The World in the The World in the Classroom: Developing Classroom: Developing

Multilingualism in an Irish Multilingualism in an Irish Primary SchoolPrimary School

Bernadette O’Rourke (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh)Bernadette O’Rourke (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh)

Michael Cronin (Dublin City University)Michael Cronin (Dublin City University)

What kinds of What kinds of multilingualism should multilingualism should be developed through be developed through

schooling? schooling?

What languages should What languages should be used for education be used for education

in multilingual in multilingual communities?communities?

Irish Context: Effects of Irish Context: Effects of Celtic TigerCeltic Tiger

Emigration ---- immigrationEmigration ---- immigration

250, 000 250, 000

50% foreign national50% foreign national

Changing Linguistic Changing Linguistic Landscape Landscape

Eastern Regional Health Authority Eastern Regional Health Authority 130130

Translation & Interpreting Services Translation & Interpreting Services 210 210

Census of population Census of population 1 in 1 in 1010

Schools as Sites of Schools as Sites of Linguistic DiversityLinguistic Diversity

Deficit modelDeficit model 2 years language support2 years language support

Mother-tongue not recognisedMother-tongue not recognised

Community Language – Community Language – ‘Handicap’ or ‘Problem’‘Handicap’ or ‘Problem’

……there has to be a massive reform of the there has to be a massive reform of the [Irish] educational system. The State sector [Irish] educational system. The State sector has to be expanded and we have to have a has to be expanded and we have to have a doctrine for doctrine for coping with foreignerscoping with foreigners speaking foreign languages in our speaking foreign languages in our schoolsschools.. For example, there is good reason to For example, there is good reason to outlaw foreign languages being spoken in outlaw foreign languages being spoken in the playgroundthe playground because the playground is because the playground is the primary area for them to learn about the the primary area for them to learn about the culture of the school and the society they are culture of the school and the society they are in. It is good to have foreigners in Ireland but in. It is good to have foreigners in Ireland but it’s not good to have them create a separate it’s not good to have them create a separate culture in their schools…culture in their schools…

Language RightsLanguage Rights Any credible educator will agree that Any credible educator will agree that

schools should build on the experience and schools should build on the experience and knowledge that children bring to the knowledge that children bring to the classroom, and instruction should also classroom, and instruction should also promote children's abilities and talents. promote children's abilities and talents. Whether we do it intentionally or Whether we do it intentionally or inadvertently, inadvertently, when we destroy when we destroy children's language and rupture their children's language and rupture their relationship with parents and relationship with parents and grandparents, we are contradicting the grandparents, we are contradicting the very essence of educationvery essence of education (Cummins (Cummins 1999).1999).

‘‘The World in the The World in the Classroom’ ProjectClassroom’ Project

Action researchAction research Inner-city primary school in DublinInner-city primary school in Dublin

‘‘a form of a form of self-reflective enquiryself-reflective enquiry in in social situations in order to improve social situations in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own the rationality and justice of their own practices, their practices, their understanding of understanding of these practicesthese practices, and the situations in , and the situations in which the practices are carried out’ which the practices are carried out’ (Carr and Kemmis 1986: 162)(Carr and Kemmis 1986: 162)

Stage 1Stage 1 February – June 2007February – June 2007 Migration and Citizenship Research Migration and Citizenship Research

Initiative (University College Dublin)Initiative (University College Dublin)

Characteristics of schoolCharacteristics of school Poland, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Nigeria, Poland, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Nigeria,

Vietnam, Mongolia, India, the Philippines. Vietnam, Mongolia, India, the Philippines.

Focus Group DiscussionFocus Group Discussion Support for multilingualismSupport for multilingualism TensionsTensions

One of the difficulties that we have is One of the difficulties that we have is when a child comes to the school and has when a child comes to the school and has no English at all, and the parents don’t no English at all, and the parents don’t have English either. The parents will have English either. The parents will speak their own language at home rather speak their own language at home rather than practicing English and trying to than practicing English and trying to incorporate it as part of their home incorporate it as part of their home language. language. In the interest of the child, In the interest of the child, parents should make an effort to parents should make an effort to speak the language that the children speak the language that the children are learning at school.are learning at school. There are a There are a number of cases where the child has no number of cases where the child has no English what so ever – if they don’t have English what so ever – if they don’t have a lot of the language there is a danger a lot of the language there is a danger that they will become isolated (Language that they will become isolated (Language support teacher) support teacher)

Developing Strategies to Developing Strategies to Promote Multilingual Promote Multilingual

AwarenessAwareness Chow and Cummins (2003)Chow and Cummins (2003)

Armand and Dagenais (2006)Armand and Dagenais (2006)

ÉÉLODIL (LODIL (Éveil aux langage et Éveil aux langage et ouverture à la diversité linguistique)ouverture à la diversité linguistique)

www.elodil.comwww.elodil.com

AimsAims

Enhance status of multilingual Enhance status of multilingual childrenchildren

Provide support for parentsProvide support for parents

Expand teachers awarenessExpand teachers awareness

Pilot StudyPilot Study

ParticipantsParticipants Junior Infants (children 4-5 years)Junior Infants (children 4-5 years) Mainstream and Resource TeacherMainstream and Resource Teacher ResearcherResearcher

Language-awareness activitiesLanguage-awareness activities ‘‘Language Flowers’ (Language Flowers’ (www.elodil.comwww.elodil.com))

‘‘The Life Cycle of the The Life Cycle of the Butterfly’Butterfly’

OutcomesOutcomes Sensitized teachers & pupils to linguistic Sensitized teachers & pupils to linguistic

diversitydiversity

Provided resources for teachersProvided resources for teachers

Created dialogue with parentsCreated dialogue with parents

Developed multilingual awareness at Developed multilingual awareness at school levelschool level

Towards a school language policyTowards a school language policy

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

Multilingual signageMultilingual signage

Communication through translationCommunication through translation

Multilingual storytellingMultilingual storytelling

Skills of migrant populationSkills of migrant population

The World in the The World in the ClassroomClassroom

Contact: B.M.A.O’Rourke@hw.ac.ukContact: B.M.A.O’Rourke@hw.ac.uk