The future of language education in Europe

The future of language education in EuropeLinguistic diversity is one of the great strengths of the European Union.

To foster the potential of linguistic diversity to support multilingual competences and help overcome its possible challenges, innovative policies and practices in language teaching must be implemented across classrooms, schools, regions and countries, taking into account pedagogical shifts and ongoing societal trends such as migration and the increasing mobility of individuals.

These novel language education practices need to overcome persisting language devaluation and isolation, deconstruct existing language hierarchies and apply an inclusive perspective of all languages both in education and in society.

In this context, a network of experts working on the social dimension of education and training (NESET) has published a report that explores emerging innovative approaches and strategies of language teaching in Europe supporting learners’ plurilingualism.

The report intends to inspire educators and policy makers to innovate and implement forward-looking policies and practices in language education.

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Creative Multilingualism: A Manifesto

Creative Multilingualism: A Manifesto"Creative Multilingualism: A Manifesto" (Open Book Publishers) explores the mutually enriching relationship between multilingualism and creativity.

"Multilingualism is fundamental to the human condition. We are all in some way multilingual - both in terms of talent and in terms of our daily ‘language lives’. Languages play a key role as a creative force in our thought and emotions, our expression and social interaction, and our activity in the world - languages are a creative force in how we live," as editors Katrin Kohl and Wen-chin Ouyang say in their introduction.

"Creative Multilingualism" is a manifesto. It calls for change on two fronts: First, language needs to be understood as intrinsically diverse - as languages. The entitlement of individuals and cultural groups to express themselves in their distinctive language must be supported as a fundamental human right, and must be nurtured as vital to the sustainability of the natural and cultural world.

And second, creativity needs to be understood as intrinsically bound up with our capacity for linguistically diverse thought, expression and action. Languages are far more than communicative ‘tools’: they are creative. Language diversity and creativity are mutually enriching.

This book presents research on creative multilingualism conducted across disciplines, from the humanities through to the social and natural sciences. It is structured as a manifesto, comprising ten major statements which are explored through various case studies. These case studies encompass areas including the rich relationship between language diversity and diversity of identity, thought and expression; the interaction between language diversity and biodiversity; the ‘prismatic’ unfolding of meaning in translation; the benefits of linguistic creativity in a classroom-setting; and the ingenuity underpinning ‘conlangs’ (‘constructed languages’) such as Tolkien’s Quenya and Sindarin, designed to give imagined peoples a distinctive medium capable of expressing their cultural identity.


Who is this book for?

Written in an accessible style, "Creative Multilingualism: A Manifesto" will appeal to anyone interested in languages, language learning, cultural exchange, the role of language diversity in our everyday lives, and the untapped creative potential of multilingualism.

"This book is a manifesto promoting language diversity as a human advantage and human right. As such, it is addressed to policymakers, especially in the field of education, but also more broadly with respect to multilingualism in our societies. Diversity of languages needs to be supported as a rich source of creativity in the arts, and recognized for its vital importance in the sciences," Katrin Kohl and Wen-chin Ouyang add.

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Can receptive multilingualism blow a new wind through language teaching?

Receptive multilingualism

Ghent – Lillofee Meersseman - The world today is more than ever a village, where many cultures and languages live together. How are we supposed to deal with this multilingualism? English opens many doors in our Western world, but if we want to go beyond, a single language is not enough. How can we communicate with each other without scorning linguistic diversity? Receptive multilingualism can offer us a new perspective.

Receptive multilingualism is a form of multilingual communication in which people understand each other without speaking the language of their interlocutor or writing the language of their correspondent. In other words, receptive multilingualism occurs when everyone continues to speak or write their own language (mother tongue or other language of their own choice) and understands what is said or read.

Why should we prefer receptive multilingualism to one common language such as English? And what about receptive multilingualism in education, in language education in particular? Can receptive multilingualism blow new wind through language teaching?

