“Bridging” in MLE: What does it mean? What is

involved?

Seminar on Multilingual EducationKabul, 13-18 March 2010

Susan Malone, Ph.D

Purposes of a strong education program for minority language communities

• Learners will build a strong educational foundation in their first language (L1);

• They will learn one or more additional languages; and

• They will use both / all languages for life-long learning

Difference between learning in a language you already know and in a language that you do not know

Essential components of language education in any language

Listening

Speaking

Reading

Writing

Focus on accuracy,

correctness

Focus on meaning,

communicationListen to understand, apply, analyze, critique,

Speak with understanding, to communicate thoughts, ideasRead to understand, apply, and gain new knowledgeWrite creatively, to communicate thoughts and feelings

Recognize and distinguish sounds, recognize parts of words; follow directionsUse correct grammar and pronunciation

Decode texts by recognizing parts

Form letters properly and neatly; spell words correctly

Good programs emphasize meaningful learning and on accuracy.

Everyday Language School language

• Understand and talk about everyday topics with family and friends

• Understand and talk about things we can see, hear, smell, taste and touch; our experiences

• Understand and talk about abstract concepts (ex: math, science)

• Analyze and evaluate new ideas and information, create new knowledge

Good programs help children develop “everyday” language and “school” language

Good programs use both L1 and L2 to help students build higher level thinking skills

Create

Able to use what has been learned

to create new

ideas, new

knowledge

Evaluate

Able to assess what was

taught

Analyze

Able to see

patterns, compare

and contrast

Apply

Able to use what

was taught

Understand

Able to explain what was

taught

Know

Able to recall what was

taught

Remember what we said earlier about learning languages?

1)It takes children about 12 years to gain the level of fluency in their L1 that they need to continue developing that language for the rest of their lives;

2) It takes them about 2 years to gain the level of fluency in the L2 that will enable them to use it for ‘everyday’ communication; and…

3) It takes them 5-7 years to develop the level of fluency in L2 that will enable them to use it to learn abstract concepts.

Build oral L1

Begin literacy in L1Continue oral L1

Introduce L2 literacy Continue oral and written L1, oral L2

Continue oral and written L1 and L2, for daily communication and for learning academic content

Phases of a strong MLE

program: the “BRIDGE”

Introduce Oral L2Continue oral and written L1

Regarding building a strong foundation in the L1…

•Teach the L1 as a subject through primary school

•Use the L1 as language of instruction in early grades and use it with the L2 in later grades

•Relate new learning to the knowledge and experience that students bring from their home communities;

Review of some things teachers can do to help children build a strong foundation in their L1

Teach traditional L1 songs, and then encourage children talk about the meaning

of the songs

Photo: Eunice Tan

Ask questions that encourage children to use L1 for a variety of purposes (describe,

explain, analyze, create new stories)

Photo: Heidi Cobbey

Read L1 stories together, model good reading

Photo: Heidi Cobbey

Encourage creativity in art…

Encourage children to create their own their stories and praise them for

their work.

Photo: Heidi Cobbey

Celebrate children’s creative writing efforts by putting them on display.

Photo: Dennis Malone

Provide opportunities for children to practice using the language correctly: spelling …

Photo: Heidi Cobbey

…and handwriting

Photo: Pamela MacKenzie

Encourage them to have fun

experimenting with the L1

in word games

Photo: Rebecca Wallin

Regarding the good bridge to the L2…

First the children listen to L2 directions and respond with actions

The best language learning methods … do not force learners to speak in the L2 right away but allow them to speak when they are ready. These methods recognize that students will learn the L2 better when communication is meaningful, and not from forcing and correcting speech (adapted from Krashan, 2001).

Give directions in L2, children respond in action

Photo: Heidi Cobbey

Give simple L2 commands; children listen and respond

Tell short L2 stories and have children act them out

Photo: Dennis Malone

Then, when they are ready, they begin speaking in L2.

Additional research finds that talking about meaningful topics, along with meaningful listening, helps students become aware of the structure of the language and helps them become more competent in its use (adapted from Cummins, 2001).

Use Big Pictures to generate talking in L2 (and in L1!)

Photo: Mahidol University

Ask questions in

L2, encourage children to respond in

that language

(translating as

necessary)

Photo: Heidi Cobbey

Then they use their knowledge of reading and writing in L1 and their knowledge of oral L2 to begin reading and writing L2

Children's knowledge and skills transfer across languages from the mother tongue…to the school language (Jim Cummins, 2000)

Provide time for them to read story books alone or with a partner

Photo: Dennis Malone

Photo: Susan Malone

Encourage them to write their own L2 stories

Photo: Dennis Malone

Provide time for them to talk about what they have learned in small groups

Photo: Susan Malone

As they gain fluency…

encourage them to share their written texts with others

Photo: Dennis Malone

Use L1 and L2 as languages of Use L1 and L2 as languages of instruction through primary school to instruction through primary school to achieve success in all their subjectsachieve success in all their subjects

Photo: Dennis Malone

The result?

Here is what a principal in China said about his students (8-year multilingual education program: Dong + Mandarin + English):

“Miaolan primary school has researched the children and parents involved in the [MLE] project. We have found that those children who first studied Dong and then studied Mandarin Chinese are superior in every respect to those who never studied Dong. Those who have studied Dong are more independent and have more initiative with respect to study and to life in general” (Principal of Miaolan Primary School, Miaolan, Rongjiang County, China, 20 March 2005, translated from Chinese by D. N. Geary. Personal communication.)

Questions for groups:

• How well do most ethnic minority children understand the school language when they begin their education

• What actions are needed so that Afghanistan’s non-dominant languages can be used in school?

• Who are the people / organizations that can take the necessary actions?