Transcript Trilingual Education in Friesland: a cool example of multilingualism Alex M.J. Riemersma Lector Frisian & Multilingualism in Education Meppel (International week) 25 April, 2012

Trilingual Education in Friesland:
a cool example of multilingualism
Alex M.J. Riemersma
Lector Frisian & Multilingualism in Education
Meppel (International week) 25 April, 2012
Frisian is spoken
in one province (of 12)
of the Netherlands:
Fryslân
Frisian in Fryslân (Netherlands)
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Autochthonous minority language
Western Germanic language
Fryslân has 640,000 inhabitants
55% has Frisian as mother tongue (= 350.000 speakers)
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BUT: Frisian is successful as second language:
65% can read Frisian;
74% can speak Frisian;
94% comprehends Frisian.
Languages across the North Sea
 Dia mei taartdiagram ferhâldingen
Reitze Jonkman en Alex Riemersma
Characteristics of Frisian
 Frysk
 Tsiis
 Tsjerke
 Kaai
English
Cheese
Church
Key
Dutch
Kaas
Kerk
Sleutel
 twa skiep
two sheep
twee schapen zwei Schafe
 Ik haw west / I have been
Ik ben geweest / Ich bin gewesen
German
Käse
Kirche
Schlüssel
Old theory / ferâldere ideeën
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New theory / nij ynsjoch
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Bilingualism
Ice berg by Jim Cummins
The image of an iceberg is sometimes used to explain the way that bilingual learners’ brains use two
languages to make sense of their world (Cummins, e.g. 2005).
bilingual learners’
brains
to an
with parts
of their knowledge
invisible, und
ReitzeCummins
Jonkmancompares
en Alex Riemersma
Lectoraat
Fries
& iceberg,
Meertaligheid
in Onderwijs
en opvoeding
Why multilingual education?
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Mother tongue development
Cultural heritage maintenance
Cognitive developments
Social participation
Easier third language acquisition
Language maintenance
European Policies
• EU (27 member states / 23 languages):
mother tongue + 2 other languages
• Multilingualism as an asset
• Mother tongue / father tongue
• Linguistic Diversity
• Life Long Learning Program >
Erasmus for All = E4A
European Policies
• Council of Europe (47 member states):
Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• Charter for Regional or Minority
Languages (to protect & to promote)
• Centre for Modern Languages (Graz):
access and quality of language teaching
Mercator Network of Schools
• 94
schools
• 33
Regions
• 18
member
states
Terminology
• Transitional bilingualism
• Subtractive bilingualism
• Sustainable bi - / multilingualism /
full bilingualism, biliteracy
• Additive bi- / multilingualism
Models of multilingual education
• One person / one language >
identification with ‘native speaker’
• Split of time > language rich input
• Division of subjects > task specific &
Content & language integrated learning
• Immersion
Immersion versus CLIL
• Immersion:
• from (pre-)school onwards
• more than 50% teaching time
• native speakers as teachers
• CLIL:
• Mainly in secondary education
• Less than 50% of teaching time
• Non-native speakers as teachers
Actors for multilingual education
• Educational authorities
(national, regional, local school board)
• School principals & management
• Class room teachers
• Parents & students
• Social and cultural environemnt
Actors at Macro + Meso level
• Macro (national and international):
conflicting policies
• National: stress on national language only
– discouraging regional and migrant languages
• International: EU-/ CoE-policy: mother tongue + 2
• Meso (school level): reflects conflicting policies
• Concept of Multilingual Education (ME) fits better
to EU- & CoE-policy  CLIL & Immersion
Reitze Jonkman en Alex Riemersma
Micro (school & class room)
• Teamwork of teachers of subjects and medium of
instruction > integral approach
• Common descriptors of language command in the
target languages > CEFR
• Comparable testing methods > student
monitoring system
• Learning strategies of pupils based on
translanguaging and language use
Reitze Jonkman en Alex Riemersma
Multilingual Primary Education
in Friesland
• Main stream primary education (500 schools):
Limited multilingual education:
mainly Dutch + English as a subject;
very limited use of Frisian as a medium (orally –
schooltelevision )
• Trilingual primary education (about 45 schools):
- Dutch, Frisian and English as subject and medium
- aiming at integrated language learning
Reitze Jonkman en Alex Riemersma
Trilingual education in Fryslân
 Model: Frisian, Dutch and English as subject &
medium of instruction
- Grade 1-6: 50 % Frisian, 50 % Dutch
- Grade 7-8: 40 % Frisian, 40 % Dutch, 20% English
 Early start English
 Conciously separated use of languages:
person / time / themes
Trilingual education in Fryslân
• Developments:
(a) 2012 > 50 primary trilingual schools (= 10%)
(b) 100 schools: semi-multilingual education:
mainly Dutch + English as a subject;
Frisian medium for (half) school day
 Continuity to secondary education:
2012: 3 pilot schools with the concept of multilingual clil
(= medium of instruction)
Multilingual Secondary Education
in Friesland
• Main stream Secondary education:
- Dutch dominant
- English and Frisian as a subject only
- Limited use of Frisian as medium in oral use only
• Experiments in progress:
• 3 TTO-schools: Dutch and English medium and Frisian as
a subject only
• 3 ME-schools: Dutch, English and Frisian both as a
subject and a medium
Reitze Jonkman en Alex Riemersma
Multilingual Higher Education
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Trilingual stream at PABO Ljouwert
Minor Multilingualism (30 ects)
Master Multilingualism (60 ects)
Lectureship > research and quality on
continuity of teaching & learning
Synergy of multilingual education?
Problem 1: in theory, pupils are expected to acquire more
languages simultaneously in context of the CUP-model / ice
mountain (Cummins),
but in school practice the watershed is persistent.
Problem 2: comparability of different target languages with
regard to levels of command and the measurement.
Reitze Jonkman en Alex Riemersma Lectoraat Fries & Meertaligheid in Onderwijs en Opvoeding
Task/ambition of lector
• Continuity of ME from primary to secondary
education; adequate teacher training
• Two targets:
Didactic approach for teacher training:
- effective & integrated learning
- aiming at results
• Development of measurement tool for comparable
results of language command;
Reference levels: CEFR, DFR and Anglia
Reitze Jonkman en Alex Riemersma
CEFR & Anglia
Comparative levels
Levels DFR & CEFR, Anglia & Frisia
DFR
CEFR
A1
Anglia
Frisia
Start
1F
2F
3F
4F
A2
B1
B2
C1
Junior
Intermediate
Stap 1
Stap 2
Stap 3
C2
Conclusion
• Comparability of achievable levels of language
command is related to:
(a) the mother tongue of the student
(b) complexity of target language
(c) language rich input / quality of education
• Registration of progress of language
command:
(a) language portfolio of student
(b) student monitoring system
(c) language portfolio of teacher & school
(d) class / school monitoring system
Reitze Jonkman en Alex Riemersma
•
• Dankuwel
• Köszönöm
• Dankscheen
Tankewol
Tankewol
• Eskerrik asko
• Mercé plan
• Graciis
• Kiitos
• Multimesc
• Hvala
• Trugarez
• Mange Takk
• Diolch
Tankewol
Thank
you
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