[MLE] Research report Cummins on integrated language curricullum

Dear multilingual education friends,

Are you interested in how to integrate different languages in a curriculum? Towards an Integrated Language Curriculum in Early Childhood and Primary Education (3-12 years) is a research report by Jim Cummins et al. in the context of Ireland. Four questions were researched:

1. How can the idea of an integrated language curriculum be defined?
2. What are the key principles of language learning and development which should underpin a language curriculum for children aged 3 to 12 years?
3. Where is the evidence for it in policy and practice? What are the expected outcomes by 8 years of age for children’s learning and development in the different language learning contexts described in the background to this research?
4. What kinds of structures are implied in an integrated curriculum for children’s language learning from 3 to 12 years, and how would these structures accommodate the different language learning contexts described in the background to the research?

Some practical examples of language curriculum integration are also attached in Appendix, which are from Alberta, Canada, Scotland, and Wales etc.

Celebrating two years of MLE India Blog plus the Mother Language Day

Happy International Mother Language Day!

Remembering the International Mother Language Day is a good excuse to also celebrate the two years existence of the MLE and India Web Blog. You have been of great support to make that site work well. Here are some of the statistics: 219 postings 8500 page views, 950 page views last month Most popular page: MLE Related Projects Most Popular Post of last year: "Linguistic imperialism alive and kicking" Viewed from India (1800) ,US (1900), Ukraine (600), Russia (500), China (400), UK (400), etc.

[MLE] UNICEF Jharkhand - MT Base Active Language Learning

Dear Multilingual Education friends,

M TALL (Mother Tongue Base Active Language Learning), an inter-university forum in Jharkhand, is doing very interesting activities such as

• socio-linguistic survey (findings being released within a couple of weeks),
  

• children’s bilingual picture dictionaries on 60 child-friendly themes printed in 9 tribal and regional languages,
  

• Bhasha Puliya (school language readiness package for pre-school centres)- to be piloted in 10% Anganwadis,
  

• School readiness package developed for primary level
  

M TALL involves all major language group experts, related NGOs, media, 5 government departments, teachers and children. Recently a team of DIET from Chhattisgarh appreciate these model and expressed to replicate this in their state as well. Binay Pattanayak, an UNICEF education specialist is behind all these activities.

[MLE] 4th International Conference on Language Education; 6-8 November 2013 in Bangkok

Dear multilingual Education friends,

Unesco Bangkok send out the below announcement. It looks like an exciting conference again. There is lots that can be shared from India so we hope many can attend.

Asia MLE WG is organizing 4^th International Conference on Language Education – Multilingual Education for ALL in Asia Pacific: Policies, practices and processes on 6-8 November 2013 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The conference brings together MLE partners to increase understanding of the importance of expanding access to effective MLE and strengthen momentum for MLE in Asia and the Pacific region. The conference will facilitate the exchange of effective practices and experiences, link MLE theory to practice and foster policy dialogue. The conference will serve as a platform for forward-looking debate and the shaping of effective education policies and programmes for the post-2015 agenda.

[MLE] Prof. Anvita Abbi received “Padma Shri” award

Dear MLE friends,

Prof. Anvita Abbi from JNU has been awarded the "Padma Shri" by the Government of India for her distinguished contribution on tribal and endangered languages in India. For the last ten years or so she has been working on documentation of Andaman Island languages whose last speakers passed away recently. For more details, click the following link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Dying-languages-saved-for-posterity/articleshow/18214075.cms

[MLE] A positive newspaper article on MLE pilot projects in Assam

Dear multilingual education friends,

In Assam some good pilots are going on and the press has found them. Last week the attached article appeared in a newspaper in Assam. Interestingly the article highlights that from the boy they feature his English has become better. It seems that is an important point for advocacy because it is English that the society values most. A quote:

"Kisun, however, is an exception. He is the only one in the family who attends an Adivasiya school and can read and write English"

"'Earlier when I was studying in the LP school in the village, I could not understand English or follow any of my lessons. However, after coming to Adivasiya school, I can read and write English to some extent. I have also learned my own language better now.'"

The article then continues to explain more about the school, the pilot project and the brother MLE efforts in the country and worldwide. See Article.

[MLE] Times of India: Writers pitch for mother tongue

Dear Multilingual Education friends,

A group of writers in Karnataka submitted a petition to the supreme court in favour of mother tongue medium education supporting the state government's rule on this regard

Are you interested in this in more detail, control click on the following: Times of India: Writers pitch for mother tongue

A quote from the petition: "Children can learn better in their mother tongue and it's the appropriate medium. Even Mahatma Gandhi had echoed the same view. Nobody has opposed English. English can be taught as one of the subjects at primary level.”