PLURILINGUAL EDUCATION IN EUROPEPLURILINGUAL EDUCATION IN EUROPE

• Promotion of plurilingual education as a value and competence. • Plurilingualism: the ability to use several languages for the purposes of

communication. • This ability also includes intercultural competence.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PLURILINGUALISM

Beacco and Byram 2003: 37-38:

• All European citizens are potencially plurilingual.

• Plurilinguals do not have to master a large number of languages.

• Plurilingualism may change over time.

• It includes a repertoire of communicative resources that speakers use according to their own needs.

PROMOTING PLURILINGUALISM

Some desirable actions to promote plurilingualism can be the following:– To enhance the status and development of linguistic repertoires considered as

the linguistic varieties (languages) – Developing pluricultural awareness and intercultural communication. – Educating for democratic citizenship in Europe.

POLITICAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS OF PLURILINGUALISMPOLITICAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS OF PLURILINGUALISM

Disseminating plurilingualism may have some political and social benefits forEurope:• Adapting language education to the new multicultural and multilingual Europe.• Keeping and developing the existing repertoires (languages).• Promoting the languages and cultures existing in Europe.

ACTIONS: To increase the forms in which languages are present in the media, government services, public spaces, the cinema, To show plurilingual notices in official buildings, to use texts and announcements in stations and shopping centers, etc.

INTRODUCING PLURILINGUALISM IN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMSINTRODUCING PLURILINGUALISM IN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS

• Raising the awareness of educational establishments.• Importance of plurilingualism to move around Europe. • Early introduction of modern languages.• Language teachers trained as plurilingual subjects.• Changing study plans.• Pre-school teachers become familiar with early language methods.• Primary school teachers are trained in several languages. • Teachers should also be trained in intercultural education.

ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS OF PLURILINGUAL EDUCATION

Some important aspects include the following:– Designing a plurality of courses, competences and levels on plurilingualism.– Cost of plurilingual programmes, new teacher profiles, the availability of

teachers, etc.– Human resources: teachers ideally should be able to teach two or more foreign

languages at different levels– Integration of language teaching with subjects teaching in other languages.

THE ANDALUSIAN PLURILINGUAL PROGRAMMETHE ANDALUSIAN PLURILINGUAL PROGRAMME

General objective: the Andalusian people should be able to express themselves in other languages and have deeper knowledge of the other European cultures.

EFFECTS AND BENEFITS: To accept social differences To establish constructive relations with other people To solve social conflicts in a non-violent way. To fight against racism and xenophobia

Inmigrants in Andalucia

Sur in English, 27-11-2006, pag. 18

GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE ANDALUSIAN PLURILINGUAL PROGRAMME

GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE ANDALUSIAN PLURILINGUAL PROGRAMME

Political and pedagogical ACTIONS to be undertaken:A1. The time devoted to the FL study will be increased A2. Network of 400 bilingual schoolsA3. An integrated language curriculum A4. Modern language teaching “on line” A5. Lectors and assistant teachers A6. Students and teachers exchangesA7. European programs.A8. Supporting and supervisory actions.

a) to improve the Andalusian population’s linguistic competences b) to develop their plurilingual and pluricultural competences.

THE NEW ORGANISATIONAL AND CURRICULAR MODEL OF ANDALUSIAN BILINGUAL SCHOOLS

ACTIONS to be taken:A9. FL staff will be increasedA10. Extra time will be recognised as teaching loadA11. A bilingual program coordinator will be createdA12. New teacher training programsA13. Administrative supportA14. Teaching equipment and materialsA15. New technological equipmentA16. An integrated curriculum will be designedA17. Supporting programmes for staffA18. Parents will receive special preparation.A19. The European Portfolio will be introduced.

Academic subjects imparted in the L1 and L2. Schools will be awarded specific resources

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

Political actions related to LANGUAGE SCHOOLS:A20. They will be expanded.A21. They will offer their academic services to all citizens.A23. Their academic staff will receive special training.A24. In-service and vocational courses will be offered.A25. Innovative and research programmes will be promoted.A26. Validation criteria will be established. A27. Their legal status and regulations will be reformed.A28. New organization and operation.

The Andalusian language schools will be turned into integral language centers that will provide help.

ACTIONS RELATED TO TEACHER PREPARATION:

A29. New teacher training courses will be providedA30. Exchange programmes A31. Intensive programmes for plurilingual teachers A32. Preparation for teachers taking part in non-linguistic areas.A33. Training in the management of “on-line” teaching and learning.A34. Courses for the staff involved in plurilingual educationA35. Good practice in the teaching and learning of languages. A36. Provision of public teaching posts by including a sound knowledge of modern languages.A37. A new profile of subject teachers with knowledge of modern languages.

ACTIONS IN RELATION TO PLURILINGUALISM AND SOCIETY:

A38. Language courses for professionals.A39. Language courses for parents.A40. Curricular adaptations for students with special needs.A41. Agreements of collaboration between Andalusian and other European universitiesA42. Expanding the programme “Modern Languages and Youth” and creating similar programmes.A43. School training programmes between schools.A44. Collaboration with regional and national TV channels. A45. Developing schools of parents for language learning.

ACTIONS FOR THE INTERCULTURAL PROGRAMME:

A46. Designing teacher training activities related to student diversity.A47. Linguistic adaptation programmes for the schools.A48. Joint programmes between Andalusia and the countries where immigrants originate.A49. Pilot programmes of mixed schooling

BILINGUAL EDUCATION IN GRANADA: A CASE STUDY

GRANADA COLLEGE• Private bilingual school covering Primary and Secondary Education. • Located 15 km north of the city of Granada. • It was set up as a bilingual school in 1999. • A two-way bilingual programme adopting the content-based is offered. • Students are immersed in an English atmosphere.

• Few schools following bilingual or plurilingual programmes.• On the Costa del Sol high number of foreign residents wishing to keep their L1 and incorporate Spanish as an L2.

GRANADA COLLEGE

PRIMARY EDUCATION– 30 hours of instruction per week – Spanish is used for 40% of school time – English is used 60% of the timetable

SECONDARY EDUCATION– English is used for the Language class, Computing, Technology, Physical

Education, Science, Music, History of Religions and Ethics. – French is introduced as a third foreign language. – The percentage of hours in English is around 48 % and 52% for Spanish.

SOME PROBLEMS

• Validation of the native teachers’ degrees is a slow and tedious process.

• Curricular materials and publications are very scarce and have to be generated by the teachers themselves.

• The university entrance examination has not been regulated by Local Authorities yet!