Multilingual Practices
Multilingual practices in Greece and beyond were emphasised. Thousands of children in Greece are non-native speakers. They use another language at home.
As Roula Tsokalidou said 10% of the student population is non-Greek. There are about 140,000 immigrant and repatriated students in our schools (72% Albanians).
We have 13 Primary, 9 High and 4 Senior High Intercultural Schools. Millions of people in European countries use two or three languages at home to communicate with different family members.
Prof. Lucilla Lopriore used statistics from her home country –Italy. She said that 54% of primary school pupils in Northern Italy have another mother tongue. The majority speaks Chinese.
Cor van der Meer used Frisian as an example. Frisian is a language spoken by about 90,000 people in the Netherlands. Education in this area is delivered in two languages: Frisian and Dutch.
English is the third language children learn. Cor named some other countries in Europe where bilingual or trilingual education takes place; Catalan and Spanish in Catalonia;
French, Wallon and German in Belgium; Basque and Spanish in the Basque Region; Welsh and English in Wales; Irish and English in Ireland etc.
Teacher Training
The teacher has a central role as he/she is likely to be the main source of input in the target language.
He/she is also bringing an intercultural dimension to the learners, helping them learn about languages i.e. developing language awareness, as well as developing strategies for language learning which will help in later life.
The teacher also has to be able to understand the needs and capabilities of the young learners including the stage of mother tongue language development they have reached.
So teacher training was a big issue. Teachers argued that they had no experience in teaching very young children. The PEAP team organised face-to-face seminars in Athens and Thessaloniki and ELT State School Advisors were commissioned to train teachers in their areas.
For the teachers who worked in remote areas and small islands technology was used and more specifically applications for distance learning.
Climate change
Gradually the climate changed. More and more teachers who, for years, used the ‘course book and grammar approach’ to teach, found out that there are other teaching methods - more innovative and constructive, more goal-oriented, more enjoyable.
That it is possible to teach effectively without using any printed material. That language learning and acquisition may occur naturally without drilling and reciting grammar rules.
Data and feedback
Questionnaires were designed, distributed, collected and analysed. Even parents’ views were taken into account -the PEAP’s website has a special corner for parents. The feedback was positive and this encouraged the working group to proceed.
Development of Books
Printed material for 2nd graders was also a requirement for the implementation of the programme. The ‘Magic Book’ was developed by an authoring group, led by Assoc. Prof. Marina Mathaioudaki and Lecturer Dr Thomai Alexiou of the Aristotle University.
Children are introduced to reading and writing through stories and familiar children’s characters. Scores of teachers submitted content material which was evaluated, drafted and redrafted to match pre-set criteria.
The book follows the eclectic approach, and, among other innovations, incorporates drama and the arts and has cross curricular links.
