Multilingualism & Multilingual Education in Friesland / Fryslân
Alex RIEMERSMAWorkshop Minority Languages and Multilingual Education
European Centre for Modern Languages ECML
Graz, Austria / Österreich, February 16, 2011
Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and
Language Learning
www.mercator-research.eu
Early
Middle ages
Late
Middle ages
Today
Fryslân in history
Characteristics of Frisian
Tsiis Cheese Kaas Käse
Tsjerke Church Kerk Kirche
Kaai Key Sleutel Schlüssel
twa skiep two sheep twee schapen zwei Schäfe
Ik haw west / I have been
Ik ben geweest / Ich bin gewesen
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
100%
1870 1890 1910 1930 1950 1970 1990 2000
Fries Nederlands
Frisian as First Language
Frisian Language Command
640.00 inhabitants province of Fryslân:
94 % Understanding
74 % Speaking
65 % Reading
26 % Writing
54 % Frisian Mother tongue (350.000)
Relative Position Frisian
Unesco Language Vitality scale (2003): unsafe, but not threatened by extinction
Euromosaïc (1996): nr. 14 out of 48
Intergenerational language transmission - decline of 10% per generation
Language policy: - attitude & use
Domains of Frisian language use Strong oral language, weak in writing Strong community language Media:
radio full day service; tv 2 hours per day (with re-run)
Culture: amateur theatre & choir singing Social & economic life:
strong oral (= informal) use
Legal position Frisian No mention in Netherlands’ constitution
Covenant Frisian Language and Culture (2001-2010) between Dutch governement and province of Fryslân
Announcement of Frisian Language Act: “equal footing” of Dutch & Frisian
International recognition European Charter for Regional and Minority
Languages (ratified 1998)Frisian in part III: 48 undertakings
- education- judiciary- public authorities & services- media- cultural affairs- social life
Framework Convention for National Minorities (ratified 2005)Frisians = ethnic minority
Implementation of Charter
Programmatic versus static approach: - key word “to protect & to promote”
Minimum Standards
Application of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)
Teaching time
Teacher qualifications
Implementation of Charter - Education
Teacher’s qualifications:- language proficiency- didactic skills
Inspectorate: - assessment & evaluation of core goals
Further comparative analysis:- media & cultural provisions
Minimum Standards Education
Report Minimum Standards in Education of / in RMLs (2007)
Analysis & Recommendations:- Educational goals- Teaching time (subject & medium) - Teaching materials- Teacher training- Inspectorate
CEFR – further developments
European Language Portfolio = Documentation on individual level
Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR):- to apply to RMLs (L1, L2)
Attainment target in terms of CEFR
Result: common minimum standards
Frisian in education
Pre-school (age 0- 4 year)(started 1989); now: 100 (out of 300) Frisian medium / bilingual provisions
Secondary education:1948: optional subject 1970: optional exam subject 1993: obligatory subject in lower grades
Frisian in primary education
1937: Optional subject
1980: Obligatory subject
1955: Optional medium of instruction
1985: Attainment targets similar to Dutch
1986: English obligatory subject
Frisian in school practice At most schools Frisian as a subject:
- only for 1 hour per week- continuity in all classes
Use of Frisian as medium of instruction:- mainly oral use - development towards “Frisian (half)day
Concept of trilingual school: Dutch, English and Frisian both as subject and language of instruction
Trilingual Schooling in Fryslân
Language proficiency in three target languages: Dutch, Frisian, English
Research related to CEFR Challenges for the future:
- bridging pre-school – primary- bridging primary – secondary school- teacher training
Project ‘Trijetalige Skoalle’
Goal: full bilingualism & biliteracy as regards Frisian and Dutch and basic communicative competence in English
Start in 1997-1998 7 project schools Research results: 1997 – 2005 Ongoing research at Fryske Akademy
Trilingual education in Fryslân
Model used (with flexibility):
- 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
Concious and strictly separated use of languages: person / time / themes
Interactive language education
Trilingual education in Fryslân
Expected (& proved) 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
Research design
7 project schools, > 90 pupils
10 control schools, >130 pupils
