Linguapax
Conference "Early foreign language learning"
Policy, science and practice in the field of early foreign language learning were brought together at the conference "Early foreign language learning" on May 12, 2011 in Utrecht. Progression is certainly there! In the Netherlands there are more than 600 vvto (‘vroeg vreemdetalenonderwijs', early foreign language learning) primary schools. These schools teach children a foreign language from an early age. In 2003 there were only 40 vvto-schools. The prognosis is that internationalisation is increasing in the Dutch education systems. It won't be a matter of many years before the number of 1000 vvto-primary schools is reached.
Vvto-primary schools teach more than just the compulsory English course in grades 7 and 8. Even languages like German, French, Spanish, Frisian and English are offered from grade 1 (children aged 4 years). In Fryslân, more than 50 primary schools are trilingual, the languages Frisian, Dutch and English are taught from grade 1. All these schools are affiliated with the early foreign language learning network, a part of the European Platform, the center for internationalisation in Dutch primary schools, secondary schools and teacher training.
The central message of the speakers (Prof. Janet van Hell, Prof. Kees de Bot and Mrs. Evelyn Krikhaar) at the conference was: "Start early!" There are many advantages when children have the opportunity to acquire more languages at an early age. Some benefits to learn more languages from the early start are:
· Children communicate easier, faster and better with other people in this increasingly globalised world.
· Children have less shame than adults to learn a language other than their mother tongue.
· The pronunciation is better, there is less accented speaking.
· Grammar is better managed, there is also more change to develop better writing skills.
· There are vocabulary advantages, the meaning of a word can be determined better.
Guest speaker Mrs. Marja van Bijsterveldt, Minister of Education, Culture and Science received a note, the first copy of the standard vvto. In her speech, the Minister brought up an important advice of the Education Council, written in June 2008: "Start early with a foreign language, preferably in the lowest groups of primary school, so children will use a language at a good level."
Children can flourish their talents through good language input in the educational system in the Netherlands. Because, "language is the basis for a brilliant educational career." The Minister promotes the work of the vvto- network provided that the results of the study English at primary schools are positive. This research is called FLIPP (Foreign Languages in Primary school Project) conducted by the University of Groningen and Utrecht University. "If this study suggests that early language learning produced indeed a positive influence on the language performance of students in the broad - and therefore, indirectly from repeating the performance in other subjects - then there is a firmly based story to build further on the current early foreign language policy". In 2013, the results of the research are expected. The Minister indicated that there needs to be patient, but ambition must remain as it is said in English: "Good policy should not be built to go fast. It should be built to go far."
The pioneers of vvto will not wait, they continue to proclaim the value of multilingualism in education in the Netherlands. The continuous learning line between the primary and secondary education should be enhanced. And the quality of teachers and teacher training must be improved, by offering minors multilingualism and minors English. There is still much work to do for the pioneers to convince policymakers, school boards, parents and especially teachers of learning foreign languages at early ages.