Tuesday 31 May 2016, 19:00

Primary Canteen, Administration Building, European School Luxembourg II

Free entrance

Language acquisition in a multilingual context is the rule rather than the exception. However, much of the current discourse on multilingualism in education is ambivalent. On the one hand, multilingualism is perceived as an important value and a policy goal in the EU. This is the case when languages are promoted through the formal educational curriculum. On the other hand, there is strong empirical evidence that multilingualism can lead to a higher probability of school failure, especially migration-based multilingualism (cf. PISA results for Luxembourg, MENPF/EMACS 2013).

The talk will summarise what we already know about language acquisition, especially about language acquisition in a multilingual context. It will then show that learners of a second (or third) language do not only learn a language but more precisely a set of linguistic registers that construct multiple meanings at all levels of communication and in all subjects of schooling. Second language learning is further not restricted to language learning but also involves learning of the second writing system.

This talk will be in English

Participants can ask their questions in the language of their choice (DE/EN/FR).

Refreshments will be served after the talk

This talk is part of a collaboration between the 2 European Schools in Luxembourg and the respective Parents’ Associations.