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Postings from the MultiLingual Education (MLE) mailing list on India
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
MLE; Teaching in the tribal languages of Assam
Saturday, November 29, 2014
[MLE] MLE related books and papers
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Monday, November 17, 2014
MLE Research partnership for India
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Panel Discussion |
Dear Multilingual Education Friends,
Last month the English Partnerships team of the British Council of India convened a research round-table on multilingual education in India.
The reason for the meeting was that the Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism at the University of Reading had proposed a collaborative research partnership with Indian universities and institutions to investigate the issues around multilingual literacy and education at the primary level in India. At the meetings, a framework was discussed for “setting up a longitudinal project into the role of mother tongues and regional languages in learning and teaching in India.”
During one of the evenings, there was a panel discussion on the “Benefits and challenges of multilingual education in India” with several people included who are well known to many of us: Dr Dhir Jhingran (UNICEF India), Prof. Ianthi Tsimpli, Dr Rukmini Banerji (Pratham – ASER Centre), Prof. Paul Gunashekar (EFL University, Hyderabad), Prof. Ajit Mohanty (National Multilingual Education Resource Centre) and Dr Mahendra Mishra (ICICI Foundation).
The outcome of the meeting has been the setting up of a “research consortium of interested parties who would like to be involved in the development of this project, with a view to submitting a joint application for funding.” We are looking forward to the outcome of that!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Learning in English and mother tongue are not mutually exclusive
Kieran Cooke from the Universal Learning Solutions, claims that if a synthetic phonics approach for literacy is taken governments do not need to choose between the mother tongue and e.g. English but can do both simultaniously.
The article on the World Education Blog describes a Synthetic phonetic approach to reading as :
"This approach teaches pupils letter sounds (for example, mmm not em, sss not es) and how to blend those sounds together to read words (so d-o-g makes ʻdogʼ). At the same time they learn how to write words by segmenting a word into its sounds, and then forming letters for those sounds."
It then gives some examples from Africa which proof that also for non Mothertingue English children this approach gives better results than conventional methods. There is also a reference to India:
"One study using this approach with Kannada-speaking children in India shows that synthetic phonics in English is more effective if it is introduced in the mother tongue first. Teaching in the mother tongue for one term gives the pupils enough time to learn the letter sounds of their mother tongue and read simple words. It provides enough time for pupils to read and write confidently before the language of instruction changes to English, often in upper primary or lower secondary. "
The blog post concludes:
"It is clear, therefore, that there is need for children to read and write confidently in both English and their local language. However perhaps we need not have to choose between whether pupils should learn to read and write in English or their local language"
It is a bit questionable if these claims are really about language or more about a good reading method, but nevertheless the statements are worth some deliberation.
Thanks to Lissa Davies for the tip.
Regards,
Karsten
http://www.mle-india.net/
"This approach teaches pupils letter sounds (for example, mmm not em, sss not es) and how to blend those sounds together to read words (so d-o-g makes ʻdogʼ). At the same time they learn how to write words by segmenting a word into its sounds, and then forming letters for those sounds."
It then gives some examples from Africa which proof that also for non Mothertingue English children this approach gives better results than conventional methods. There is also a reference to India:
"One study using this approach with Kannada-speaking children in India shows that synthetic phonics in English is more effective if it is introduced in the mother tongue first. Teaching in the mother tongue for one term gives the pupils enough time to learn the letter sounds of their mother tongue and read simple words. It provides enough time for pupils to read and write confidently before the language of instruction changes to English, often in upper primary or lower secondary. "
The blog post concludes:
"It is clear, therefore, that there is need for children to read and write confidently in both English and their local language. However perhaps we need not have to choose between whether pupils should learn to read and write in English or their local language"
It is a bit questionable if these claims are really about language or more about a good reading method, but nevertheless the statements are worth some deliberation.
Thanks to Lissa Davies for the tip.
Regards,
Karsten
http://www.mle-india.net/
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Pre-primary education in tribal language in Kerala
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Tribal children at an anganwadi in Attappady. Photo: K. K. Mustafah |
The Hindu reports that The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) is planning an educational package for tribal pre-primary children in their own language.
The article titled Pre-primary education in tribal language states:
"Anganwadi teachers will use languages of different tribal ethnic groups to impart pre-primary education. The curriculum has been prepared, and it includes details of the origin, history, cultural diversity, and social life among different tribal groups "
The given rationale reads:
“When these children begin their education, at the pre-primary stage in the anganwadis near their settlements, they find themselves lost. The language used for instruction and communication here is frighteningly strange. The process flows on to the primary level too. Majority of these children drop out of school as they find it difficult to fully comprehend classroom teaching and the activities, or read the language and understand textbooks,”
"Anganwadi teachers will use languages of different tribal ethnic groups to impart pre-primary education. The curriculum has been prepared, and it includes details of the origin, history, cultural diversity, and social life among different tribal groups "
The given rationale reads:
“When these children begin their education, at the pre-primary stage in the anganwadis near their settlements, they find themselves lost. The language used for instruction and communication here is frighteningly strange. The process flows on to the primary level too. Majority of these children drop out of school as they find it difficult to fully comprehend classroom teaching and the activities, or read the language and understand textbooks,”
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
[MLE] Lessons in mother tongue for Rajasthan schools
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Monday, August 11, 2014
[MLE] Odhisa Expands MLE program till class V
Last Month the government of Odisha made a significant move in the expansion of the multilingual education program. The Times of India reports:
"In a bid to extend the mother-tongue based Multilingual Education Programme (MLE), the state government has decided to use mother tongues as medium of instruction for the first five years in primary schools. In these classes, Odia will be taught as the second language from Class II and English will be introduced as a language subject from Class III."
