• The Conference
  • Home
  • Programme
  • Venue & directions
  • Organizing Committee
  • Scientific Committee
  • Exhibitors & sponsors
  • Satellite events
  • Conference Party
• Past & future
  • Previous symposia
  • Finland 2014
  • Spain 2016
• About FU Berlin
  • University homepage
  • Humanities at FU

Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 840

Part of Session 146: Language at school in urban European settings (Other abstracts in this session)

Creating rich language environments for more than one language: a work in progress in Flemish preschools

Authors: Van Gorp, Koen; Moons, Caroline
Submitted by: Van Gorp, Koen (Centre for Language and Education, KU Leuven, Belgium)

Dutch language learners (DLLs) lag behind in school. The Flemish educational system doesn't seem to succeed in creating powerful language environments which ensure equal education. This failure puts pressure on the preschool system to take part in fighting the underachievement of DLLs. Preschools are pushed to provide rich language learning environments in which DLLs learn enough Dutch to make the transition to primary school without (too many) language arrears. However, no systematic preschool (language) programmes are offered to daycare centres. They therefore develop their own ‘methods’ and, as a result, tend to copy primary school practices.

The focus on Dutch language stimulation in preschool has brought up many language-related questions in caregivers: how do we best work with the multilingual repertoires of children, how do we stimulate the acquisition of Dutch, what is the impact of the home language on the acquisition of Dutch? Parents too have questions concerning the impact of the home language on children's Dutch language development.

Until recently, there was no consensus on any of these questions. As a result, contesting voices were heard and daycare centres carried out conflicting language policies. For instance, some centres opted for 'majority language use only' ('language bath') and ruled out the use of minority languages, considering low-status languages as an obstacle to later educational achievement. Other centres developed more pragmatic, context-sensitive practices, or began experimenting with a functional use of home languages.

In recent policy papers a clear position in favour of multilingual practices has been voiced by the most influential Flemish public ECEC organization: 'Kind en Gezin' (Verhelst et al., 2010); a voice which was publically endorsed by the Minster of Early Childhood Education and Care. 'Kind en Gezin' published a study in which professionals are adviced on how to create a rich language learning environment for Dutch as well as valorizing the home languages of the children.

These new policies are a starting point. Now caregivers need additional support to put policy into practice and to overcome their insecurities in working with multilingual children.

The Centre for Language and Education developed materials ('Tatertaal' /'Tattle Talk') as well as coachings to support caregivers in working with the multilingual reality in their daycare centres. ‘Tattle Talk’ was implemented in the province of Vlaams Brabant. Over 250 caregivers were trained in using the materials and were coached in creating a rich language environment that meets the needs of multilingual children (and parents).

This paper will discuss the changing discourses and practices in early educational settings in Flanders of the last five years. The findings are based on small scale qualitative studies concerning stakeholders' beliefs and observed actions in ECEC contexts in general and in the province of Vlaams Brabant in particular. The findings show that the majority of childcare centres in Flanders strive to create a powerful Dutch learning environment in which home languages other than Dutch are acknowledged and sometimes even used as a resource.