Together with the Basque Autonomous Community the Mercator Research Centre of the Fryske Akademy organised the sixth European Expert Seminar "Social Media and Lesser Used Languages" (28-30 November 2012, Ljouwert/Leeuwarden, Belgium).
 

The event focused in particular on topics such as Social media in a multilingual context, Social media and language identity, Chances or risks of social media for lesser used languages, Opportunities and challenges of social media for language learning, and the Use of social media in the multilingual classroom.

The event provided an opportunity to exchange research results ; to discuss the role of social media in lesser used languages, insights on the pros and cons, the opportunities and the challenges of the use of social media in and for lesser used language ; and highlighted how social media can contribute in various ways to sustaining and promoting lesser used languages, inside and outside the classroom and for all ages.

Explanatory Report (English version on the Mercator website)

Latest work of the European Centre for Modern Languages in the field of regional/minority languages

Programme of activities 2012-2015 “Learning through languages: Promoting inclusive, plurilingual and intercultural education”: Project “Language descriptors for migrant and minority learners' success in compulsory education” (Language descriptors) (2012-2013)
The project will focus on the language competence required in the language of schooling in order to achieve educational success. Eliciting language requirements in curriculum subjects and linking these to CEFR levels will raise educators’ awareness of the language migrant and minority language learners’ need to perform successfully in compulsory education.
Project website: English - French

Publication:
Cortier, Claude / Cavalli, Marisa / et al., Langues régionales/minoritaires dans l’éducation bi-/plurilingue – Langues d’ici, langues d’ailleurs (available in French only in February 2013)
Teaching kit for teachers and teacher trainers, policy-makers and institutional managers. The publication provides a theoretical reference framework, a glossary of key terms, a collection of examples of good practice. It presents activities promoting intercomprehension between related varieties of languages and "other unrelated languages", as well as recommendations for decision makers in the area of education.
Project website: French - English