1. Language and education policies that support MT-based MLE programs Seminar on Multilingual Education Kabul, 13-18 March 2010 Susan Malone

2. Challenges to MLE: Perceptions about education for ethnic minority learners

3. “ Promoting minority languages and cultures will lead to ethnic conflict!” “Minority language learners need as much time as possible for learning ___. Don’t waste time teaching the minority language!” “ It takes too much time and money to develop writing systems for all those languages!” MLE is too much trouble. Just let those languages die and get the minorities to use the mainstream language! “

4. “We cannot do MLE in the minority languages because there are no qualified MT teachers!” “We cannot do MLE here because we cannot develop textbooks in all those languages!” We cannot do MLE here because it will cost too much money to develop graded reading materials in all those languages!”

5. Range of Language and Education policies—most supportive to most restrictive

6. Language and education policies Most supportive / inclusive Most restrictive / exclusive

7. Languages not allowed in the classroom or on the school grounds Language and education policies Most supportive / inclusive Most restrictive / exclusive

8. Languages not used in the classroom (teachers assigned outside their home area) Languages not allowed in the classroom or on the school grounds Language and education policies Most supportive / inclusive Most restrictive / exclusive

9. Languages can be used temporarily only to help minority children understand lessons Languages not used in the classroom (teachers assigned outside their home area) Languages not allowed in the classroom or on the school grounds Language and education policies Most supportive / inclusive Most restrictive / exclusive

10. Languages can be included as subject; no official or financial support given Languages can be used temporarily only to help minority children understand lessons Languages not used in the classroom (teachers assigned outside their home area) Languages not allowed in the classroom or on the school grounds Language and education policies Most supportive / inclusive Most restrictive / exclusive

11. Political & financial support for language development & MLE in minority languages Languages can be included as subject; no official or financial support given Languages can be used temporarily only to help minority children understand lessons Languages cannot be used in the classroom (teachers assigned outside their home area) Languages are not allowed in the classroom or on the school grounds Language and education policies Most supportive / inclusive Most restrictive / exclusive

12. Strong MT-based MLE programs require policies that… Recognize and give legal status to minority languages and minority language (MT) speakers Ensure that Bilingual Education is made an integral part of formal and non-formal education systems Provide clear directives for implementing and supporting MT-first Bilingual Education programs

13. Problem: some well-intentioned language and education policies are too vague… …about the languages that will be included …about the bridging process (length of time in each language) …about the process (and timing) of implementation (preparation, pilots, expansion, evaluations) …about funding for the program …about responsibilities for supporting and sustaining the program

14. Do these policy statements support MLE or hinder MLE or neither? What do YOU think?

15. Educational policy should stress the importance of tolerance for ethnic diversity … (Pen Darith, 2002, in Anne Thomas.2003. Designing and launching bilingualcommunity-based non-formal education and extension initiatives in the Cambodian Highlands. Paper presented at the Conference on Language development, Language Revitalization and Multilingual Education, Bangkok, Thailand. November 2003).

16. “The official languages of education shall be English and French, both languages having the same status. The State shall guarantee the promotion of bilingualism throughout the country. It shall endeavor to protect and promote national languages.”

17. “The dominant language of the school area is used as the MOI for the first 3 years of primary school… English is taught as a compulsory subject from Year 1 through the end of HS; it is MOI from Grade 4 [The national language] is taught as compulsory subject from Year 1 through end of HS. (If teachers decide it is the dominant language, it is used as language of instruction in Grades 1-3)”

18. [Education policy should support]… bilingual and / or multilingual education at all levels of education as a means promoting both social and gender equality and as a key element of linguistically diverse societies (UNESCO, United Nations Literacy Decade: education for all, International Plan of Action. Implementation of UN Resolution A/56/116, page 18)

19. …policies must also recognize the significance of mother tongue in acquiring literacy and provide for literacy in multiple languages wherever necessary (UNESCO, United Nations Literacy Decade: education for all, International Plan of Action. Implementation of UN Resolution A/56/116, page 4).

20. Question for Small Groups: What should be included in a Language and Education policy for Afghanistan?