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Fryslân and the Mercator Research Centre

Cor van der Meer

Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning

Fryske Akademy

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Overview

• Fryslân• The Frisian language in education

– Tri-lingual school project

• Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning

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FRISIAN AREA IN 1000

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Fryslân

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Well-known outside Fryslân

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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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Linguistic knowledge (census)

1967 1980 1994

Understand 97 94 94

Speak 85 73 74

Read 69 65 65

Write 12 11 17

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Language databank

Dictionaries

Corpus Spoken Frisian

‘Spell-checker’

LinguisticInfrastructure

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MediaMedia

< 5% Frisian

> 80% Frisian

www.omropfryslan.nl = all in Frisian

Daily newspapers

Radio&TV

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Frisian in primary education

• 1816 – schoolmasters are advised ‘in particular not to tolerate the peasant vernacular’

• 1907 – Province of Friesland provides subsidies / lessons in Frisian outsite school hours

• 1937 – clause added to the law / during Dutch language and reading some instruction in Frisian

• 1950 – Bilingual trial / 6-year experiment at nine schools- 1st and 2nd class reading and writing- Frisian as subject / medium of instruction

• 1955 – change in law, Frisian as medium of instruction is allowed in first three grades

• 1980 – obligatory

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Frisian in secondary education

1971 Examination in Frisian language is allowed if pupils choose the

subject

1980-1990 Several experiments

1993 Obligatory in first two grades

from 1998 Projects in several upper grades

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3TS Trilingual School

Start of project on 7 schools

Grades 1 – 5 (4 – 9 years old) 50% Frisian / 50% Dutch

Grades 6 – 8 (10 -12 years old) 40% Frisian, 40% Dutch + 20% English

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Advantages Trilingual Education

- awareness of multilingualism- minority language has full respect- clear distinction between different languages- visibility of languages- more feeling for languages - more feeling for other cultures

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Results Trilingual School

26th of September 2006 - certificates

Results pupils:- much better skills on Frisian- equal results on Dutch- more flair on using English

Teachers:

- more motivated, more competent

- proud of their schools

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• Documentation and information• Research and publications• Databases• Network of Schools• Conferences• Website

Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning

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Structured contents

• 1 Introduction• 2 Pre-school education• 3 Primary education• 4 Secondary education• 5 Vocational education• 6 Higher education• 7 Adult education• 8 Educational research• 9 Prospects• 10 Summary of statistics• Education System in ….• References and further reading• Useful addresses

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Network of schools

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Network of Schools

• > 60 Members

• 20 Language communities

• Newsbulletins

• Website

• Teaching materials

• Projects

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Position within Europe• European Union

– Communication on Multilingualism

• Council of Europe– European Charter on RML– Framework Convention for the protection of

National Minorities

• Cooperation and Partnerships– Mercator centres, EBLUL– Network for the Promotion of Linguistic

Diversity– ECML in Graz, ECMI in Flensburg– Regional authorities and institutes

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Mercator conferences 2007

• “Multilingualism and Language Learning: Measurement and good Practice” 10 – 11 May 2007

• “New developments in Basque education in a European perspective” organised in collaboration with the Basque ministry of Education, 7 – 8 November 2007

• “The future of European policy towards Multilingualism and Language Learning”, 21 – 23 November 2007

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Conferences in 2008

• April, regional thematic seminar

• May, Basque seminar in Ljouwert

• September, FEL conference in Ljouwert

• December, Frisian philology conference

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Cooperation and other events

• March, visit and presentation Scots Language Centre

• April, visit EU commissioner Orban

• May, conference organisation for 10 years Charter for RML

• October, conference organisation in Moldava

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Fields of Research

• The added value of multilingualism and multilingual education

• New developments in multilingual education in Europe

• Application of the CEFR and the ELP in Europe

• Informal learning and promotion of reading in families & households

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• Eskerrik asko

• Moltes gràcies

• Diolch

Tankewol

• Trugarez

• Grazia

• Graciis

• Go raibh maith agaibh

• Dankscheen • Mercé plan

• Giitus

• Dz'akuju so

Köszönöm

• Hvala

• Multumesc

• Thank you

www.mercator-research.eucvdmeer@fa.knaw.nl