Multilingual Early Language Transmission -

Results and products

Veronica Hertzberg 6.10.2011

Presentation overview• Introduction to the MELT project and partners • Starting point • Aims and goals• Target groups• Products and results: – Parents pamphlet– Guide practitioners – Local awareness raising events – Research paper

The starting point

The aims for MELT are to:

• Identify best practice in language acquisition and immersion methodology

• increase the skills of early years practitioners• provide children with a strong educational

foundation• provide information to parents on bilingualism • reinforce and promote cultural and linguistic

diversity

Target groups:

• Parents, families and peers

• Pre-school practitioners

• Policymakers, local and regional authorities

Policymakers, authorities

• Local events and seminars

• Introduction seminar in Finland and

• Closing seminar in Friesland

• Roundtable discussions

• Website • www.meltproject.e

u• Newsletters • Press-releases• Articles

Parents pamphlet

The language development and tips

• children’s language development from birth up to the age of 4.

• Tips for activities • Benefits for a

multilingual upbringing

9 sections •Adults as linguistic role models •Collaboration with parents on linguistic matters•Everyday situations and the physical environment •Suggestions for observing and recording children’s language

continue

• Working with themes, and emphasis on linguistic factors

• How to stimulate children’s language use

• Playtime to stimulate language• Reflection• Examples of exercises and activities

How to use the guide • Bilingual • A theoretical

background• Suggestions and

tips• Issues for reflection

and development • Examples for

activities • Ring binder

Comments• Overall, the guide and activities have helped to reinforce

practice. It is well needed for staff and parents. I would like now more opportunities to involve parents and to support them at home.

• This has been a very good experience. This has helped me find ideas and to introduce the Welsh language to non-Welsh speaking children. I would appreciate more support like this. This would benefit all members of staff starting in the cylch and they would benefit from the training.

• This was an interesting project but we found it too difficult to adapt to the smallest children less than two years old.