DOCUMENT RESUME ED 456 637 FL 026 828 AUTHOR Minguez, Maria Luisa Garcia; Baidak, Nathalie; Harvey, Angelika TITLE Foreign Language Teaching in Schools in Europe [and] Profile of...Foreign Language Teaching in Schools in Europe. INSTITUTION EURYDICE European Unit, Brussels (Belgium). SPONS AGENCY Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium). Directorate-General for Education and Culture. ISBN ISBN-2-87116-311-1; ISBN-2-87116-314-6 PUB DATE 2001-00-00 NOTE 568p.; Written with Teresa Longo. Paul Holdsworth, European Commission, DG Education and Culture (Chapter 6). Part of European Year of Languages 2001. AVAILABLE FROM EURYDICE European Unit, Rue d'Arlon 15, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. Tel: 32-02 2383011; Fax: 32-02 2306562; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.eurydice.org. PUB TYPE Books (010) Numerical/Quantitative Data (110) Reports Research (143) EDRS PRICE MF02/PC23 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Curriculum Development; Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Instructional Development; Language Attitudes; *Language Maintenance; Language Minorities; *Language Teachers; *National Programs; *Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Teacher Education; Teacher Recruitment; Uncommonly Taught Languages IDENTIFIERS Council of Europe (France); *Europe; European Union ABSTRACT This book is an appraisal of the teaching of foreign languages in the 29 European countries taking part in the Socrates program. It contains a detailed analysis of the way teaching is organized, the approaches and content of curricula, arrangements for the recruitment and training of teachers, and the initiatives developed within the education system to provide linguistic support to minority languages. It also provides historical perspective. The book is divided into an introduction and six chapters. The introduction includes a glossary and information on the background, scope, methodology, and structure of the study. Chapter titles include the following: "Language Support in a Multilingual Environment"; "Historical Background"; "Organisation of Teaching"; "Professional Qualifications and Training of Teachers"; "Foreign Language Curricula"; and "European Community Actions." There is also an annex, "National Summary Tables on Foreign Language Curricula." (Contains 33 references.)(KFT) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Foreign Language Teaching in Schools in Europe [and] Profile of...Foreign Language Teaching in Schools in Europe Maria Luisa Garcia Minguez, Nathalie Baidak, and Angelika Harvey U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. De Lel CIMinor changes have been made to improve reproduction quafity TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 2 BEST COPYAVAILABLE - Directorate-General for Education and Culture Foreign Language Teaching in Schools in Europe ottanguages eooi Zuropea0 ,o) "Mr European Commission 3 EURYDICE Eurydice Studies Foreign Language Teaching in Schools in Europe Eurydice The Information Network on Education in Europe 4 This document is published by the Eurydice Ebropean Unit with the financial support of the European Commission (Directorate-General for Education and Culture). Available in German (Der Fremdsprachenunterricht an den Schulen in Europa), English (Foreign Language Teaching in Schools in Europe) and French (L'enseignement des langues étrangères en milieu scolaire en Europe). D/2001/4008/1 ISBN 2-87116-311-1 This document is also available on the Internet (http://www.eurydice.org). Text completed in December 2000. Eurydice, 2001. The contents Of this publication may be reproduced in part, except for corrimercial purposes, provided that the extract is preceded by a complete reference to 'Eurydice, the information network on education in EurOpe', followed by the date of publication of the document. Requests for permission to reproduce the entire document must be made to the European Unit. Cover photograph: C) Photo: 2000 Stock Image, Benelux Press Bruxelles, Belgium. EURYDICE European Unit Rue d'Arlon 15 B-1050 Brussels Tel. (32-02) 238 30 11 Fax (32-02) 230 65 62 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.eurydice.org Printed in Belgium Preface PREFACE Following the lead given by the European Commission and the Council of Europe, 2001 has been declared the European Year of Languages. The year will be marked by an impressive series of events and initiatives which we hope will result in the increasingly active promotion of both foreign language teaching andthelinguisticdiversitycharacteristicofEurope.Indeed,the issue of languages is unquestionably at the heart of the development of a Europe synonymous with culture and citizenship. Furthermore, it has now been formally stated that the command of at least two foreign languages by the time young people complete school should be a cen- tral objective enabling all citizens to derive full benefit from their right to free movement and actively contribute to better mutual understanding among the peoples of Europe. From this standpoint, the comparative study carried out by Eurydice constitutes an original and excep- tionally rich appraisal of the teaching of foreign languages in the 29 countries taking part in the Socrates programme. It is both a timely and essential reference work on the subject, and I wish to express my warmest thanks to the Network for this vital contribution to improved mutual understand- ing between European countries on a topic attracting such strong common interest. This is, indeed, the most conpprehensive study on the teaching of foreign languages to have been completed hitherto at European level. It contains a detailed analysis of the way teaching in this area is organised, the approaches and content of curricula, arrangements for the training and recruitment of teachers and the ini- tiatives developed within education system to provide linguistic support to minority languages. The book is all the more valuable for placing in a historical perspective the many reforms carried, out in this area over a period of several decades. These changes bear witness to the steadily increasing importance attached by national poli- cies to the teaching of foreign languages. The account of actions undertaken at Community level since the launching of the Lingua programme is yet a further reminder of the Union's commitment in this field. The book thus provides a guide to the steadily increasing effort invested at all levels in the promotion of for- eign language learning. Special mention is made of the way in which pedagogical research is taken into account in approaches recommended in the curriculum, as well as the inclusion of languages among the com- pulsory subjects from the earliest years of primary school in many countries and the increased mobility of teach- ers towards countries speaking the language that they teach. However, further progress is still required to pre- vent the personal and professional development of each of us from being thwarted by linguistic barriers. In this respect, a few questions merit further consideration: what is required to ensure that the consis- tently strong preference among pupils for learning English, or even the status of English as the first com- pulsory foreign language, do not compromise preservation of the linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe? How is one to effectively overcome recurrent urgent problems relating to the recruitment of teachers skilled in languages? How can one be sure that recommended new teaching methods will really be put into practice in the classroom? These questions call for answers both in terms of the resources that should be earmarked for the in-service training of teachers and the adjustments 'that have to be made to the organisation of teaching as such. In this respect, Community action is essential. It is for this reason that the Commission will continue to encourage and support action by the Member States and ensure that the linguistic and cultural diver- sity of Europe remains one of its top priorities. Viviane Reding European Commissioner for Education and Culture January 2001 Contents CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 7 1. Background to the study 7 2. Scope of the study 8 3. Methodology 11 4. Structure of the study 12 Glossary 15 CHAPTER 1 LANGUAGE SUPPORT IN A MULTILINGUAL ENVIRONMENT 21 Introduction 21 1. The role of language in the education system of countries with several state languages 24 2. The role of minority/regional languages in European education systems 25 3. Language support for children of foreign mother tongue 36 4. Language support for speakers of non-territorial languages 44 CHAPTER 2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 47 Introduction 47 1. Overview of major reforms 47 2. Main scope of reforms from the 1970s to the present day 58 3. Diagrams illustrating the organisation of foreign language teaching in 1974 and 1984 75 CHAPTER 3 ORGANISATION OF TEACHING 81 Introduction 81 1. The place of foreign languages in education systems 81 2. Range of languages offered in compulsory education 94 3. Time allocated to foreign language teaching 100 4. Standards as to number of pupils in foreign language classes 104 5. Special