Transcript On Early Language Learning in a European Context

On Early Language Learning in a
European Context
Prof. Jarmo Lainio
Stockholm University &
Mälardalen University
My purposes today
• Raise problems
• Establishe further some know-what’s and –knowhow’s – it is much more than about vocabulary,
pronunciation and grammar, but we can’t do
without them
• Include informal and formal language learning
issues
• Support the principle of language attainment in
several languages as a result of continuity,
extended and broad/language-rich language use
• Discussion
2015-07-06
Jarmo Lainio, Stockholm U & Mälardalen U
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Basic starting points
• First language use in the home does not impede
learning the second language (SES, attitudes, teachers
more important)
• Identity evaluation crucial
• Literacy engagement necessary for academic
achievement (Jim Cummins et al.)
• Challenging tasks needed in school
• Language-sensitive teaching in all subjects,
• Teaching in the language rather than of the language
develops subject and language
• = In evaluations of PRIMARY SCHOOL
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How do we get there – what
problems on the way?
• A general stress on primary school*, also in
international legal instruments and conventions, e.g. in
CoE conventions (ECRML), evaluations and research
• Pre-school age not part of compulsory school systems
– less stressed
• The role of early phases of language learning not
appreciated (or well known) – consequences not
clarified
• The role of academic literacy (”school language”) not
well disseminated yet (e.g. EUCIM-TE project)
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Jarmo Lainio, Stockholm U & Mälardalen U
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Early phases of language learning
• Complex in a multilingual situation
• Surrounding complexity increasing
(”superdiversity”)
• Challenges for research on multilingual
children – is for example a concept like
translanguaging applicable for small
children? (cf. Language separation issues)
• Role of external factors crucial and maybe
more critical than for mainstream children
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What is achieved before primary
shool, if development* sustained?
-the development of phonological structure mostly
completed (minor difficulties remain)
-morphology almost at adult level (”complete”)
-most basic syntactical features mastered
-basic pragmatic features understood and used
-stylistic variation introduced and partly mastered
-some domains of vocabulary well developed
-alphabetization, early literacy, has taken place in one or
several languages
-cultural values ”naturalized” – in and through language
-basic social media skills acquired
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Differences and similarities for
multilingual children
• If both languages supported, a similar development in
both languages has taken place, but:
– There is frequently due to the lack of formal institutions
for L1 no way to predict a parallel development,
– For same reasons, the build-up of academic literacy may
not be developed in L1, which may cause problems for
academic literacy in L2,
– Processes of misssing/failing language development may
start,
– Processes of language loss may start
– Processes of failed support for identity formation may be
initiated and thus an accelerating feeling of outsiderness
feelings
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General for language and knowledge
acquisition impact
• When conditions for learning and using languages
(e.g. L1 and L2, L3 etc.) become unbalanced, the
impact/transfer of linguistic impact also gets
unbalanced, and may increase unidirectionally*,
• The possibility of building up a coherent and
long-term interdependence* process between
knowledge acquired in L1 vs. L2 becomes weaker
• One reason is the lack of schools, another the
lack of text/literacy engagement
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Developing Literacy Skills in Multilingual School
Contexts: An Empirically Grounded Framework
(Jim Cummins, 2010)
Literacy Attainment
↑
Literacy Engagement
↑
Scaffold
Meaning
(input and output)
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↔
Activate prior
knowledge/Build
background knowledge
↔ Affirm
identity
Jarmo Lainio, Stockholm U & Mälardalen U
↔ Extend
language
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Factors seen as crucial in the Swedish
multilingual urban context
• The coordination of societal measures and
contacts with stakeholders – the Red Thread*:
7) children and parents
6) pedagogues/educators
5) Directors/leaders of pre-schools and schools
4) Responsible language development official at
municipal level
3) The directives/plans of the municipality
2) National level documents, curricula
1) Research directed towards multilingualism, language
learning (and education)
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Some experiences and conclusions in
Sweden
• National Agency of
Education, learning and
practice materials
•
http://www.skolverket.se/2.3894/pu
blicerat/2.5006?_xurl_=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww4.skolverket.se%3A8080%2F
wtpub%2Fws%2Fskolbok%2Fwpubex
t%2Ftrycksak%2FRecord%3Fk%3D207
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• Rosengård*, Malmö
• Adapted version of SIOP
(Sheltered Instruction
Observation Protocol)*
concerns:
-preparations of lessons
-instructions
-comprehensible input
-strategies
-interaction
-implementation/practice
-retrospection/evaluation
(Each part evaluated through a 04 grade scale.)
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Questions and factors of importance
for L2
-does the school leadership understand the importance of language
developing instruction for all subjects?
-is the school leadership genuinely interested in the results of the work of
pedagogues and teachers and the results of the pupils?