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Scientific dossier - Dealing with multilingualism in education

Scientific dossier - Multilingualism in educationAs in many other places in the world, there are currently many questions about multilingualism in education in the Dutch language area (the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname).

Policy makers, education professionals and parents are faced with all sorts of questions. These questions allow ideological answers, but what does science say? What are the latest scientific insights?

The Nederlandse Taalunie, the policy organisation for the Dutch language in the Netherlands, Belgium (Flanders and Brussels) and Suriname, has published a scientific dossier with answers to 24 frequently asked questions about multilingualism in education. File title: "Answers to questions about dealing with multilingualism in education in the Dutch language area".

The scientific dossier is an initiative of the Nederlandse Taalunie, and was realized in a collaboration with Meertalig.nl (The Netherlands) and Meertaligheid.be (Belgium). The aim is to feed the social debate with factual and scientifically correct information. Currently, the file is only available in the Dutch language.

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Why are languages missing from the Sustainable Development Goals?

Why are languages missing from the Sustainable Development Goals?Reading (UK), 15th September 2017, guest blog by Wine Tesseur - The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to put the most vulnerable populations first and to leave no one behind. This implies communicating in a multiplicity of languages, yet the SDGs are silent on language issues.

Although proponents see the realisation of the SDGs as emerging from dialogue with vulnerable populations, it is unclear how sustainable, two-way democratic communication will be ensured.

The absence of any mention of language in the SDGs was the topic of a United Nations Symposium titled ‘Language, the Sustainable Development Goals and Vulnerable Populations’, held in New York on 11-12 May 2017. It was the second event organised by a Study Group on Language and the United Nations, an independent group of scholars and practitioners.

As a researcher on the project ‘The Listening Zones of NGOs: Languages and Cultural Knowledge in Development Programmes’, jointly organised by INTRAC (the International NGO Training and Research Centre), the University of Reading and the University of Portsmouth, I participated in the symposium and contributed a paper on the role of languages in the development work of international UK-based NGOs.

I was curious to find out more about the work of other researchers as well as practitioners working on the role of languages in development.

In this blog, I share some thoughts and insights on the discussions and debates that took place over these two stimulating days.

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"Away with this old-fashioned romantic conception of language education!"

IntercomprehensionGhent, 10 August 2017, Irina-Maria Roşca and Salvatore Mauro - Oh dear, you weren't born with a gift for languages? Well, you will still have to learn French and English in school, and, if you're unlucky, even German.

You must and will learn to read, understand, write and speak these languages. Especially the latter will cost you blood, sweat and tears.

And you know what? As good as you might become with your limited amount of talent, you'll never fully master the language at a level where you understand its soul, let alone the soul of the people and the culture behind the language. It's rather a waste of all that time and effort.

The reason for your fate is an old-fashioned romantic conception of language, of which you are starting to wonder, and justifiably so, how it can still exist in this quickly evolving and globalising information society. If you and I can understand each other's language well, why should we still be able to speak each other's language?

You're right: a waste of time. Fortunately, there are alternatives: listening language or intercomprehension for example. Yes, we still have to invent a new, cool, catchy term, but the good news is that you're completely in favour of it. And, according to our experiment in the streets of Ghent, you're not alone.

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Sustainable Multilingualism (26-27 May 2017 - Kaunas, Lithuania)

Sustainable Multilingualism conferenceAn international conference on sustainable multilingualism will be held on 26-27 May, 2017 in Kaunas, Lithuania.

The Sustainable Multilingualism conference aims at bringing together scholars and professionals to discuss issues relevant to the sustainable development of individual and societal multilingualism. Keynote speakers include Manuel Célio Conceição, President of the European Language Council (ELC) and Jean-Marc Dewaele, President of the International Association of Multilingualism.

