Transcript Supporting Regional and Minority Languages Seminar “Working together for a multilingual Europe supporting diversity” Cor van der Meer Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and.

Supporting Regional and Minority
Languages
Seminar “Working together for a multilingual Europe supporting diversity”
Cor van der Meer
Mercator European Research Centre on
Multilingualism and Language Learning
Brussels, 20 September 2011
Overview
• Mercator European Research Centre on
Multilingualism and Language Learning
• Fryslân / Frisian Language
• Good practice
Mercator Research Centre
1987-2006:
• Documentation and Information Centre.
• Funded by the European Union.
2007 onwards, transition into:
• Information and Research Centre.
• Funded by the Province of Fryslân and the
municipality of Ljouwert/Leeuwarden.
Mercator’s activities
• Research
• Publications & databases
• Network of Schools
• Newsletters
• Conferences & seminars
• Advisory role
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.
Research Reports
• Development of Minimum Standards for
RML education
• Use of the CEFR and ELP in RML
education
• Comparative studies
• Study on the devolvement of legislative
power to regional authorities
• Trilingual Education in Europe
Publications
• Articles
• Newsletters
• Regional dossiers series
- 40 language descriptions
- Update every 5-8 years
- Online available
Structured contents
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1
Introduction
2
Pre-school education
3
Primary education
4
Secondary education
5
Vocational education
6
Higher education
7
Adult education
8
Educational research
9
Prospects
10
Summary of statistics
Education System in ….
References and further reading
Useful addresses
www.networkofschools.eu
Network of Schools
• > 90 members
• > 30 language communities
• 15 EU member states
• News bulletins
• Website:
- teaching materials
- projects
www.networkofschools.org
Conferences 2011 / 2012
• 2011 April: International conference “Languages of
the Wider World”
• 2011 May: Expert seminar “Cultural Education and
Civil Society: how can languages contribute?”
• 2011 Sept 30 / October 1: Mercator Network seminar
on “Languages and Legislation” in Barcelona
• Soon: International Expert Seminar on “Early
Language Learning” (Poliglotti4.eu)
• 2012: June 20 – 23; International Conference on
Language and Social Psychology
Projects
• Mercator Network of Language Diversity
Centres
• MELT: Multilingual Early Language
Transmission
• EUNoM: The European Universities’
Network on Multilingualism
• More Languages, More Opportunities
• Language Rich Europe
• Poliglotti4.eu
• Mercator Research Centre - “lead partner”
4 Partner institutes:
• Aberystwyth – University of Wales
• Barcelona – Ciemen
• Budapest – Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• Eskilstuna (Sweden) – Mälardalen University
Partnerships / co-operation
• Network for the Promotion of Linguistic
Diversity in Cardiff
• European University Network on
Multilingualism in Barcelona
• European Centre for Modern Languages
in Graz
• Civil Society Platform on Multilingualism
• Regional authorities
Fryslân
Visit Chinese delegation, November 2010
Frisian Language Command
• 54 % Mother tongue
• 94 % Understanding
• 74 % Speaking
• 65 % Reading
• 26 % Writing
The Frisian case (1)
• The Netherlands ratified the European
Charter in 1998. 48 provisions under part
III signed for Frisian only.
• The Framework Convention went into
force in 2005. Frisian is the only national
minority language.
The Frisian case (2)
Education:
• At primary school level Frisian is an
obligatory subject.
• Substantial part in primary education
and integral part of secondary
education.
The Frisian case (3)
However:
• Actual time spent on Frisian is 30-45
minutes a week;
• 61% of the teachers are not qualified to
teach the language;
• The attainment goals are not measured
by the Dutch Inspectorate of Education.
Visit SPLIKA, december 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
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
Visit SPLIKA, december 2010
www.mercator-research.eu
[email protected]
Thank you
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