The Basque Country: From Mono to Bi & Multilingualism

The Basque Country: From Mono to Bi & Multilingualism

Lui García GurrutxagaDirector for Educational InnovationBasque Government

J aun-andere agurgarriak, ongietorriak

Fàilte Good morning and welcome to

the Basque Autonomous Community

Basque Autonomous Community Basque Autonomous Community

Area Population Pop density Offi cial lang Capitals

7,234 km2

2,104,060 (5.4% of the total of Spanish population) 287 inhabitants per km2 Basque and Spanish Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Donostia-San Sebastián

A bit of History A bit of History

• Franco’s dictatorship ends in 1975

• Spanish Constitution is approved by referendum in December 1978

• Basque Autonomy approved by referendum in 1979

Bilingualism in LawBilingualism in Law

• Law governing the Normalisation of the use of Basque (1982)

“All citizens of the BAC have the right to know and use both official languages, Basque and Spanish”

• Law governing Basque Public Schools (1993)

“Basque and Spanish must be included in education programmes carried out in Basque public schools, so as to achieve genuine competence in both languages, so that they can be used at the very least as languages for ordinary use and relationships.”

The Three Linguistic ModelsThe Three Linguistic Models

SPANISH

BASQUEENGLISH

SPANISH

BASQUE

ENGLISH

BASQUE

ENGLISH SPANISH

A

D

B

The Three Linguistic ModelsThe Three Linguistic Models

Distribution of students in the different linguistic models.

Preschool, primary,secondary and vocational training.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Gipuzkoa Bizkaia Araba Total BAC

A

B

D

Total of 112, 524 students

Total of 174,659 students

Total of 49,667 students

Total of 336,850 students

Source:

The IRALE ProgramThe IRALE Program

30 years ago, only 5% of the teaching staff was able to teach in Basque. Now, 85% teach in Basque in either of the linguistic models.

Level 277%

Level 18%

Level 018%

The IRALE ProgramThe IRALE Program

Level 1 (PL1)

This linguistic level guarantees the use of Basque as a tool for communication and interrelation in the school community.

Teachers with PL1 don’t teach in Basque.

It corresponds roughly to B1/B2 in the European Common Framework for Languages

The IRALE ProgramThe IRALE Program

Level 2 (PL2)

It guarantees the use of Basque as a means of instruction.

Teachers have to prove they have this level in order to be able to teach different subjects in Basque .

It corresponds to the C1 in the European Common Framework for Languages.

The IRALE ProgramThe IRALE Program

The Program provides:

• Courses according to linguistic level:PL 1, PL2, update courses.

•Courses are held in school working hours, so while teachers are learning Basque, schools are provided with substitute teachers.

•Teachers are fully paid while in the IRALE program.

MULTILINGUAL EDUCATIONMULTILINGUAL EDUCATION

3RD LANGUAGE THROUGH CONTENT: CLIL1999-2009

Early start to English:

Dip, Dip, Dip(European Quality Seal 2005)

INEBI

English Through Content in Primary

BHINEBI

English Through Content in Secondary

MULTILINGUAL EXPERIENCE

Subjects in English & French in Secondary Education

IN SERVICE TRAININGIN SERVICE TRAININGhttp://www.hezkuntza.ejgv.euskadi.net

GARATU: In service training plan.

Offers courses organised according to:

Priority Areas of the Department

Education Levels

Different subject areas

Special needs detected

IN SERVICE TRAININGIN SERVICE TRAINING

http://berritzeguneak.net

Berritzeguneak: Centres Educational Innovation and Training.

Help teachers and schools to:

Implement the priority areas of the Department

Training in specific areas of the curriculum.

Materials and resources

Guidance and support for special needs students.

Challenges aheadChallenges ahead

• Immigration- Schemes for integration in the school system languagewise

• English as a means of instruction: - Trilingual scheme: an experimental program in wich not

only Basque and Spanish but also English will be used as a teaching and learning language.