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University of Konstanz launches MA programme in Multilingualism

Universität Konstanz  launches MA in MultilingualismMultilingualism is an exciting, highly interdisciplinary and increasingly relevant field of study. The Department of Linguistics at the University of Konstanz (Germany) is launching a new 2-year (4 semesters) MA programme in Multilingualism, starting in April 2017.

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Drongo Languages festival shows language sector to broad public

Drongo Languages festival 2016On Friday 30 september and Saturday 1 October 2016 has in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht the Drongo Languages festival.

Drongo exists in 2016 five years. A Wednesday afternoon in the Amsterdam library is the festival has grown to two full days in the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. A cheerful afternoon on multilingualism to a agendastellend event on the importance of language. The languages festival in the Dutch language area. Still in other words, a place to be for anyone interested in language and, still more emphatically, this year for anyone who works in the language sector.

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Why is 21 February international mother language day?

International mother language day, 21 FebruaryWhen the State of Pakistan was founded in 1947, had a large majority of the approximately 70 million inhabitants Bengali as their mother tongue. But the only official language of the new Pakistan was Urdu. That decided the political elite. They spoke Urdu, the main language in the West of the new country. (West was then called West Pakistan and is now Pakistan.)

In the East of the new country (then East Bengal and East Pakistan from 1956), where Bengali was the most important language, broke bright protest against this language decision. On the University of Dhaka (now the capital of Bangladesh) organized the students all from 1948 demonstrations, but that gave not much on. Early 1952 flared the protest on the University and the police opened fire on the demonstrators. On February 21, there were several deaths.

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How language journalist Gaston Sreekanth conquers the world

Lingo, A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe, Gaston SreekanthAt the British publishing house Profile Books is the book ' Lingo ' of Dutch journalist Gaston Sreekanth appeared.

Lingo (subtitle: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe) is a highly reworked English translation of Gaston Dorrens book Language holidays from 2012. A book that the reviewer of the language sector ' a tribute to Europe's multilingualism ' and on which he then concluded: "If I was, I left the book right away in each of the 53 languages. At my expense yet though. So good is this book. '

This book is there now to start an English translation. But not just any translation.

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The Multilingualism of Constantijn Huygens

The Multilingualism of Constantijn HuygensAt Amsterdam University Press is The book ' The Multilingualism or Constantijn Huygens (1596-1687) ' by Christopher Joby appeared. Huygens knew eight languages: Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, Italian, Spanish, German and English. In addition, he went to a lesser extent with Hebrew, Portuguese and dialects to work. With this book the author wants to show how Constantijn Huygens in Litvak out.

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Exclusive to taalprofessionals: Masterclass multilingual upbringing (27 november, Ghent)

Exclusive to taalprofessionals: Multilingual upbringing (27 november, Ghent)On thursday, november 27, 2014 organises the linguistic sector in cooperation with center of excellence Code in Gent a masterclass on multilingual upbringing, exclusively for taalprofessionals.

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Is there someone without a mother tongue in the room?

Someone without a mother tongue in the room?Concerning trainees, 2014 has already been a great year. May I introduce to you: Eric Seth Ampong. Eric is raised multilingual but he still owes us an answer to the question: "What is your mother tongue?"

A man without a mother tongue, how is that even possible? And he is about to graduate as a translator at the University of Antwerp! "Yes," Eric admits, "it bothers me too, and I think it's high time I figured it out."

The following is Eric Seth Ampong's personal story telling us how he came to be multilingual.

For his master thesis on multilingual upbringing Eric is looking for respondents. If you are considering a multilingual upbringing or if you are multilingual and you recognize yourself in Eric's story? Or you know someone who has more or less experienced what Eric has been through? Do Eric a favor and share your information with him. In return, you'll be the first to read his thesis... and receive a special place in his acknowledgement.

Read along. Please join us!

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The kiss of a princess (book review)

The kiss of a princess (book review)Reviews are dull. That is our opinion and we are sure that is your opinion too. Because you, my dear language professional, can receive any linguistic book from us for free... in exchange for your review. No one wants anything to do with it.

