MTB-MLE Education Challenge

Studies around the world, including in Europe, have shown that MTB-MLE education increases school attendance as well as school performance. Parents can relate more to the schooling and participate in it because it begins in a language which they are also competent in. Students feel more valued when the language of instruction, to begin with, is one which they already know. They are able to succeed in the beginning parts of school, which leads to a positive experience in school and reinforces their willingness to attend. Using the children’s language also shows a respect for them and for their culture. It is an attitude towards the children which fosters mutual respect and care. Learning to read is a skill which can be transferred from one language to another. But it can be transferred better if the child has a firm foundation in learning to read. They can get this best in a language which they thoroughly understand. It is not difficult to begin by having teachers use the local language in preschool and other early grades. This might involve hiring teachers’ assistants who are fluent in the local language. But, again, this would probably increase school attendance. Increasing school attendance should increase school performance. It would require a shift in many people’s thinking—in school staff’s attitudes towards Roma and Romani, in the community’s attitude towards the complexity and validity of their own language. But the rewards would be worth it. Shall we try it for 2 years?

Ethnic/cultural identity club as afterschool activity utilizing Roma stories

In 2002, one Roma organization, Amalipe, in league with the Bulgarian Ministry

of Education and the Open Society Foundation—Sofia, introduced optional folklore

classes in 14 schools in Veliko Turnovo County. Teodora Krumova and Deyan

Kolev published a wonderful collection of folktales for teachers to use in the

special classes, Razkazi i Pamet [Stories and Memories]. Since then both authors,

in collaboration with Antoniya Kr’steva, have published two workbooks for Roma

children—Istorii krai ogonishcheto: Ychebno pomagalo za ychenitsi ot 2 do 4 klas

[Stories Around the Fire: A Textbook for 2–4 Class Students] and Razkazani

P’tisccha: Pomazalo za ychenitsi ot 5 do 8 klas [Told Roads/Paths: A Textbook

for 5–8 Class Students]. This program was so successful that the government

decided to use it in other parts of central Bulgaria in 2003

Interesting article

Roma in Serbia: Introducing Romany Language and Culture ...

www.minorityrights.org/download.php@id=86

language, culture and communities. Nevertheless, many of the issues in this study are common to the education of. Roma throughout Europe and the lessons ...

Good Start--Prepare Roma Children for School

European Union program to prepare Roma children for school. For more information:

http://www.romaeducationfund.hu/good-start-eu-roma-pilot

http://www.romaeducationfund.hu/sites/default/files/documents/a_good_start_booklet.2001.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjbYRZOZuQw

Does anyone have experience with this program?

Do you agree?

Formal schooling often appears particularly foreign and irrelevant to Romany. Empowering the community to participate in education, and building on ways the community already educates such as observation, listening, elderly community members, communicating in one’s first language, will enhance schooling and increase overall educational levels.

Reactions?

Multilingual Education

LEAD (Language, Education, and Development) offers an online course about Multilingual Education.

Course Outline

Section 1: The purpose of education
Module 1.1 - Why does education matter?
Module 1.2 - Defining ‘education’
Module 1.3 - How does context influence education?
Section 2:  Being adaptable to changing contexts: sociolinguistic issues and the adaptability of multilingual education
Module 2.1 - How the use of language changes
Module 2.2 - Cultural and ethnic identity in times of rapid change
Module 2.3 - The ‘added value’ of community-based learning
Module 2.4 - Adapting formal education opportunities to fit the needs of your community
Section 3:  The truth about mother tongue-based multilingual education
Module 3.1 - Foundations of MTB-MLE
Module 3.2 - Debates around MTB-MLE
Module 3.3 - Benefits of MTB-MLE
Module 3.4 - How MTB-based learning benefits extend beyond the classroom

For more information, go to:  leadcommunity.ning.