present at school  learning how to use the language for professional purposes

Bilingual education in the Herman Ottó Grammar School : Advantages :  Quality language teaching and learning (C1 level at school leaving)  Good chances of getting in & coping with English sections in higher education