Inspiring language learning in the early years
Why it matters and what it looks like for children age 3-12

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Context

About the project

The project ‘Inspiring Language Learning – why it matters and what it looks like for children age 3 to 12’ (ILLEY) was established after the Think Tank held by the ECML in December 2016. ILLEY aims to support teachers and educators in preparing young children, age 3 to 12 years (‘the Early Years) to successfully face the challenges of a culturally and linguistically diverse world. Language learning in the early years has been promoted by the Council of Europe as a means of celebrating and making every young person aware of Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

The envisaged outcomes of the project are:

to make teachers and educators aware of their own linguistic repertoires and how these can be used to (further) develop linguistic competences;

to encourage teachers and educators to consider the linguistic potential to (further) develop their own communicative competences, whether they come from a largely monolingual or a plurilingual language learning context;
to support teachers and educators in fostering positive and welcoming attitudes towards language learning and linguistic and cultural diversity in their educational setting and beyond;

to provide teachers and educators from different countries and educational contexts with the opportunity to exchange ideas through the multi-levelled website resulting from this project;
to support teachers and educators in implementing a comprehensive and consistent approach to language learning by providing them with the tools appropriate to the specific context of their setting.

Aims of the project

The ‘Inspiring Language Learning and Teaching in the early years – why it matters and what it looks like for children age 3 to 12’ project was established after the Early Language Learning Think Tank which took place in December 2016. This Think Tank brought together language experts from ECML member states, other European Countries and from Canada. This Think Tank was preceded with an online questionnaire, which received 153 responses from 31 countries. The responses to the questionnaire allowed the key challenges and examples of good practice to be identified and be used as a basis for the discussion during the Think Tank itself.

The project aims to respond to the issues identified in the Think Tank through preparing teachers and other educators prepare young children to face successfully the challenges of a culturally and linguistically diverse world. It aims to do so through addressing the following elements:

· Promoting self-reflection for teachers and other educators. Teachers and educators will be encouraged to reflect on their attitudes and views on languages and cultures and how these influence teaching and learning in their particular context. This project will aim to highlight language education, which respects linguistic and cultural diversity by recognising, valuing and actively engaging of all pupils, teachers and educators involved in early language learning.

· Supporting teachers and educators in designing learning scenarios. Teachers and educators will be supported in designing learning scenarios in culturally diverse contexts by providing appropriate learning and teaching methods and materials based on existing resources (especially those produced by the ECML and inspiring practices from different member states). The emphasis of these materials will be on providing coherence and continuity to ‘build bridges’ between different levels of education and learning, from pre-primary to primary and beyond.

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Inspiring language learning in the early years

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Inspiring language learning in the early years
Why it matters and what it looks like for children age 3-12

Context

About the project

Inspiring language learning in the early years Why it matters and what it looks like for children age 3-12

Context

About the project

Inspiring language learning in the early years
Why it matters and what it looks like for children age 3-12