Out with boring books, out with the boring reviews. Eric and Dries of The Language Sector went about it differently. They read The kiss of a princess by Chris Sterkens, Joëlle Delmoitiez and Elisabeth De Potter.

You will never believe what they thought.

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More and more (questions about) two- and trilingual education

More and more (questions about) two- and trilingual educationThe Dutch State spends in the recent number of its online magazine state:message extensive attention to two- and trilingual upbringing. "Bilingual education, how do you do that?" It is a question that more and more people involved - both laymen and professionals.

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´Linguistic Diversity is in our DNA´

Linguistic diversity is in our DNALinguistic diversity is in our DNA. That says George Vassiliou Androulla outgoing European Commissioner for multilingualism.

Today 26 september it is in Europe the European Day of Languages. In many cities, the multilingualism really celebrated. In Amsterdam tomorrow perhaps 10,000 people (2000 more than last year) to the Drongo Festival for multilingualism.

Yet, there is not celebrated everywhere. And also the fact that the new Commission Juncker multilingualism no portfolio worth more, is for some a fly in the ointment.

"Multilingualism and linguistic diversity are deep in the DNA of the European Union rooted. Our languages are an integral part of our cultural heritage and make us who we are," says George Vassiliou Androulla.

Hello linguistic sector?

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Drongo Festival celebrates multilingualism

Drongo Festival, september 27, 2014 AmsterdamOn saturday, september 27, 2014 in Amsterdam the third edition of the Drongo Festival.

Last year there were 7700 visitors to the Amsterdam Central Library to be inspired by everything with multilingualism is linked.

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Exclusive to taalprofessionals: Multilingual upbringing (27 november, Ghent)

Exclusive to taalprofessionals: Multilingual upbringing (27 november, Ghent)On thursday, november 27, 2014 organises the linguistic sector in cooperation with center of excellence Code in Gent a training on multilingual upbringing, exclusively for taalprofessionals.

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Urban multilingualism and education (conferences)

Urban multilingualism and education, but 2015 GentStart March 2015 is in Gent three days discussing urban multilingualism and education.

On 5 and 6 march there is the second edition of the international conference 'Urban Multilingualism and Education' (UME). The day before, on 4 March, there is the second edition of the Flemish seminar 'Urban Multilingualism & Education' (SMO).

Update 12/9/2014: the international conference will get a new title: 'Multilingualism in Education: policies, practices and assessment'.

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Elections: politicians discuss multilingualism in Brussels

Marnixplan Brussels organised a kopstukkendebat about language and multilingualism in Brusse

A kopstukkendebat on multilingualism? Impossible! Nevertheless managed Marnixplan Brussels there sunday, april 27 in order to not less than ten (10) political heavyweights from Brussels around the table for a debate on language and especially multilingualism in Brussels.

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Amplexor taken over by euroscript

Amplexor taken over by eurosciptEnterprise content management specialist Amplexor (Leuven) is taken over by the Luxembourg euroscript International SA. Amplexor will merge with the Belgian section of euroscript in Zaventem, who will move to Leuven.

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Urban multilingualism in the EU (4/4, Brussels)

Urban multilingualism in the EUOn friday, april 4, 2014 in Brussels is a scientific symposium on urban multilingualism in the European Union held: 'Urban multilingualism in the European Union: Bridging the Gap between Language Policies and Language Practices'.

The symposium invites researchers from different domains from to reflect together on the relationship between language policy and taalpraktijk in the public sector (education, government, health).

More and more cities in Europe think about language policy. With that policy they want the comic superdiversiteit faced and that is the result of the increasing migration in good jobs. A problem they will try to create an asset. But the supertaaldiversiteit on the metropolitan area would have collide with the language policy that the national government has outlined. How do you for example of multilingual children multilingual education as of the national government only monolingual education?

