Transcript The Mercator Research Centre “Multilingualism in Fryslân and Europe” Cor van der Meer Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning Visit Latvian delegation May.

The Mercator Research Centre
“Multilingualism in Fryslân and
Europe”
Cor van der Meer
Mercator European Research Centre on
Multilingualism and Language Learning
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
Overview
• Fryslân
• The Frisian Language
• Multilingual education
• Mercator European Research Centre on
Multilingualism and Language Learning
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
Fryslân in history
Early
Middle ages
Today
Late
Middle ages
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Well-known outside Fryslân
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
Frisian as First Language
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2000
Fries
Nederlands
Frisian Language Command
• 54 % Mother tongue
• 94 % Understanding
• 74 % Speaking
• 65 % Reading
• 26 % Writing
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
Trilingual education in Fryslân (1)
• Model used:
- Group 1-6: 50 % Frisian, 50 % Dutch
- Group 7-8: 40 % Frisian, 40 % Dutch, 20% English
• Systematic use of Frisian, Dutch and English as
a medium of instruction.
• Interactive language education
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Trilingual education in Fryslân (2)
• Results:
- Good quality of Frisian
- Results of Dutch at the same level at the end of
grade 8 as all other pupils in the Netherlands
- Results for English slightly better, but not
significantly
- Self consciousness in English better, but not
significantly
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Mercator Research Centre
1987-2006:
• Documentation and Information Centre.
• Funded by the European Union.
2007-2008: transition into:
• Information and Research Centre.
• Funded by the Province of Fryslân and the
municipality of Ljouwert/Leeuwarden.
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Mercator’s activities
• Research
• Publications & databases
• Network of Schools
• Network of Teacher Trainings Institutes
• Conferences & seminars
• Q&A service
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Fields of research
• Added value of multilingualism and
multilingual education.
• New technologies; distant language (and
culture) learning.
• Application of the CEFR and the ELP in
Europe.
• Informal learning and promotion of
reading in families & households.
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Publications
• Research reports
• Articles
• Newsletters
• Regional dossiers series
- 40 language descriptions
- Update every 5-7 years
- Online available
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Research Reports
• Development of Minimum Standards for
RML language education
• Use of the CEFR and ELP in RML
language education
• Comparative studies
• Study on the devolvement of legislative
power to regional authorities
• Trilingual Education in Europe (due 2010)
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
www.networkofschools.eu
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
Network of Schools
• > 90 members
• > 30 language communities
• 15 EU member states
• News bulletins
• Website:
- teaching materials
- projects
www.networkofschools.org
Conferences in 2010
• 18-20 May: Mercator Network conference: “Media
Convergence and Linguistic Diversity: How can the
creative industries contribute to language vitality in
a multiplatform environment?”, Aberystwyth
• 3-4 June: “Added Value of Multilingualism and
Multilingual Education”, Ljouwert, organised in
cooperation with the Basque Ministry of Education.
• 18-19 November: conference of European
Universities Network on Multilingualism (EUNoM),
Ljouwert.
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Projects
• Mercator Network of Language Diversity
Centres (a)
• MELT: Multilingual Early Language
Transmission (b)
• EUNoM: The European Universities’
Network on Multilingualism (c)
• More Languages, More Opportunities (d)
• Added Value of Multilingualism (e)
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• Mercator Research Centre - “lead partner”
4 Partner institutes:
• Aberystwyth – University of Wales
• Barcelona – Ciemen
• Budapest – Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• Eskilstuna (Zweden) – Mälardalen University
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010
www.mercator-research.eu
[email protected]
Mersi dit
Tak
Danke
Thank you
Dzãczi
Haristo
Hvala
Tige tank
Teşekkür ederim
Köszönöm
Ful toank
Visit Latvian delegation May 2010