-do the pedagogues and teachers realize that their working methods and
tools may play an important role for the school success of the children?
-is there an understanding of the importance of a common language policy?
-are teaching materials adjusted?
-is there a further training about language developing instruction?
-what are the attitudes of pedagogues and teachers to knowledge about
multilingualism?
-is it established that the development of L1 should start as early as
possible?
-do the pedagogues and teachers follow up the development and learning of
the children?
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Results
• Also: School
Inspectorate’s quality
evaluation*:
Language and knowledge
development among
children with another
mother tongue than
Swedish (Rapport nr
• Feed-back to schools, and
2010:16)
later improved school
results
• 58 observations during ca
200 hours and 41
interviews, each lasting
for about 1 hour; one
third of this for preschool.
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Results, School Inspectorate (2010):
• Staff often lacks knowledge about children’s backgrounds
and levels
• Weak multilingual and intercultural perspectives and their
integration into teaching; generally positive interest, but
without connection to children’s
experiences
• Unclear position of Swe L2
• Feelings of comfort most important – gives less space for
challenges of and demands on children
• Mother tongue instruction – in isolation from other
activities **, seen as ”someone else’s responsibility” (i.e.
parents or mother tongue teachers)
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Jarmo Lainio, Stockholm U & Mälardalen U
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Definition and Selection of
Competencies, OECD (2005)
• Comparisons of mathematics, science and
reading
• -> Knowledge, skills and attitudes
• Views SPREADING amon non-linguists
• Key competencies which overlap: interactive
use of tools (language and IT for example)
• Interaction in heterogeneous groups
• Independent action
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Research overview,
Meltzer, Julie and Hamann, Edmund (2005)
• Promoting multilingual children’s learning =
• 1) teacher stresses: reading and writing
• 2) … oral presentations, listening and
visualizations
• 3) …cognitively demanding tasks
• 4) … knows and analyzes the language of own
subject
• 5) …focusses on concsious development of
vocabulary of subject
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Continued, Meltzer & Hamann
• 6) teacher understands what is typical of own
subject’s content and language
• 7) …teaches about different types of texts of
own subject, learning strategies, uses different
types of formative evaluations of pupils
• 8) …creates a pupil-centered milieu in the
class-room
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In international and Swedish
evaluations
• Repeatedly discussed in L2 instruction and seen as crucial
for multilingual children
Questions to ask with regard to teaching:
-who is there to learn and what do they know since before?
-what are they supposed to learn, why this and these
targets?
-what general didactic theories are useful here, for this
content?
-how are the pupils challenged, their multilingualism used
and their background acknowledged?
-how can all pupils be involved in the development of
knowledge, skills and understanding?
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Some more reflections from the
Swedish context
• (Teacher education and labour market field
evaluated 2011, National Agency of Higher
Education, Rapport 2011:114R)
-holistic view,
-special circumstances and this needs for teachers,
schools, subjects, pupils,
-continuity from pre-school to higher edu and
teacher edu, labour market,
-intermediate measures
-five Nat Min languages, with different conditions
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Urban multilingualism for all?
• …is not always typical of regional or minority
languages with a traditional presence in the
state..
• In Sweden, for example Sami, Meänkieli and to
some extent Finnish is characterized by more
rural and territorial history, but Finnish, Romani
chib and Yiddish have also a strong urban
presence, where the ”competition” about the
language market is greater, and understanding is
lesser of their specific conditions and rights.
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Language, culture and learning
intertwined
• Sami project (Sweden and Norway) on the integration
of cultural language and mathematics (Luleå Technical
University and Sami teachers, project on the learning
of teachers and pupils)*: teachers learn by teaching
according to traditional habits.
• Schools inspectorate (forthc.): teachers in bilingual
schools (Swe-Fi, Sa) more competent (also formally
trained) and given better opportunities, to deal with
multilingual issues in the classroom
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Jarmo Lainio, Stockholm U & Mälardalen U
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Concluding remarks and question
marks
•
We have extensive lists of know-what and know-how – how to implement and break
this down to practical and handy solutions?
•
We still need loads of renewed research, cooperation between linguists, subject
teachers, educators etc., who can embrace and lobby for multilingual views, in order to
decrease the constant and continued impact of the monolingual habitus.
•
A warning: the concentration on multitude and complexity should not blindfold us
from seeing existing other sides or realities (language and identities). Our research
results are directed by our research methods. In other words, are we construing
flexible identities and translanguaging for all?
•
What would be the result and impact of letting the native speaker, or, the need for
deep and extensive knowledge in one (or several) languages, go? For education,
historical connectedness, communication within and between ’languages’?
•
Can academic success – or how can it – be achieved by for example translanguaging as
an established mode of communication?
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