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Getting started with speaking newcomers in class (training)

Speaking newcomers in the regular classThe Dutch education in Flanders and Brussels begins speaking newcomers (ANs) separately, so that they will be able to then flow to the regular class. There are also new entrants immediately in the regular class. How then also get increasingly teachers in the class to make pupils with gist - whether or not after specific reception - still have specific needs, a large catching-up to do and also in educational experience and leeringesteldheid vary considerably.

The Regional Integratiecentrum Lobby (Brussels) has developed a training for teachers who will still want to respond to the specific needs of speaking newcomers to the class.

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Round Table on the status of the language professional: the report

Round Table on the status of the language professionalOn 12 March, 2013 taalprofessionals, language industries, representatives of different occupations and parties from different segments of the language sector discussed the status of the language professional.

The Round Table concluded with a recommendation and 4 concrete proposals of action to increase the status of the language professional.

Click here for the pdf of the report (in Dutch).

 

The Ba(b)beltoren until 20 January in Antwerp

The Ba(b)beltoren state until 20 January in AntwerpFrom 20 december to 20 january state on the The Coninckplein in Antwerp the Ba(b)beltoren, a contemporary version of the Tower of Babel ... but finished.

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How do you diagnose a linguistic problem in a multilingual child?

Symposium Multilingual, less speaking?How to diagnose a linguistic problem you if responder a multilingual child if you the thuistaal or thuistalen of that child itself not governed? A problem, if you know that a good diagnostics is crucial that you are all tasks that the child is to be involved.

The Antwerp center of expertise on that issue organize Code and the asbl Sig (Monthey) on friday, February 7, 2014 in Antwerp a symposium under the title 'Multilingual, less speaking?'

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Education, multilingualism and success at school: Brussels and Montreal

Round Table on education, multilingualism and school. Montreal and BrusselsThe Regional Integratiecentrum Lobby (Brussels) organises tuesday, november 19 a round table on 'Education, multilingualism and success at school'. This round table presents the experiences in Montreal (Canada) and asks the question what Brussels of Montreal to learn.

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Handling of linguistic diversity in the free time (Brussels, 24/10)

Handling of linguistic diversity in the free timeLeisure activities can also be coupled with? If the to the school and to the parents of multilingual children is, leisure activities also support the development.

Especially in the cities but also outside the linguistic diversity among children quickly. How can you as animator or guide children in their free time to respond?

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Multilingualism support (Conference in Brussels)

'Learning how to learn and work in a different language seems to be an obvious fact but it is not, not for the learning and not for the attendant. Support of the teachers, lecturers and employers who with multilingualism in their organization, is also a very important subject.'

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We do the next meeting in luistertaal? (Video)

We do the next meeting in luistertaal?In luistertaal? Each simply referred to is that we continue to speak our own mother tongue. And that we each sufficiently passive knowledge of the other language (or languages) have to listen to the other language.

On luistertaal and the potential applications and benefits of luistertaal Utrechtse students now have a videodocumentaire five half-hour.

You have experience with luistertaal? And there is a market for receptieve language training?

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Multilingualism as cement of the Brussels society?

Multilingualism as cement of the urban samenlevinThe Brussels Information, Documentation and Research Center BRIO organises friday, June 21 a seminar on the Brussels linguistic situation: 'Multilingualism as cement of the urban society'. On this studievoormiddag are the results of the third Brussels taalbarometeronderzoek proposed and analyzed. The taalbarometer peilde at 2500 inhabitants to language, language and taalattitudes. (Also Read: Linguistic Diversity in Brussels remains sharply)

Speakers are Pascal Smet (Flemish minister of Education, Youth, Equal Opportunities and Brussels), Paul Button (rector of the Free University Brussels - VUB), Rudi Janssens (BRIO, VUB), Laszlo Maracz (University of Amsterdam), Dave Sinardet (VUB) and Machteld The Metsenaere (BRIO, VUB).

