visit basque students june 23, 2009 mercator european research centre on multilingualism and...

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009

Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and

Language Learning

Cor van der Meer & Alex Riemersma

Fryske Akademy

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Overview

• Fryslân• Language(s)• Mercator European Research

Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning

• Multilingual Education

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EarlyMiddle ages

Late Middle ages

Today

Fryslân in history

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Well-known outside Fryslân

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Which sport is done mostly by the inhabitants of Fryslân?

A Korfball

B Ice-skating

C Football (soccer)

D Swimming

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Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009

What percentage of the Frisian soil is in use for agriculture?

A 50%

B 80%

C 65%

D 90%

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In 2005 the Netherlands had nearly 1,5 miljoen milkcows. How many

are there in the Frisian graslands?

A 150.000

B 250.000

C 300.000

D 500.000

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taalkaart

870870

26.30026.300

634.000634.000

11.50011.500

3.2003.200

342.000342.000

1.5001.500

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Continent   Languages

Count Percent

Africa   2,092 30.3

Americas   1,002 14.5

Asia   2,269 32.8

Europe   239 3.5

Pacific   1,310 19.0

 Totals   6,912 100.0

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Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009

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

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Frisian language command

• 54 % Mothertongue

• 94 % Understanding

• 74 % Speaking

• 65 % Reading

• 26 % Writing

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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

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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

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How many EU citizens speak a Minority Language ?

A 5 million

B 15 million

C 30 million

D 45 million

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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

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MERCATOR ?

Gerardus Mercator 1512-1594

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Mercator Research Centre

• 1987-2006: Documentation & Information CentreFunded by the European Union

• 2007-2008: transition into Information and Research CentreFunded by province of Fryslân and municipality of Ljouwert/Leeuwarden

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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

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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

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EU-based typology

Unique minority languages a) Welsh, Frisian, Galicianb) 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

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Cornish

Galician

Luxemburgish

Catalan (I)

Saterfrisian

200 2.000 20.000 280.000 2 M 7 M

Differences in size

Catalan

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Mercator’s activities

• Publications & Databases• Research• Network of Schools• Network of Teacher Training Institutes• Conferences & seminars• Q&A service

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Publications

• Research reports• Newsletters• Regional Dossiers

– 40 language descriptions – Update every 5 year– Online available

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Kaart fan NOS

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Network of Schools

• > 90 Members• > 20 Language communities• 15 EU member states• Newsbulletins • Website:

– Teaching materials– Projects

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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”

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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

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Old Theory

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New Theory

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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

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Why bilingual education?

• Right on education in mother-tongue

• Pedagogical development

• Social integration

• Cultural participation

• Language maintenance

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Models of bilingual education

• Immersion

• Systematic split of time

• Systematic split of subjects

• One person / one language

• [Minority language as a subject only]

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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

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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

Visit Basque Students June 23, 2009

• Eskerrik asko

• Moltes gràcies

• Diolch

Thank you

• Trugarez

• Grazia

• Graciis

• Go raibh maith agaibh

• Dankscheen • Mercé plan

• Giitus

• Dz'akuju so

Köszönöm

• Hvala

• Multumesc

• Tankewol

www.mercator-research.eumercator@fryske-akademy.nl