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| Slovakian Romani Primer; photo from website |
Available primers/reading curriculae
In Germany, a primer (i liil an maro rakepen, 2007, with a teacher's guide written in
German) is being used to teach regular classes in a few schools, for Sinti children. The
primer was adapted by Ursula Peter from a primer that was written for Roma
children and adults in Romania by Georghe Sarau and Camelia Stanescu (Manual de
alfabetizare in limba rromani pentru copii, tineri si adulti). The Romanian
primer was prepared in a 'standardized' form of Romani, which is not spoken by any particular group, but it is being used in schools
in Romania to teach Roma children in the regular school system.
Another primer is available: Sirpustik amare chibaqiri, A basic primer of Romani by Marcel Kurtiàde, with illustrations by Ferdinand Koçi. It has a Teacher's manual available in Albania, English, French, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, and Spanish. There is an address in France where you can order this. I am not sure which dialect/language this is exactly and where it is spoken. (the website lists the following dialects/languages: Kalderash, Lovari, Ursari, Baltic, Servy, Sinti, Balkan, Pan Rromani.)
Mirri chib, i rromani, by Paula Mailat, Olga Mărcuș, Mirena
Cionca. Târgu Mureș, Romania, 2001, ISBN 973-99850-1-7. Primer using the
standard (Courtiade) orthography.
Amari śib,
ed. by Lambert Scherp. Skriptor AB and The National Swedish Board of Education,
Stockholm 1979, ISBN 91-7282-150 7. Transition primer for Lovari using the
academic alphabet.
Abecedar. Sirpustik amare chibaquiri, by Ionel Ion and
Mariana Costin. Fundația "Phoenix", Cluj, Romania, 2000, ISBN
973-96492-6-2. Trilingual primer (Romani, Romanian, Hungarian) using the
standard (Courtiade) orthography.
Cigány-magyar képes olvasókönyv. Te sityovas romanes! by
Karsai, Ervin and Rostás-Farkas, György, Gondolat, Hungary, 1990, ISBN
963-282-414-8. Bilingual primer (Romani and Hungarian) for Lovari, using an
orthography with no diacritics.
Slovakian Primer
Slovenia
Slovakian Primer
There is a primer from Slovakia that has words for each letter, first in Slovakian, then in Romani. The pictures are the same, so the Romani words often start with a different letter to what’s at the top of the page.
SIL Personnel
Sari Gardner (in Romania) is working on literacy part time, including a Gabor Romani primer and literacy games.
david-sari_gardner@sil.org
Slovenia
There are trilingual (Slovenian and 2 Romani dialects) materials available from Slovenia: http://www.khetanes.si/sl-si/produkti/ucna-gradiva. There are 3 picture dictionaries and quite a few children’s books.
Swedish Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education in Sweden has developed materials for minorities, including different Roma groups: Kalo (from Finland), Arli (from Balkans), Polish Roma, Lovari, Kelderash and Svensk (from Denmark?). There are language learning books that seem to be aimed at children who might not speak the language fluently, collections of texts, an Arli grammar and different leaflets with information for parents about education options.
Christian Missions/NGO's
There are quite a number of Christian NGO's and missions
from Western European countries who are involved in helping Roma children with
education. Many have kindergarten projects or projects for helping Roma
children with homework or extra work so that they can better function in the
regular schools. Examples: http://www.osce.org/kosovo/57517 or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKmokWIdfx0
However, I have not yet come across any that teach Roma
children by using the Romani language as language of education. Roma parents usually want their children to be taught in the national language so that they can have
better chances at continued education and employment. One exception to this is
a school in Pécs, Hungary, the Ghandi School, which you can read about on
romanibible.org, under 'schools'.
UNA Club
The Roma Bible Union works with Bayash Roma in Croatia,
Serbia and Hungary. The UNA Club is a Roma Children's Bible and Literacy
movement designed to take the Gospel of Jesus into Roma villages. http://www.unaclub.com/
Council of Europe:
'The key to a better future lies in the education of Roma children'.
The Council of Europe has a comprehensive approach to Roma
and Traveller issues. It stresses the importance of maintaining linguistic and
cultural diversity, and encourages language learning as a means of preserving
linguistic and cultural identity, improving communication and mutual
understanding, and combating intolerance and xenophobia. The Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) was developed by the Language
Policy Division of the Council of Europe to provide a common basis for all
languages in regard to curriculum guidelines, examinations, textbooks etc.
across Europe.
As part of this, the Curriculum Framework for
Romani was developed. It takes account of the needs of three age groups:
3–6 years, 7–10 years, 11–14 years; and it is designed to accommodate three
different sociolinguistic situations: the teaching of Romani to
(i) children
who do not speak Romani at home,
(ii) children who are not fluent in Romani,
though they may hear their parents and grandparents speak the language, and
(iii) children who are fluent in Romani but who need to develop their skill in
using the language as an instrument of formal learning (Romani as language of
education).
The Framework also takes account of a significant difference
between the learning of Romani by Roma children and the learning of foreign
languages in general education. In the latter case a new language draws the
learner into a new culture, whereas the teaching of Romani aims to give
learners linguistic access to a
culture that is already familiar to them and in this way to deepen their sense
of their Roma identity.
For more information, see http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Romani_doc_EN.asp The
document Curriculum Framework for Romani 2008 can be downloaded on this page in
English as well as Kalderash or Usary.
European Language Portfolio (ELP)
The European Union has come up with a way to acknowledge and
support the teaching of minority languages, including Romani, and encourage
plurilingualism, by developing the European Language Portfolio. This is an
'instrument which promotes and supports the learning of languages and the
exchange of intercultural experiences at all levels.' See: http://elp.ecml.at/UsingtheELP/Understandingtheportfolio/tabid/2745/language/en-GB/Default.aspx
The Romani ELP, is a tool to to help bilingual speakers of
Romani to keep a record and portfolio of their knowledge of the Romani
language. A pdf of the Romani ELP is
found here: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Source/Rom_LowerSecELP08_EN.pdf
Davar, a curriculum being developed for Roma children or
adults wanting to learn
Purpose: Offer a 'bridge to literacy' by providing a
curriculum consisting of activities or games that teach, and offer practice in,
necessary skills for learning to read, write, and do math. Attract students to
the learning process through these activities and help them discover that
academic learning is easier and more fun than they (might have) previously
thought or experienced.
Rationale: It is a good and well-known didactic principle
to use the known to explain the unknown. When teachers use the languages and
ways of learning that students already know in order to teach them new things,
students will feel respected, as well as able and motivated to learn. This will
create the positive learning environment needed to be able to acquire new
skills and learn new concepts.
Even when past the age of preschool and early school
years, people can still learn to read and write. Some things should be taught
first in order to develop the needed skills; practice is needed to develop the
sequential part of the brain necessary to be able to easily learn school
subjects.
The program
is simple and fun to do. It can be done with few, readily found materials.
Since students succeed in participating in the activities, it is also affirming
for them. Every session lasts about fifteen minutes. This may be part of an
after-school club, Sunday school, Bible club, or other regular meeting.
Students should meet at least once a week.
The activities are available in English, Dutch, and Romanian and will need to be adapted/translated to the language spoken where they will be used.
The activities are available in English, Dutch, and Romanian and will need to be adapted/translated to the language spoken where they will be used.
Contact
persons: Mary van
Rheenen (holmes@cbf.net) or Marianne Fast (marianne_fast@sil.org) Write to ask for an introductory package or more information.
This list is to be added to; please advise if you know of other resources not listed here.
Marianne
Fast, 12 November 2013
Updated: Sari Gardner, 13 Sept
2018
