A place for all languages at school
[Summary generated by ChatGPT] Overview: Babylonia 1/2011, redesigned to mark the journal’s 20th anniversary, is a special issue dedicated to language and educational equity. It focuses on the role of all languages present in the classroom—school languages, foreign languages, regional dialects,...
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| Format: | Article |
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| Language: | German |
| Published: |
Association Babylonia Switzerland
2011-04-01
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| Series: | Babylonia |
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| Online Access: | https://babylonia.online/index.php/babylonia/article/view/678 |
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| Summary: | [Summary generated by ChatGPT]
Overview:
Babylonia 1/2011, redesigned to mark the journal’s 20th anniversary, is a special issue dedicated to language and educational equity. It focuses on the role of all languages present in the classroom—school languages, foreign languages, regional dialects, and migrant languages—in ensuring equal educational opportunities. The issue emerges from the 2010 Policy Forum in Geneva, co-hosted by the Swiss authorities and the Council of Europe, titled “The right of learners to quality and equity in education – the role of language and intercultural skills.”
Key Contributions:
The editorial reflects on the retirement of Joe Sheils, a central figure in European language education policy, and expresses concern about the weakening of the Council of Europe’s Language Policy Division. His departure symbolizes a pivotal moment for language advocacy, especially for plurilingualism in education.
The issue underscores how linguistic diversity—when embraced—can support academic achievement, social integration, and identity formation. It critiques long-standing beliefs that students with migrant backgrounds should abandon their home languages to focus on the school language, exposing how such views hinder both academic development and social cohesion.
Contributors like Jim Cummins and Eike Thürmann stress that mastery of academic subjects depends on mastering academic language—across all languages. Encouraging the development of learners’ home languages is not an obstacle but a resource for learning. Cummins highlights how strong linguistic foundations in students' first languages support learning across the curriculum.
Several articles describe practical and policy initiatives, including two projects from the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) in Graz:
MARILLE (Majority language instruction as basis for plurilingual education) promotes stronger connections between school language teaching and plurilingualism.
CARAP (Framework of Reference for Pluralistic Approaches) provides teaching tools that integrate learners’ language repertoires.
The issue’s diverse contributions aim to make policymakers and educators more aware of how language shapes educational success and inequality. Many articles argue for the development of academic language competence not just in language classes but in all subjects.
Conclusion:
Babylonia 1/2011 presents a compelling call to embed linguistic inclusion into the educational system. It urges schools to recognize and nurture all the languages learners bring, arguing that only through such inclusive practices can education truly promote equity, identity, and success for all. It also sets the stage for future regional conferences and continued collaboration with European institutions.
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| ISSN: | 1420-0007 2673-6454 |