Asia Multilingual Education Working Group (MLE WG)

Kyungah Kristy Bang

4th International Language and Education Conference Bangkok, 6-8 November, 2013

MLE Networks in the World

• Bangkok-based Asia Multilingual Education Working Group (MLE WG)

• Washington DC-based MTB-MLE Network • London-based MLE Working Group • Nairobi-based MLE Network of Kenya • Kampala-based the Uganda MLE Network • Addis Ababa-based MLE Network of Ethiopia • Manila based-MTB MLE Philippines • New Delhi-based MLE Network in India ▫ National Multilingual Education Resource Consortium

Asia Multilingual Education Working Group (MLE WG)

• Began meeting in 2003

• Established in October 2009 under the umbrella of the Regional Thematic Working Group on EFA (TWG-EFA)

• Purpose: Identifying the major needs in nurturing a multilingual education movement and coordinating human and financial resources to help meet those needs.

• Goal: Remove barriers of access to quality education for ethnolinguistic communities through support to multilingual education and related policy advocacy.

Founding members:

AsiaMLE WG

Major Activities of Asia MLE WG • MLE Conferences • MLE Mapping Exercise • MLE Assessment Framework • MLE Publications • MLE e-Newsletters

MLE Conferences • International MLE Conference ▫ 1st conference on Language Development, Language Revitalization and

Multilingual Education in Minority Communities in Asia, 2003 (http://www.sil.org/asia/ldc/)

▫ 2nd International conference on language development, language revitalization and multilingual education in ethnolinguistic communities, 2008 (http://www.seameo.org/_ld2008/)

▫ 3rd International conference on language, education and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 2010 (http://www.seameo.org/LanguageMDGConference2010/)

▫ 4th International conference on language and education: Multilingual Education for All – Polices, Practices, Processes, 2013 (http://www.lc.mahidol.ac.th/mleconf2013/about.htm)

International Conference on Language, Education and MDGs, 2010

• November 9-11, 2010 • Bangkok • Over 400 participants from

30 different countries • Highlight the linkage between

language and achieving the MDGs & EFA

• 4 Themes: ▫ Language and Universal Primary

Education ▫ Language and Gender Equality ▫ Language, Health, Nutrition, and

Protection ▫ Language and Sustainable

Development

International Conference on Language and Education: Multilingual Education for All in Asia and the Pacific 2013

• November 6-8, 2013 • Bangkok • Highlight MLE policies,

practices and processes in Asia and the Pacific region

• 4 Themes: ▫ MLE Theories ▫ MLE Policies ▫ MLE Practices ▫ Impact of MLE

Regional MLE Mapping Exercise • To analyze the current situation of classroom

language use in the Asia-Pacific region

• To document key actors and activities shaping the regional context in terms of language of instruction and multilingual education, particularly in ethnolinguistic minority communities

Mapping Questionnaire

Regional MLE Mapping Exercise

• Mapping questionnaires were sent out for the first time in early 2010

• AP region, excluding Central Asia

• Received 40+ responses from 20 countries

List of countries • Afghanistan • Bangladesh • Bhutan • Brunei Darussalam • Cambodia • China • Fiji • India • Indonesia • Kiribati

• Lao PDR • Malaysia • Nepal • Pakistan • Philippines • Solomon Islands • Thailand • Timor-Leste • Vanuatu • Vietnam

Regional MLE Mapping Exercise

MLE Mapping Data (http://www.unescobkk.org/education/multilingual-education/mle-mapping-data)

MLE Assessment Framework • Determine common metrics to monitor, evaluate, and report

on the impact of multilingual education (MLE) programs on improving educational attainment of ethnolinguistic communities. ▫ The development of this framework should be coordinated

and incorporated with existing reporting processes tracking progress on EFA/MDGs.

▫ It should also provide a vehicle for comparative assessment of various models and approaches to MLE in order to fuel innovation, accountability, and good practice across agencies and contexts.

MLE Publications

MLE Advocacy Toolkits and DVD in regional languages

MLE e-Newsletters • Quarterly e-newsletter for

MLE WG members • First Issue in March 2011 • Initial # of subscribers:

150 individuals • Current # of subscribers:

508 individuals • Latest issue:

Issue 11 – 1 October 2013 • http://www.unescobkk.org/education/m

ultilingual-education/resources/mle-e-newsletter/

Future Roles of MLE WG • Asia-Pacific MLE WG • Foster enhanced knowledge

of multilingual education • Promote positive policies

and practices on multilingual education

• Strengthen networks and partnerships

• http://www.asiapacificmle.net

Thank you!

k.bang@unesco.org http://www.unescobkk.org/education/multilingual-education

© Sirisak-Chaiyasook