COUNTRY REPORT SLOVENIA Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Slovenia Language Education Policy Profile December 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 5 SECTION 1 - General Information....................................................................................... 8 1. Ethnic Specifics............................................................................................................ 8 1.1. Majority of the Population, Authotonous Minorities and Other Ethnic Communities ....................................................................................................... 8 1.2. Languages and Cultures ...................................................................................... 9 1.3. Ethnic Specifics in Education ............................................................................. 9 2. Position and Type of Languages in Slovenia............................................................. 10 2.1. Terminological Definitions ............................................................................... 10 2.2. First Languages ................................................................................................. 11 2.2.1. Slovene .................................................................................................. 11 2.2.1.1. Legal Framework ................................................................ 11 2.2.1.2. Historical Framework:......................................................... 12 2.2.1.3. Slovene Linguistic Educational Policy with Reference to Slovene as a First Language................................................ 13 2.2.1.4. Teaching of Slovene and teaching in Slovene outside the Republic of Slovenia ........................................................... 14 2.2.1.5. Relationship between Slovene Literary Language and Colloquial Forms of Slovene............................................... 15 2.2.1.6. Slovene Language and Higher Education ........................... 16 2.2.1.7. Slovene Language and Teacher Education ......................... 17 2.2.1.8. Sources of Information Regarding Slovene Literary Language and Linguistic Self-Help..................................... 18 2.2.2. Italian..................................................................................................... 19 2.2.3. Hungarian .............................................................................................. 20 2.2.4. Sign Language....................................................................................... 21 2.2.4.1. Legal Basis .......................................................................... 21 2.2.4.2. Linguistic Norm .................................................................. 22 2.2.4.3. Education of Children and Adolescents .............................. 23 2.2.4.4. Training of Sign Language Interpreters .............................. 23 2.2.5. Romani language................................................................................... 23 2.2.5.1. Legal Bases.......................................................................... 23 2.2.5.2. Description of education conditions ................................... 24 2.2.5.3. Strategy for the Education of Roma in the Republic of Slovenia .............................................................................. 25 2.3. Second Languages............................................................................................. 26 2.3.1. Slovene Language Policy in the field of Slovene as the Second Language ............................................................................................... 26 2.3.2. Italian as the Second Language............................................................. 29 2.3.3. Hungarian as the language of the environment/as a second language .. 30 3. The structure of the education system in Slovenia (2001/02).................................... 30 i 3.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 30 3.2. The categories of the education system in Slovenia are:................................... 31 3.2.1. Pre-school Education............................................................................. 31 3.2.2. Compulsory Education.......................................................................... 31 3.2.3. Upper- secondary General Education ................................................... 32 3.2.4. Vocational Education and Training....................................................... 33 3.2.5. Higher Education................................................................................... 34 3.2.6. Education of children with special needs.............................................. 35 SECTION 2 - Diversification of language education and plurilingualism ........................ 35 1. Ethnic Specifics of Education in Slovenia ................................................................. 35 1.1. Legal Framework for Education in Schools of Nationally Mixed Regions...... 36 1.2. Educational Models in Nationally Mixed Regions: .......................................... 37 1.2.1. The Philosophy of Educational Models in Nationally Mixed Regions. 37 1.2.2. Adaptations of School Programs in Nationally Mixed Regions ........... 39 1.2.3. Elective subjects.................................................................................... 41 1.3. Characteristic Methods of Bilingual Teaching in Prekmurje............................ 42 1.3.1. Kindergarten.......................................................................................... 42 1.3.2. Elementary School ................................................................................ 43 1.3.3. High-School and Secondary Vocational Education .............................. 46 1.3.4. Higher Education................................................................................... 47 1.3.5. Textbooks in a Bilingual School ........................................................... 47 1.3.6. Problems and Standpoints ..................................................................... 47 2. Foreign Languages in the Education System in Slovenia.......................................... 48 2.1. General data....................................................................................................... 48 2.1.1. Some statistical data from 2001/2002: .................................................. 49 2.1.2. Competences and responsibilities for the development and implementation of the education system in Slovenia............................ 49 2.1.3. The aims, goals and objectives of education......................................... 50 3. Towards plurilingualism in Slovenia ......................................................................... 51 3.1. Historical background of foreign language teaching and learning in Slovenia 51 3.1.1. The main reforms after 1945................................................................. 52 3.1.2. Changes in the methodological approaches proposed by the programmes 54 3.1.2.1. Changes in the selection of a foreign language................... 54 3.1.2.2. Changes in teaching methods.............................................. 54 3.1.2.3. Changes in the use of textbooks.......................................... 54 3.2. Opening doors to the Council of Europe........................................................... 54 3.3. Other landmarks ................................................................................................ 54 3.4. Pilot projects...................................................................................................... 55 4. Languages in Pre-university Education...................................................................... 56 4.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 56 4.2. Range and choice of languages, Starting age, length of study, hours per week 56 ii 3.2.1. Basic Education..................................................................................... 56 4.2.2. (Upper) secondary education ................................................................ 57 4.2.3. Curricula & syllabi ................................................................................ 58 4.2.4. Examinations and qualifications ........................................................... 58 4.2.4.1. Basic education.................................................................... 58 4.2.4.2. (Upper) Secondary Education ............................................. 58 4.2.5. Main course materials for teaching and learning FL............................. 59 4.3. Teacher training................................................................................................. 60 4.3.1. Pre-service teacher training................................................................... 60 4.3.2. Teacher training for the primary: English, German, and Italian language teaching in the second triennium of primary school ............................. 62 4.3.3. In-service teacher training..................................................................... 63 4.4. Faculty of Arts for translating and interpreting................................................. 64 5. Language Learning in the Undergraduate University Sector..................................... 65 6. Adult Language Education......................................................................................... 69 6.1. Publicly Recognised Language Programs:.......................................................