Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
Languages of schooling and the Language
Education Policy Profile: the case of Lombardy
Gisella Langé
Ministry of Education, University and Research
Lombardy Educational Authority
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
LOMBARDY
Population:
10.065.440
Area:
23.859 kmq
Foreign language teachers: 10.258
1 million students
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Lombardy_%20Profile_EN.doc
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Lombardy_Profile_FR.doc
www.progettolingue.net
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
Scope of Lombardy Profile
Importance of policy analysis at a time of change
Awareness raising on specific issues including promotion of plurilingualism diversification of the range of languages
Process supported by Italian national authorities
possible contribution of the Profile to a policy debate at national level
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
Policies and curricula linked to contexts:
– Schools in context – significance of school headteachers
– Learners and their ‘language history’
For region: regional council/centre – policy and curricula for region (regional devolution)
For (groups of) schools – policy and curricula for context and for learners (school autonomy)
For learners – planning for own learning (learner autonomy)
Suggested Actions
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
After the Profile (2006)
political changes at national level
regional devolution on the way implementation of the School Reform Law voted in 2003 new documents of reference at national level that take into consideration the CEFR and the E.U. Recommendation on the 8 key competences
critical remark: more focus on English than on plurilingualism at national level
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
Consequences of the Profile
Holistic/global approach
Plurilingualism Coherence
Qualitative improvement
Curriculum and syllabi development
Indicators
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
Area Multilinguismo e Internazionalizzazione
A new Department within the Lombardy Regional Education Authority
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
• Developing common templates for language curricula
• Favouring languages of origin - Arabic in primary schools - Rumanian in primary and secondary schools
• Improving foreign language learning by starting at an early age
- English as 1st foreign language at primary school, but also other languages in some schools
Language learning (1)
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
• Improving foreign language learning by focusing on meaningful contents
- promotion and expansion of CLIL/EMILE or bilingual courses (tandem teaching: subject teachers and FL teachers)
- improvement of intercultural competences in international cooperation (e.g school exchange, educational stays, international projects, internships)
- international diplomas (ex ESABAC), language certificates, language competitions and other language projects
Language learning (2)
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
• developing student autonomy
using the European Language Portfolio,
special projects (ex. Certilingua, etc)
Language learning (3)
FOREIGN LANGUAGESup to 2006
English = from primary school to upper secondary school
French, German, Spanish= in all lower and some upper secondary schools Russian = in some upper secondary schools
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese mostly in extra-curricular courses in upper secondary schools
FOREIGN LANGUAGES after 2006
English, French, German, SpanishRussian: same as before 2006
Arabic, Chinese, Japanese mostly in extra-curricular courses in upper secondary schools BUT now also in curricular courses
ARABIC offered in PRIMARY schools
ROMANIAN offered in PRIMARY, Lower and Upper Secondary Schools
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
The Profile brought together teachers from languages of schooling (especially what we call Language as Subject i.e. teachers of Italian) and Foreign Language teachers:
• descriptors of competences for Italian as a subject and Italian as a foreign language have been developed
• certifications for Italian as a FL are been introduced
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
Teachers of other subjects
• know what the CEFR is
• show great interest in the way levels, descriptors and competences are defined in it
• are trying to describe and grade competences for their subjects…
CLIL/EMILE training activities favour awareness and cooperative work on language learning…
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
Summing up• Visible short and medium term
consequences
• Ongoing public debate, conferences, round tables,
articles, etc.
• General understanding of the importance of plurilingual education and languages of schooling
• More attention to the linguistic integration of young and adult migrants
• Relevant effects on curriculum development assessment vulnerable groups (chidren of migrants) institutions
Languages of schooling
PoliticiansAdministrat
ors
ParentsJournalistsPublishers
Cultural AgenciesAssociationsTrade UnionsWorld of work
University ProfessorsInspectors
Headteachers
TeachersTrainers
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
Next project in Lombardy…Languages of Schooling
2009: European Year of Creativity and Innovation
Gisella Langé Strasbourg, June 8, 2009
SLO GAN
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