Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning Cor van der Meer & Alex Riemersma Fryske Akademy

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Overview Fryslân Language(s) Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning Multilingual Education

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Early Middle ages Late Middle ages Today Fryslân in history

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Well-known outside Fryslân

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Which sport is done mostly by the inhabitants of Fryslân? A Korfball B Ice-skating C Football (soccer) D Swimming

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009

What percentage of the Frisian soil is in use for agriculture? A50% B80% C65% D90%

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 In 2005 the Netherlands had nearly 1,5 miljoen milkcows. How many are there in the Frisian graslands? A B C D

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 taalkaart

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Continent Languages Count Percent Africa 2, Americas 1, Asia 2, Europe Pacific 1, Totals 6,

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009

Frisian as first language

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Frisian language command 54 % Mothertongue 94 % Understanding 74 % Speaking 65 % Reading 26 % Writing

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 In practise primary education in Fryslân uses minimal … A There is no compulsory minimum to teach Frisian B 1 hour Frisian lessons per week is compulsory C 3 hours Frisian lessons per week is compulsory D 1 day per week Frisian lessons compulsory

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009

Home languages Ljouwert –Nederlands –Fries –Leeuwarders –Engels –Arabisch –Koerdisch –Hindu –Berber –Papiamentu –Duits –Somalisch –Turks –Frans –Vietnamees –Chinees –Spaans –Bosnisch - Irakees - Italiaans - Farsi - Surinaams - Armeens - Afgaans - Pools - Urdu - Albanees - Javaans - Portugees - Russisch - Sranan Tongo - Grieks - Joegoslavisch - Marokkaans - Moluks Maleis - Indonesisch - Roemeens - Tamil - Angolees - Filippijns - Catalaans - Ivriet - Punjabi - Zweeds - Kosovaars - Libanees - Lingala - Noors - Oekraïens - Ruandees - Servo-Croatisch - Tsjechisch - Vlaams - Dari - Georgisch - Ghanees - Indisch - Jamaicaans - Nepalees - Oostenrijks - Pakistaans - Servisch - Sri Lankees 60 languages

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 How many EU citizens speak a Minority Language ? A 5 million B 15 million C 30 million D 45 million

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Mercator network Mercator Research Centre “lead partner” 4 Partner Institutes: Aberystwyth – Universiteit van Wales Barcelona – Ciemen Boedapest – Hungarian Academy of Sciences Eskilstuna (Zweden) – Mälardalen Universiteit

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 MERCATOR ? Gerardus Mercator

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Mercator Research Centre : Documentation & Information Centre Funded by the European Union : transition into Information and Research Centre Funded by province of Fryslân and municipality of Ljouwert/Leeuwarden

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Position within Europe European Union –Communication on Multilingualism Council of Europe –Language Policy Development Cooperation and Partnerships –Mercator network, EBLUL –Network for the Promotion of Linguistic Diversity –ECML in Graz, ECMI in Flensburg –Regional authorities and institutes

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Difference between EU and CoE EU: 1957 –27 member states –“Economic Federation” Council of Europe: 1949 –47 member states –“Human rights development” –Gateway to European Union: European Charter on RML Framework Convention for the protection of National Minorities

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 EU-based typology Unique minority languages a) Welsh, Frisian, Galician b) Catalan (E, I, F), Basque (E, F) Minority languages with a ‘kin-state’ a) German (B, Dk, F, I), French (I), Slovene (Au, I) b) Ukrainian (Sl, Pol) Special cases Romani, Yiddish

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Cornish Galician Luxemburgish Catalan (I) Saterfrisian M 7 M Differences in size Catalan

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Mercator’s activities Publications & Databases Research Network of Schools Network of Teacher Training Institutes Conferences & seminars Q&A service

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Publications Research reports Newsletters Regional Dossiers –40 language descriptions –Update every 5 year –Online available

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Kaart fan NOS

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Network of Schools > 90 Members > 20 Language communities 15 EU member states Newsbulletins Website: –Teaching materials –Projects

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Conferences in 2009 April, conference “Multilingualism, Regional and Minority Languages: Paradigms for the languages of the wider world” London, organised with CETL, UCL en SOAS June, “Pedagogy and Didactics in the Multilingual Classroom”, seminar in co- operation with Basque Ministry of Education September, Mercator Network conference October, “Partnership for Diversity conference, in combination with “Liet international”

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 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

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Old Theory

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 New Theory

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Definitions Monolingual education: dominant language only Bilingual / Trilingual Eduction: two or more languages taught as a subject and used as medium of instruction Immersion: use of minority (or: lesser used language) as only medium of instruction – the dominant language taught as a subject

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Why bilingual education? Right on education in mother-tongue Pedagogical development Social integration Cultural participation Language maintenance

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Models of bilingual education Immersion Systematic split of time Systematic split of subjects One person / one language [Minority language as a subject only]

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Trilingual education (1) Model used: –groep 1-6: 50% Frisian, 50% Dutch –groep 7-8: 40% Frisian, 40% Dutch, 20% English Systematic use of Frisian, Dutch and English as medium of instruction Interactive language education

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Trilingual education (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 Nederlands –Results for English slightly better, but not significantly –Self conciousness in English better, but not significantly

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Why multilingual education? 1 Bi-lingualism has positive effects on language and educational developments of children The level of skills in the mother language predicts the level of skills in the second language quite well Promotion of mother language helps and the mother language itself but also the dominant language To use time for the minority language does not have a negative effect on the acquisition of the majority language in school.

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009 Why multilingual education? 2 A minority language is vulnerable and risks to get lost at school To disrespect the language of the children at school means in fact a disrespect of the children themselves To give the children a dynamic identity and social opportunities for the future

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009

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