Two Decades of ‘Bilingual’ Education in Hungary For the Dedicated Ones Only! Mária Szabóné Pákozdi Venice, September, 2008 Károli Gáspár University, Budapest

Topics Culture shock in Hungary and its historical background Culture shock in Hungary and its historical background Two decades of dual language education in HU: Italian CLIL schools in HU Two decades of dual language education in HU: Italian CLIL schools in HU The role of Károli University The role of Károli University Where dedication comes from: benefits and drawbacks of our system in HU Where dedication comes from: benefits and drawbacks of our system in HU

1. Culture shock in Hungary and its historical background n 20% of adults knows FL n 25% of adolescents know FL n 1,2 FLs are taught in school n A unique native language n Monolingual population after the wars n Russian hegemony

2.Two decades of dual language education HU: n Dual language education since 1987 (top down) n Aim: to develop the language competence of gifted students in order to pursue studies abroad n High quality, strict regulation n Secondary(15-18) C1 primary(7-14) B1 kindergarten - teriary? n Languages: EN, FR,GE, ES, IT, RU, CH ! European trends: n CLIL since 1996 n Aim: to develop the language competence of students in mainstream education n Often experimenting n Several levels, several approaches n Languages: minority languages as well

CLIL in the primary 164 schools, Primary: 67, Secondary: 97 Budapest: 56.

Grammar schools and vocational schools (14-18y) Grammar Schools Vocational Schools aims Further studies or autonomous learning in the FL Work in the FL Subjects (+ Target Lang.Cultur e) YILL and year 0 Theoretic subjects YILL and year 0 Subjects of the profession ResultsOutstanding (final exams: 0,48 grade higher than the national average) A bit lower than in the grammar schools tendencies 78% satisfied 72% satisfied teachers Double Majors Content teachers having taught or practised their prof. abroad

Teaching Italian in HU n Possible since 1851 n 2nd optional FL beside EN since 1921 n Again available in schools since 1953 n IT Cultural Institute never ceased to exist n Today students study IT n IT Schools: 20s-30s n 19-20th cent: 1000 Italians in HU

Italian CLIL schools in HU n 1937

HU CLIL school in Milan 1938

3. The role of Károli University ( n European projects in Education n Bilingua Programme (2-year, post-graduate programme for teachers of non- language subjects in English) n CLIL Conference for former Socialist countries n Research (involving university students)

Erasmus Intensive Programmes for teacher trainees

4. Where dedication comes from: benefits and drawbacks of our system 1. Gifted students, intern. opportunities 2. Creative teachers 3. Extra per capita support for the school, prestige 4. The local community

4.1.Benefits and drawbacks: the students’ perspective n Practical language knowledge n Results n International networking(projects, student exchange, studies abroad,cult. events) n Further studies? Change schools? n Mother tongue?

4.2.Benefits and drawbacks: the teachers’ perspective n Challenges, environment supporting professional development n Improvement of their FL competence n Cooperation on every level n Teaching materials development n Motivated learners n Lack of pre- and in-service training n Covering the same curriculum n Problems of the common forum on the Internet n Salary/ number of lessons n Parents’ demands

4.3.Benefits and drawbacks: the schools’ perspective n Larger pool of students/selection n Bigger support, better conditions, but: lack of textbooks n Availability of well-qualified teachers, native treachers’ competencies n A different final exam n Ill-founded parents’ expectations n Lack of centralised events

4.4.Benefits and drawbacks: the perspective of the local community n „Best school” impact n Selection/segregation n Need for bigger support n Enhancing international cooperation n But: no solution for the foreign language competence of the public

Thank you for your attention!