Achievement tests Frisian, Dutch and English
Mother tongue taken into account in analyses
Research in grade 7 and 8
Frisian decoding, reading comprehension, spelling
language attitude Frisian (grade 8)
Dutch decoding, reading comprehension, spelling
English listening, reading comprehension, vocabulary
selfconfidence using English (grade 8)
Developments - 1 More attention for implementation
English as language of instruction
Introduction of Early English
Introduction native speakers of English as class room assistants
Official Anglia-test for English
Parallel test for Frisian
Developments - 2
Network of Trilingual Primary Schools:- 2010: 40 participating schools- 2012: aiming at 50 schools = 10% of all primary schools in Fryslân- 2020: aiming at 100 schools
Certification of quality (periodical assessment)
Challenges
Continuity of teaching and learning
Bridging pre-school to primary
Bridging primary to secondary school
Quality of teacher’s: language command, didactic behaviour and tools
ICT methods
Bridging pre-school to primary
Day care centres: age 0 – 4 years; full time
Pjutteboartersplakken:age 2,5 – 4 / two half days per week
Certification of quality Training of practitioners
Bridging primary to secondary
Project on trilingual secondary school:age 12 – 16 years
Actual situation:Frisian as a compulsory subject only in grade 1 / one lesson per weekFrisian as optional exam subject
Development: English and Frisian as medium of instruction
Teacher Training General training for primary school:
2 EC for English; 3 EC for Frisian
Training for secondary school is subject oriented
Challenges: language command language use as medium of instruction
2011: Introduction Trilingual stream at teacher training
Mercator Research Centreat Fryske Akademy
1987-2006: EU fundedDocumentation & Information Centre
2 Partners: Media: Aberystwyth & Legislation: Barcelona
2007-2008: transition to Documentation and ResearchFunded by province of Fryslân and municipality of Ljouwert/Leeuwarden
Mercator Network 2009-2011: EU funded
Mercator Ljouwert “lead partner” Aberystwyth – University of Wales Barcelona – Ciemen Boedapest – Hungarian Academy of
Sciences Eskilstuna (Sweden) – Mälardalen University
Mercator Research Centreat Fryske Akademy
Scientific research & data collection
Information centre & platform function
Data base of experts
Newsletter & website
Network of Schools
Q & A service
Regional Dossiers
40 language descriptions
Author = local expert
Update every 5-7 years
Online available
Regional Dossiers
Research themes
Minimum Standards of RML education
Added value of multilingualism
Trilingual Schooling
Report on Minimum Standards on Education in RMLs (2007)
On request of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRAE) of the Council of Europe
Recommendations to the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Themes of analysis
Educational goals & models
Time spent
Teaching materials
Teacher training
Inspectorate
Legal position
Member States & Languages
Austria: Slovenian, Croatian Germany: Sorbian Netherlands: Frisian Slovakia: Hungarian Slovenia: Italian Spain: Catalan Sweden: Sami United Kingdom: Welsh
Added Value of Multilingualism
Cooperation with the Ministry of Eduation of the Basque Autonomous Community (BAC)
Focus on secondary school
Focus on English as a third language
Trilingual primary schooling
Inventory study on provisions of trilingual primary education
10 case studies, a.o.:- Basque Country; Catalunya;- Finland (Vaasa); Italy (Ladin); - Luxembourg;- North-Frisia (Germany);- Frisian (the Netherlands):
Trilingual education in Fryslân
Model used (with flexibility):
- 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
Concious and strictly separated use of languages: person / time / themes
Interactive language education
Mercator Network of Schools > 90 members
> 30 language communities
15 EU member states
News bulletins
Website:
- teaching materials
- projects
Kaart fan NOS
Partner in European Projects
NPLD: Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity (regional authorities)
MELT: Multilingual Early Language Transmission (= pre-school sector)
EUNoM: European Network of Universitites on Multilingualism
Language Rich Europe Civil Society Platform on Multilingualism
Intended Network of Teacher Training Institutes
Aiming at:
Strenghtening relationship between teacher training and primary / secondfary education
Teacher’s competences in multilingualism
Didactic methods
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