Alex RIEMERSMA Ljouwert / Leeuwarden, November 18, 2010 Mercator

1. Multilingualism for all: How to implement European Language Policy Developments through Universities and Teacher Training Alex RIEMERSMA Ljouwert / Leeuwarden, November 18, 2010 Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning www.mercator-research.eu

2. Overview of presentation • Scope of European Language Policies • Research Agenda: • - “mother tongue” • - Language Vitality • - Language Programmes • - Teacher Training

3. Linguistic Diversity • Globe: 6,000 languages • Council of Europe (47 member states):6 working languageshundreds of languages • European Union (27 member states):23 official languages> 60 RMLs

4. EU Language Policy • EU shall respect … linguistic diversity • Mother tongue + 2 • Linguistic diversity: all languages are equal and equally treated • European Charter RMLs entry exam for new EU member states (2004) • Doctrine of “subsidiarity”

5. Unesco Language Vitality Index

6. Language Vitality factors (6) • Intergenerational transmission • Absolute number of speakers • Proportion of speakers within total population • Trends in existing domains • Response to new domains & media • Marerials for Education and Literacy

7. Language Vitality factors (3) • Governmental and Institutional Language Attitudes & Politics • Community Member’s Attitudes towards their own languages • Documentation (& corpus planning)

8. Language Vitality (additional) • Attractiveness for second language acquisition • Holistic approach regarding Language Programmes, including: • - language learning • - teaching materials • - language nests

9. 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

10. 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

11. Legal position Frisian • No mention in Netherlands’ constitution • Covenant Frisiqan Language and Culture (2001-2010) between Dutch governement and province of Fryslân • Announcement of Frisian Language Act: “equal footing” of Dutch & Frisian

12. Research Agenda • Mother tongue > father tongue; language of birth • Mother tongue + 2 other languages >>> 2 first tongues + 2 other languages • Media >>> Social media • Literacy • Visibility + linguistic landscape

13. Application of instruments • Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) • European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML)

14. Implementation of Charter • Programmatic versus static approach: - key words “to protect & to promote” • Development of Minimum Standards • Application of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

15. 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

16. Teacher Training • Subject & medium • Continuity from pre-school to primary &from primary to secondary schooling • Schools as centres of excellence • Master on Multilingualism and multilingual education

17. Research themes • Research into school- and teacher characteristics • Monitoring longitudinal language proficiency in all three target languages: in accordance with the 6 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

18. Tankewol • Eskerrik asko • Köszönöm • Grazia • Mercé plan • Dankscheen • Graciis • Kiitos • Diolch • Dz'akuju so • Hvala • Merci • Mange Takk • Trugarez • Multumesc