Multilingual Early Language Transmission MELT Project Project number: LLP NL-COMENIUS-CMP / Idske Bangma MSc Brussels, 6 October, 2011

Presentation overview: 1. The MELT project partners and products 2. The MELT research paper 3. Ages of participating pre- and primary school 4. Definition: pre-school and model: Continuous multilingual development 5. Best practices of the four regions 6. Recommendations 7. Future challenges

1. MELT project partners: Mercator Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning/ Fryske Akademy (Fryslân, Netherlands) Folkhälsen (Swedish community, Finland) Welsh Language Board (Wales, UK) Divskouarn and Conseil Régional de Bretagne (Brittany, France)

1. MELT Products: Products: Brochure for parents Guide for pre-school practitioners Local awareness raising events Closing conference Research paper

Multilingual Early Language Transmission (MELT) Summary of relevant literature on early multilingual learning, related to European smaller state and regional & minority language communities 2. MELT Research paper:

2. Content of the Research paper: Descriptions of the different pre-school provisions Definitions: multilingualism, early language learning, pre-school education, and MELT Best practices of immersion and strategies Conditions for a continuous multilingual development Process and results of implementing the MELT Guide Recommendations and challenges Contributions of the experts: Dr. Annick De Houwer, Dr. Gunilla Holm, and Dr. Tina Hickey.

3. Ages of participating : Pre-schoolCompulsory primary-school

The period from 0 until compulsory primary school, during which children attend pre-primary school provisions outside the home. A public provision where children must feel secure in order to be able to benefit from their experiences and to develop in their best natural way. This holds for all kinds of development, including (multilingual and minority) language acquisition. The pedagogic approaches applied in pre-school education are always offered in a playful and natural way. Language topics are offered in conscious planned activities in a thematic and project-type manner. The pre-school teacher observes the development of the children and reports the offered vocubalary. Based on these data, a well-documented portfolio can be transferred to primary school and a continuous line from pre-school to primary school with regard to multilingual development of the child can be enhanced, and the position of the actual minority language can be strengthened. (I. Bangma MSc, Dr. A.M.J. Riemersma (2011) Multilingual Early Language Transmission (MELT). Summary of relevant literature on early multilingual learning, related to European smaller state and regional & minority language communities). 4. MELT defines pre-school as:

Model: Conditions for a continuous multilingual development (based on the models from De Houwer (2009), Grosjean (2010), and MELT experiences).

– Thematic and project manner – Concrete materials; such as storybox telling, character approach – Total immersion or two-way immersion – One person-one language strategy – Collaboration with (grand-/god) parents – Parent and toddler groups – Bachelors degree 5. Some best practices:

6. Recommendations based on best practices of the four regions: Necessary to draft a conscious language policy about multilingualism and immersion into the minority language. Requires good skills of the pre-school practitioners, coached by mentors. To offer a rich language environment, including enough input in the minority language.

Continuity from pre-school to primary education. Training of pre-school practitioners. Dissemination: Best practices of the four MELT regions applied in different minority regions in Europe. 7. Future challenges :

Eskerrik asko Mange Takk Diolch Tige tank Trugarez Grazia Graciis Dankscheen Mercé plan Kiitos Dźakuju so Köszönöm Hvala Multumesc Spassi Ba Nvala lepa Thank you For further information: