[MLE] Using Same Language Subtitles to boost literacy ability

Dear MLE friends,

Subtitling a television programme resulting in significant  increase of literacy rates, sounds too nice to be true, but it seems to be happening:

"India’s public karaoke-for-literacy experiment is the only one of its kind in the world. Technically known as same-language subtitling, or SLS, it manages to reach 200 million viewers across 10 states every week. In the last nine years, functional literacy in areas with SLS access has more than doubled. And the subtitles have acted as a catalyst to quadruple the rate at which completely illiterate adults become proficient readers."

Even if the claim would be a bit optimistic, the article is worth reading. Combining mass entertainment with learning is very attractive. Of course this works in the first place for state languages, but also in some of the bigger unrecognised languages videos are produced and are very popular (Kumauni, Garhwali, etc). It would be very interesting to convince the movie makers to subtitle the videos in those respective languages and see if that would change the socio-linguistic dynamics and literacy factors.

As a Dutch I was also interested in the reference to Finland where English movies are NOT voiced over, but subtitled. That is how I grew up: the Flintstones and Garfield did not speak Dutch but English and we followed the story by reading the subtitles. This research suggests that such approach is actually a boost for fluency reading. I never realised that!

[MLE] Young Lives Project--long-term international research project

Dear MLE friends,

Long term impact is what really matters. However longitudinal  research is rare. The  Young Lives Project  is a long-term international research project"investigating the changing nature of childhood poverty". India has been chosen as one of their focus countries. The question is asked: "What does the future hold for the 2000 Young Lives index children born in the state of Andhra Pradesh?". As mother tongue is part of the data documented, this research is also relevant to language and education issues.

Some findings of the 2008 second round of survey in India http://www.younglives.org.uk/countries/india/index_html:

"We  found  that  household  and  community characteristics  greatly  influence  children’s  outcomes, particularly ethnicity, the rural-urban divide (which affects access to services among other things) and parents’  levels  of  education.  Household wealth  is  an  important  determinant  of  child  outcomes.Interestingly, maternal education has a stronger impact on nutrition,while the father’s education is a more important determinant of enrolment.   "

[MLE]: Pre-registration for International Conference on Language, Education and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 9-11 November

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Dear MLE friends,

Attached is more info about the registration for the the November Bangkok Conference on the millennium goals in relation to language and education. Some explanation is below.

[MLE] Professor Prasanna Sree has designed the script for 10 tribal languages

Dear MLE friends,

Ten more scripts in India! All designed by Professor Prasanna Sree, senior professor, Department of English, Andhra University. See newspaper item copied below or click this link: http://www.hindu.com/2010/07/24/stories/2010072456772000.htm

I am not sure it will be of real help and meeting a need, but it is for sure an interesting initiative. Unlike as in e.g. Europe in India script and language are strongly related. Many do not perceive their language as a proper "language" if it does not have a distinct script. However from a pedagogical viewpoint a separate script is a headage as for the learning children.  The transition from the local language to the language of wider communication will be hampered.

[MLE] October MLE course at Chiang Mai

Dear MLE friends,
 

Did I already inform you about the MLE certificate Course in October (11 October to 5 November) offered in Thailand?    I just got some updated information. See details below.

[MLE] Website launched of the Intl. Conference on Language, Education and MDGs, 9-11 Nov 2010, Bangkok THAILAND

Dear MLE friends,


Via this list you have heard before about the  Intl. Conference on Language, Education and MDGs, 9-11 Nov 2010, Bangkok THAILAND. There is now a good website with all needed information.

http://www.seameo.org/LanguageMDGConference2010

[MLE] Bangkok MLE WG Monthly Bulletin - June 2010

Dear MLE friends,

There is quite a bit happening regarding MLE in Asia and other countries. Attached is a newsletter from the Asia Multilingual Education Working Group with several enytries including a few from India. If you would like to receive regular updates directly from the Bangkok MLE WG, please write to rm.gesuden@unesco.org.