Transcript Multilingualism for all: European Language Policy Developments & Challenges “Language(s) as Cultural Asset” University of Applied Sciences, Campus Urstein Salzburg / Austria – Österreich, March.

Multilingualism for all:
European Language Policy
Developments & Challenges
“Language(s) as Cultural Asset”
University of Applied Sciences, Campus Urstein
Salzburg / Austria – Österreich, March 17, 2011
Alex RIEMERSMA
Mercator European Research Centre on
Multilingualism and Language Learning
www.mercator-research.eu
Overview of presentation
 Scope of European Language Policies
 - Language Vitality
 - Language Programmes
 - Teacher Training
Linguistic Diversity
 Globe: 6,000 languages
 Council of Europe (47 member states):
6 working languages
hundreds of state, cross border /
minority languages
 European Union (27 member states):
23 official languages
> 60 Regional and Minority Languages
Kaart fan NOS
RML citizens in EU
 10% of EU population =
 45 – 50 million plurilingual people
 Present in all member states =
 Multilingual societies >>>
 Co-responsibility for language planning
 of EU/CoE, national and regional level
Charter for Regional and Minority
Languages (CoE / 1998)
 To protect and to promote
 Non-discrimination
 Domains: education / justice / public
services / media / culture / social life
However:
 25 ratifications (< 47 CoE member states)
 13 ratifications (< 27 EU member states)
EU Language Policy
 EU shall respect … linguistic diversity
 Linguistic diversity: all languages are
equal and equally treated
 Lisbon (2002): Mother tongue + 2
 Maalouf (2008): Adoptive language
 European Charter for Regional and
Minority Languages of CoE (1998) entry
exam for new EU member states (2004)
EU Language Policy
However:
 Mother tongue = state language
 Principle of “subsidiarity”
 Process of mainstreaming
prevents EU Language Policy &
discourages vitality of RMLs
Unesco Language Vitality (2003)
Language Vitality factors (6)
 Intergenerational transmission
 Absolute number of speakers
 Proportion of speakers within total
population
 Trends in existing domains
 Response to new domains & media
 Materials for Education and Literacy
Language Vitality factors (3)
 Governmental and Institutional
Language Attitudes & Politics
 Community Member’s Attitudes towards
their own languages
 Documentation (& corpus planning)
Language Vitality Planning
 Balance of community language will
and infrastructure / programmes on:
 Corpus planning / standardisation
 Status planning / legislation
 Language transmission / learning
Frisian Language Vitality
 Language command of all 640.00
inhabitants province of Fryslân:
94 % Understanding
74 % Speaking
65 % Reading
26 % Writing
-------------------------------------------------
 54 % Frisian Mother tongue (350.000)
Language Planning Australia
 National Survey 2005:
250 known indigenous languages;
145 still in use of which
110 endangered;
18 strong enough to survive
 National Action Programme 2009:
 - language learning centres & nests
 - language documentation and research
EU Parliament Resolutions
 1981 Arfé > EBLUL 1982 – 2006
 1983 Jaak Vandenmeulenbroecke) >
earmarked budget line € 1,2 million
 1987 Willy Kuijpers > Mercator project
(1987-2006) 3 partners (80 % funding)
 2004 Michael Ebner > EU Agency on
Linguistic Diversity (failed)
EU Commission Actions
 Budget line for EBLUL 1982 – 2006;
 Budget line for Mercator project
(1987-2006) 3 partners
 Action Programme (2004-2006)
 2001: European Year of Languages
 2005: Feasibility Study > Networks
EU Commission Actions
 2007: High Level Group Multilingualism
+ on line consultation
 2008: EU Communication
 2008: Amin Maalouf Report
A Rewarding Challenge
(adoptive language)
 2011: Civil Society Platform on
Multilingualism
EU funded Networks
 2008-2011: Network to Promote
Linguistic Diversity (NPLD):
11 regional authorities & 16 NGO’s
 2009-2011: Mercator Network
 2009-2011: RML2future
 2010-2012: European Network of
Universities on Multilingualism (EUNoM)
Coherent EU Language Policy
 Legal base / treaty partner to
European Charter for RML
 Vitality & empowerment of all languages
 Co-responsibility in stead of
“subsidiarity”
 Incentive to inclusiveness of RML / IML
 Partnership to permanent networks of
stakeholders for regular strategic review
EU fitting Programmes
 Linguistic Diversity as a priority
 Lowering of thresholds for grants for
smaller language communities
 National EU Agencies to raise
awareness and assist endangered
language communities to apply
Research Agenda
 Eurobarometer on Languages to
include:
Mother tongue + father tongue /
Language of preference
 Multilingual education: continuity
 Media >>> Social media
 Plurilingual Literacy
 Electronic dictionaries
Application of CoE instruments
 Common European Framework of
Reference (CEFR):
- can do – statements for L1, L2, Lf
- parallel assessments of L1, L2, Lf
 European Language Portfolio:
- electronic
- plurilingual approach
Common Standards Education
 Mercator Analysis & Recommendations
(2007):
- Informed choice & guaranteed access
- Educational goals
- Teaching time (subject & medium)
- Teaching materials
- Teacher training
- Inspectorate
Plurilingual Teacher Training
 Subject & medium
 Continuity of teaching & learning
 School as centres of excellence
 Plurilingual language pedagogy
 Master on Multilingualism and
multilingual education

• Köszönöm
Tankewol
• Eskerrik asko
• Grazia
• Mercé plan
• Dankscheen
• Graciis
• Kiitos
• Diolch
• Hvala
• Trugarez
• Dz'akuju so
• Merci
• Multumesc
• Mange Takk