European Charter (ETS 148) Language Learning and Multilingual Education Alex Riemersma Moscow, 25 January

2 Introduction  Personal introduction  Charter / art. 8 Education  Bilingual and multilingual education:  Theoretical backgrounds  Models, results & developments in Pre-primary, primary, secondary education and teacher training

3 European Charter on RMLs  Charter of the Council of Europe (1998)  Autochthonous Regional and Minority Languages  No dialects; no immigrant languages  Part II: principles and objectives (non-discrimination; state obligations and education rights)

4 European Charter on RMLs  Part III: undertakings in domains art. 8: Education art. 9: Judicial authorities art. 10: Administration & public services art. 11: Media art. 12: Cultural affairs art. 13: Economic & social life art. 14: Transfrontier exchanges

5 Charter for language planning  Charter key words: “to protect & to promote” / “to safeguard & to encourage”  Language planning key words: State:Citizen: CapacityCommand OpportunitiesUse Desire / PlanWill

6 Charter characteristics  Inclusive approach (all domains)  Common responsibility of state and language community  Template or menu-system > tailor made approach  Monitoring system  International comparison & cooperation

7 Monitoring system  Consulting body according art. 7.4  Periodical reports by treaty parties  ComEx / on-the-spot visits  Bi-annual report Secr.-General to Assembly of Council of Europe  > Recommendations to treaty parties

8 Theoretical Aspects of Bilingual Education  Definitions Mother-tongue & L 2  Why bilingual / trilingual education?  Models of bilingual / trilingual education  Didactic approaches

9 “Mother tongue”  “Mother tongue” = state language = language of education  L 2 = second language > bilingualism  Foreign languages > multilingualism  Mother tongue & father tongue

10 Old theory

11 New Theory

12 BIC & CALP  Language learning through “contextualized language” input or: Basic Interpersonal Communication  Students need also decontextualised language in classroom discourse: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

13 Definitions  Bilingual / Trilingual Eduction: two or more languages taught as a subject and used as medium of instruction  Immersion: use of minority (or: lesser used language) as only medium of instruction – the dominant language taught as a subject  Monolingual education: dominant language only > submersion

14 Benefits of bilingual education for the child / student  Right on education in mother-tongue  Pedagogical approach  Cognitive development  Social integration  Cultural participation

15 Various aims & student profiles of bilingual education  Transition (shift) to dominant language > passive knowledge of home language (understanding, reading)  Cultural heritage maintenance > limited command of home language  Language maintenance > full bilingual / biliterate command of state language & home language

16 Various aims & models of bilingual education  Transition (shift) to dominant language > “stepping stone” only in early years  Cultural heritage maintenance > minority language as subject only  Language maintenance / revitalisation > “corner stone” - continuous subject teaching & medium of instruction

17 Teacher competencies for multilingual education  Transitional (shift) model > some language command required  Cultural heritage maintenance > knowledge of home culture desirable  Language maintenance model > full language command (C 2) in target languages required

18 Teacher Training for Language Maintenance  Competences: Language Command at level C2 (Common European Framework of Reference) in target languages  Theory and school practice of multilingual didactics  Teaching OF and teaching IN  Pre-service and inservice training

19 Basic conditions of bilingual education  Systematic split of time  Systematic split of subjects  One person / one language  NOT: split of classes

20 Well developed examples  Strong Bilingual education: Finland: Swedish immersion Wales: Welsh immersion  Trilingual education (home language, state language & English) Basque country (Spain) Catalonia (Spain) Friesland (Netherlands)

21 Frisian as minority language  Regional cultural language: mother tongue speakers = 55% of population of province  Recognition in the Charter part III: 48 undertakings  Obligatory school subject in primary and lower grades secondary education

22 Model of Trilingual Education  Time used:  grade 1-6 (age 4-10): 50% Frisian, 50% Dutch  grade 7-8 (age 10-12): 40% Frisian, 40% Dutch, & 20% English  Systematic use of Frisian, Dutch and English as medium of instruction  Interactive language education

23 Results of Trilingual Education  Good quality of Frisian  Results of Dutch at the same level at the end of grade 8 as all other pupils in the Nederlands  Results for English slightly better & self conciousness in English better

24 Developments of Trilingual Education  Growth of bilingual provisions for pre-primary children (age 2-4)  Growth from 30 to 50 schools in 2012  Trilingual stream in secondary education (medium for other subjects)  Trilingual stream at teacher training (theory & practice)

25 Common European Standards  Core goals in language command  Time investment  Teaching OF and teaching IN  Continuity of teaching & learning  Teaching materials  Teacher training and qualification  Independant inspectorate

26 CEFR  Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): 5 fields of language command: listening, reading, speaking, conversation, writing 6 levels of language command: (A1 – A2 – B1 - B2 – C1 – C2)  Developed for foreign language learning  Applicable for second language learning

27 European Language Portfolio  Document portfolio for the individual student: - assessments - certificates - own experiences

28 Kaart fan NOS

29 Mercator Research Centre  Research on: * Added Value of Multilingualism * Language Command * Application of CEFR  Network of bi- / tri-lingual Schools  Network of Teacher Training Institutes

30 Regional Dossiers Series > 40 Update every 5 year Online available

31 Bibliography  Colin BAKER, Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (2006)  Jasone CENOZ & Fred GENESEE, Beyond Bilingualism (1998)  Jim CUMMINS+M.SWAIN, Bilingualism in Education: Aspects of Theory, Research and Practice (1986)  François GRIN, Language Policy Evaluation and the Charter for Reg+Min Languages (2003)  Ofelia GARCIA, Bilingual education in the 21st century (2009)

32 Eskerrik asko Mange Takk Diolch Spasibo Trugarez Grazia Graciis Dankscheen Mercé plan Kiitos Köszönöm Tige tank Thank you Hvala Bedankt