Empowering minority languages

1. Empowering minority languages Theodoros Maniakas, Ph.D. State School Advisor

2. The dynamics of education • 1. transmission of cultural and social knowledge • 2.  self-development at the level of personal awareness, knowledge, and critical understanding • 3.  fostering a positive societal change • 4 inculcating loyalty to the system • 5. training a new set of leaders, thinkers, entrepreneurs, etc. • 6. preparation for the workplace, consumerism, and citizenship; • 7. reproduction of the social order (A.Fleras & J.L. Elliott, 1992)

3. New and old culture Newcomers have to adapt to a new dominant culture, accept new ethics and go through the process of acceptance, satisfaction, integration and assimilation (E. Gavaki, Th. Maniakas 1983).

4. Two possibilities out of many Remain silent and invisible, their language and culture have to be kept at home OR Smooth integration process: Not to lose one’s identity but to keep it in order to fully and equally function in the new society * Aspect of prestige / power is present

5. Disempowering vs. empowering process 40 – year – old policy linguistic diversity is an “inestimable enrichment that (Canadians) cannot afford to lose. The dominant culture can only profit from the influence of these other cultures. Linguistic variety is unquestionably an advantage and its beneficial effects on the country are priceless”. (Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism, 1971).

6. Some objectives of multicultural education(Cummins 1999). 1.   * To diminish the ethnic problem wherever there is one 2.   * To eliminate discrimination and promote intergroup harmony 3.    * To foster a genuine equality and justice for ethnic minorities 4.    * To improve intercultural sharing, understanding and communication.

7. Two empirical axioms: We are teachers, educators, we have to teach, to show the way, by example ; to be the role model, the mentors of ALL our students. Relations between teachers and students, as well as among students, have a greater importance for the scholastic / educational progress than any other teaching method.

8. Identity and learning are based upon • The need for “sense of self” / an identity. • belonging to a group (ethnocultural club) • an association • a “church”, fulfilling metaphysical and / or religious functions, • a benevolent society to care for the poor and needy, • a school for the heritage language, • a club for the ethnic dances, sports club • Restaurants / marketsfor traditional food

9. To improve intercultural sharing, understanding and communication, just think that : even the simple fact that they (allophones) speak additional languages (besides Greek, English, French / German, they speak better Russian, Georgian, Albanian, Armenian, Turkish, Polish) constitutes a talent, an ability, an asset, a non-negligible set of knowledge that is there and must be preserved ; it is part of the multicultural, intercultural society we live in. Skutnabb – Kangas (1976)

10. Why learn AND use mother tongue When speakers of other languages are able to speak their mother tongue well enough, then they can learn anything ! Because in this way they would know who they are since they can speak their mother tongue. In other words: they relate to an identity.

11. Bilingual proficiency models (Cummins ) Separate Underlying Proficiency Abilities in L1 cannot be transferred to L2, because they are exclusive abilities. Common Underlying Proficiency Abilities in L1 can be transferred to L2, provided both L1 and L2 are kept. Transfer of conceptual knowledge from and to L1 - L2 Underlying Cognitive Academic Proficiency, common in two or more languages.

12. Perspectives in Multicultural Education (ME) • ME as Compensation: Education of the ethnoculturally different. Aims at assimilation of ethnic minorities into the mainstream. • ME as Enrichment : Education about cultural differences. Cultures stripped of their historical context. • ME as Enhancement : Education for cultural pluralism. Tolerance for diversity, cultural relativism, non-ethnocentrism. • ME as Empowerment : Education for justice and equity

13. Two important aims for the development of the student’s personality. a. to learn to increase and develop and keep his / her identity ( to know who he/she is, to accept himself/ herself the way that he/she is and to accept his/her past as is. • to learn to accept the fact that he/she is different from the others and to be proud for this individuality and uniqueness H.v.Hentig 1972 and G. Becker 1980

14. Principles to keep in mind • we are all equal in our differences • cultural diversity is here to stay and it must stay • education for empowerment in a diverse society • everyday is a Respectday • Stay away from xenophobia (that leads to ethnocentrism and racism)

15. Activities that can help in this direction • Involve the parents in the school life • Respect students’ names = personalities • Organize classes for the heritage languages • Include all cultures in artistic, athletic events • School festivals (music, dance, food ) for all • School newspaper with articles in various languages • “Other Language Stories” translated into English • In short : value the Other (person & language)

16. Why during English class ? • Neutrality of the English language ; being international, beyond ethnic boundaries • the prestige, the appealing power it exerts on the youth, its immediacy ; • We’ve got the tools (books, teaching aides, multimedia resources, teacher training) • after all, we have to start from somewhere…

17. Bibliographical References 1 • Apple, M.W. (1979) Ideology and Curriculum London : Routledge and Kegan Paul • Anderson, A. and Frideres, J. (1981) Ethnicity in Canada: Theoretical PerspectivesToronto : Butterworths • Banks, J.A. (1981) Multiethnic Education : Theory and Practice . Boston : Allyn and Bacon • Cummins, Jim (1996) Negotiating Identities : education for empowerment in a diverse society . Los Angeles : California Association for Bilingual Education • Cummins, Jim (1999) Ταυτότητες υπό Διαπραγμάτευση : εκπαίδευση με σκοπό την ενδυνάμωση σε μια κοινωνία της ετερότητας (Επιμέλεια Ελένη Σκούρτου, Μετάφραση Σουζάνα Αργύρη, Αθήνα : Εκδόσεις Γκούτενμπεργκ) • Cummins, Jim and Danesi, Marcel (1990) Heritage Languages Toronto: Garamond Press.

18. Bibliographical References 2 • Edwards, J. (1985) Language, Society and Identity London : Basil Blackwell • Fishman, J. (1989) Language and Ethnicity in Minority Sociolinguistic Matters Clevedon, England : Multilingual Matters Ltd. • Fleras, A. and Elliott, J. L. (1991) Multiculturalism in Canada : The challenge of diversity Scarborough, ON. : Nelson Canada • Gavaki, E.and Maniakas, Th. (1983) Immigrant integration process Working Papers in Linguistics, McGill U, Montreal • Theodore M. Maniakas (1991) Ethnolinguistic Reality of Montreal Greeks, Ph. D Thesis for the Dept. of Ethnolinguistics, University of Montreal. • Skutnabb – Kangas, T. & Cummins, Jim (eds.) (1988) Minority Education : From shame to struggle. Clevedon, England : Multilingual Matters Ltd. • Skutnabb – Kangas, T. & Toukomaa, P. (1976) Teaching migrant children’s mother tongue and learning the language of the host country. Helsinki : The Finnish Commission for UNESCO.