It seems that the Odisha government is the first one to take the education in the Mothertongue really serious. Mr Usha Padhee, secretary, school and mass education department states:
"Continuing primary education for the first five years of school in the mother tongue will have several long-term benefits like sustained achievement at school, increased self-confidence and self-proficiency. Also, the children will learn Odia and English better if these languages are introduced when they are older,"
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Usha Padhee, secretary, school and mass education department, Government of Odisha affirms the long-term benefits of multilingual education. |
It seems that the Odisha government is the first one to take the education in the Mothertongue really serious. Mr Usha Padhee, secretary, school and mass education department states:
"Continuing primary education for the first five years of school in the mother tongue will have several long-term benefits like sustained achievement at school, increased self-confidence and self-proficiency. Also, the children will learn Odia and English better if these languages are introduced when they are older,"
Monday, June 23, 2014
[MLE] National Seminar on Language Education, Chhattisgarh
Dear MultiLingual Education Friends,
The report on the National Seminar on Language Education has come out . The seminar was organized jointly by the SCERT and IFIG at 21-23 February, 2014 at Raipur Chhattisgarh with Dr Mahendra Mishra as convenor. The three main issues addressed at this seminar are stated as follows:
Regards,
Karsten
PS IFIG is the "ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth"
The report on the National Seminar on Language Education has come out . The seminar was organized jointly by the SCERT and IFIG at 21-23 February, 2014 at Raipur Chhattisgarh with Dr Mahendra Mishra as convenor. The three main issues addressed at this seminar are stated as follows:
- How multilinguality is a reality and how our schools are unable to ensure the linguistic rights of the children.
- How language of the text book is teacher-centric and unable to represent the meaning of the texts in a language that is not understood by the children.
- How education can be imparted – as far as practicable to those children who are linguistic minority, and equally be able to maintain equal competencies in many languages like Hindi and English based on their mother tongue.
- Preparation of report on linguistic survey as it was already done in 2008 by SCERT but not in a report form
- Reform of curriculum, based on children’s language, knowledge and revise text book.
- Strengthening of TEG (Teacher Educator Group) about 300 teachers, to explore conceptual knowledge of teachers.
- Policy documents on language in Chhattisgarh.
- Recruitments of teacher’s policy based on availability of language teachers in tribal areas
- More 2-3 conceptual seminars will be organise on language at different areas.
Regards,
Karsten
PS IFIG is the "ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth"
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Disclaimer: This mailing list is an informal way to share mother tongue based multilingual education (MLE) related information. The sender neither claims credit or responsibility for the reports and events shared through this mailing list. Subscribing or unsubscribe by writing "[MLE] Subscribe" or "[MLE] Unsubscribe" in the subject-line and send a message to: karsten_van_riezen@sil.org. Any contributions or suggestions are welcome.
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Tuesday, April 22, 2014
[MLE] A sad story from Nepal
Dear multilingual education friends,
Usually newspaper articles report on something new starting. This time Republic in Nepal reports on a failing project. The article Multilingual education fails to attract students in Jhapa points out that due to book supply challenges and resistance from the parents, several MLE classes have stopped. It would be interesting to investigate further what is going on there. If you know any background on this, please put your comments on the MLE-India blog just below this entry. A few quotes:
Usually newspaper articles report on something new starting. This time Republic in Nepal reports on a failing project. The article Multilingual education fails to attract students in Jhapa points out that due to book supply challenges and resistance from the parents, several MLE classes have stopped. It would be interesting to investigate further what is going on there. If you know any background on this, please put your comments on the MLE-India blog just below this entry. A few quotes:
In Jhapa district, more than three dozen schools had been conducting classes in around half a dozen local languages, including Rajbanshi, Limbu, and Santhal. However, many of these schools could not implement the mother-tongue based education after stakeholders criticized the use of local languages as the medium of instruction.It seems one of the problems was with the teachers:
Jhapa had introduced a provision of hiring teachers who knew local languages, but the plan faltered as teachers who could teach in local languages were not available.But is seems the main issue is:
“Parents want their children to learn English rather than their own mother tongues,”
Friday, March 28, 2014
[MLE] PAK moves to declaring mother tongues as national languages
Dear multilingual education friends,
There seem to be some significant moves in the language policies of our northern neighbour Pakistan. The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage earlier this months "declared major mother tongues as national languages and pledged not to allow 1linguiside' of rich mother tongues" A few quotes from the article NA panel for declaring mother tongues as national languages:
This one was new to me:
There seem to be some significant moves in the language policies of our northern neighbour Pakistan. The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage earlier this months "declared major mother tongues as national languages and pledged not to allow 1linguiside' of rich mother tongues" A few quotes from the article NA panel for declaring mother tongues as national languages:
This one was new to me:
Punjabi scholar Saeed Farani said many verses in the Holy Quran have emphasised the importance of mother tongue and all Sufi poetry was in local languages.With regards to MLE:
They urged the federal and provincial governments to take concrete steps for imparting education in mother tongues, as several regional languages were rapidly disappearing.On regional versus national:
The resolution acknowledged that all mother tongues of Pakistan belonged to the whole country, rather than just one particular area and that all mother tongues were rooted in Pakistan’s soil in entirety and thereby derived their national status.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
[MLE] New book - Orthographies
Dear Multilingual education friends,
Some of the tribal groups in need for education in their mother tongue do not yet have a proper orthography. A new books has come out that topic:
Some of the tribal groups in need for education in their mother tongue do not yet have a proper orthography. A new books has come out that topic:
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