Since the 1950s a
compelling body of evidence has been accumulated to demonstrate that educating
children in their mother languages in school leads to better educational and
social outcomes, including better and faster learning of the main language of
host countries.
Yet, multilingual curricula, leveraging the
benefits of mother tongue support, are few and far between.
Instead emphasis has been placed on
ensuring that migrant children master the official language to the detriment of
their home languages. As a result, there continues to be a large gap between
the educational achievements of migrant children, both first and second
generation, and those of their native peers.
The fact is that multilingual classrooms
are the reality today, especially in urban areas. New approaches have emerged
across Europe which demonstrate that it is entirely feasible to overcome the
practical challenges to mother tongue-based multilingual education that are
often highlighted as show stoppers.
With exciting results: students’ self-confidence
grows, they remain interested in learning, they develop multilingual abilities,
stay in school longer, and stand a greater chance of fulfilling their
educational potential. Enabling them to make greater contributions to the
societies in which they live.
Friday 6 November 2015
Ellen-Rose Kambel, director, Rutu Foundation
Rahzeb Choudhury, consultant, Rutu Foundation
10.15 / EUROPEAN COMMISSION – REPORT ON MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS
Ana-Maria Stan, European Commission
10.45 / QUESTION AND ANSWER
11.00 / REFRESHMENT BREAK
11.20 / PRACTIONER TALKS
A series of pointed talks about the experiences of multilingual classrooms and teacher training.
11.20 / RAISING TEACHER AWARENESS IN MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS IN THE NETHERLANDS
Emmanuelle Le Pichon, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
11.35 / DEVELOPING RESOURCES FOR MULTILINGUAL CLASSES IN BELGIUM
Orhan Agirdag, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
12.50 / LANGUAGE POLICY FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN IN SCANDINAVIA
Amor Segerhammar and Ann-Charlotte Karnermo, Language Center, Gothenburg, Sweden
12.05 / QUESTION AND ANSWER
12.30 / LUNCH
14.00 / POLICY MAKERS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Talks on research findings on the effects of current education policy on migrant youth, the required changes in policy, and some of the economic benefits of mother tongue education.
14.00 / MULTILINGUAL INITIATIVES IN UTRECHT
Utrecht City Council, the Netherlands
14.15 / HOW CAN WE PROFIT FROM MULTILINGUALISM? GOOD PRACTICES FROM THE EU-LUCIDE PROJECT
Jacomine Nortier, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
14.30 / MULTILINGUALISM IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Akin Alan, Manz Legal, Utrecht, The Netherlands
14.45-15.10 / QUESTION AND ANSWER
15.10 / REFRESHMENT BREAK
15.40 / BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Four concurrent breakout discussions to review and improve specific recommendations on how to advance mother tongue education in Europe.
16:10 / REPORTS BACK TO PLENARY
16.30 / WRAP UP
16:40 / CLOSING STATEMENT: Marco Ligtvoet, Director Teacher Trainer Institute CPI, Paramaribo, Suriname.
08.30 / REGISTRATION OPENS
09.15 / WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONSProf. Frank Wijnen, director, Utrecht Institute of Linguistics (Uil-OTS)
09:45 / THE RUTU ROADMAP 2016-2020Ellen-Rose Kambel, director, Rutu Foundation
Rahzeb Choudhury, consultant, Rutu Foundation
10.15 / EUROPEAN COMMISSION – REPORT ON MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS
Ana-Maria Stan, European Commission
10.45 / QUESTION AND ANSWER
11.00 / REFRESHMENT BREAK
11.20 / PRACTIONER TALKS
A series of pointed talks about the experiences of multilingual classrooms and teacher training.
11.20 / RAISING TEACHER AWARENESS IN MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS IN THE NETHERLANDS
Emmanuelle Le Pichon, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
11.35 / DEVELOPING RESOURCES FOR MULTILINGUAL CLASSES IN BELGIUM
Orhan Agirdag, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
12.50 / LANGUAGE POLICY FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN IN SCANDINAVIA
Amor Segerhammar and Ann-Charlotte Karnermo, Language Center, Gothenburg, Sweden
12.05 / QUESTION AND ANSWER
12.30 / LUNCH
14.00 / POLICY MAKERS AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Talks on research findings on the effects of current education policy on migrant youth, the required changes in policy, and some of the economic benefits of mother tongue education.
14.00 / MULTILINGUAL INITIATIVES IN UTRECHT
Utrecht City Council, the Netherlands
14.15 / HOW CAN WE PROFIT FROM MULTILINGUALISM? GOOD PRACTICES FROM THE EU-LUCIDE PROJECT
Jacomine Nortier, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
14.30 / MULTILINGUALISM IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Akin Alan, Manz Legal, Utrecht, The Netherlands
14.45-15.10 / QUESTION AND ANSWER
15.10 / REFRESHMENT BREAK
15.40 / BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Four concurrent breakout discussions to review and improve specific recommendations on how to advance mother tongue education in Europe.
16:10 / REPORTS BACK TO PLENARY
16.30 / WRAP UP
16:40 / CLOSING STATEMENT: Marco Ligtvoet, Director Teacher Trainer Institute CPI, Paramaribo, Suriname.