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Is that language from far away or from here? Everything about language awareness

Is that language from far away or from here? Language awarenessThe world in which we live is increasingly multilingual. Everywhere we see and hear foreign languages and language variations, exotic languages and languages from closer to home. At school it is no different. And so the question arises: how do you teach pupils to deal with that linguistic diversity? How do you use that linguistic diversity in a positive way during class? The answer is called language awareness:making pupils more aware of languages But what does this mean concretely? Four language researchers from Leuven and Ghent examined the main facets (and effects!) of raising language awarenessand have written a practical guide about it: 'Is that language from far away or from here?'

'Is that language from far away or from here?' with subtitle 'A Guide to language awareness, from toddlers to adolescents' is a quick guide for educational practices. The book (64 p.) was written by of Koen Van Gorp, Mary Devlieger, Carolien Frijns and Sven Sierens. It was published by Acco (Leuven).

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2The edition Drongo-festival on multilingualism

2The drongo festival on multilingualismA free market with multilingual children's books and materials, language courses for children and adults, taaltesten, teaching materials for the learning of Dutch, online courses, speech therapy, etc. Help Desks for specific questions on language learning and linguistic diversity. For taalexperimenten Taalspellen and labs. Workshops on multilingual education, multilingual read, multilingualism and education. Simultaneous Interpretation try in a real interpreter booth. Taalknutselen. Presentations, lectures, performances, interviews, and an awards ceremony.

Find saturday, september 28 in Amsterdam on the second Drongo-festival on multilingualism. The program is well known and is to consult on the following web site.

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Linguistic Diversity in Brussels remains significantly increase

Linguistic Diversity Brussels is increasing'A onderwijsreorganisatie commitment on multilingualism, which ' That says VUB-researcher Rudi Janssens on education in Brussels, following the publication of the third Brussels taalbarometer.

'What aspect it is in Brussels also has, it is impossible not to the linguistic diversity as the basis of the social interdependence of the Brussels society. The challenge in both the political and social field is learning to cope with this diversity,' is in the taalbarometer to read.

The Brussels taallandschap rapidly undergoes a number of profound changes. What is happening? And what can the linguistic sector with this taalomwenteling?

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Guidance for parents who (more) want to bring up speaking

Code provides guidance to parents who want to bring up multilingualSpecific lessons devoted a good quality is important for the development of the mother tongue but also for the development of other languages to children. That is fixed. But how do you as a parent for a specific lessons devoted of good quality? And if your child multilingual grows up? How do you create a rich language environment and tool? The Antwerp center of excellence Code has a guidance for parents.

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Come with your ideas and actions to the Round Table on the status of the taalprofessional

Round Table on the status of the taalprofessionalThe sector of the taalprofessionals vandaagEen
dozen big boys and a few thousand sole proprietorships. Each year, there are a few hundred in ... and go back a few hundred. Everyone can have its own taalbedrijf start. There is little or nothing for necessary: no experience, no references, no membership of a professional association, no diploma, no official recognition, no certificate of quality.

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How do you diagnose dyslexia with multilingual children?

How do you diagnose dyslexia with multilingual children?Language Problems diagnosing with multilingual children and young people is not easy. The question is whether it is always a disorder which also prevents eentaligen or to a problem that has to do with insufficient control of the Dutch example. Regional Integratiecentrum Lobby (Brussels) organises a training on the diagnosis of dyslexia with multilingual children and young people ( 'Diagnostics of dyslexia for multilingualism' ).

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Social interpreters and NT2 in acclimatization: figures and trends

Yearbook outlines trends for social interpreters and NT2 in acclimatization50,000 Social tolkopdrachten. Four of the ten tolkopdrachten by telephone. 192 Certificeringsproeven social interpreter. Flemish Tolkentelefoon only with certified interpreters. 58 Certificeringsproeven social translation. 76,000 Candidate trainees NT2.

These figures and more trend information on social interpreters and translation and Dutch as a second language (NT2) are to be read in the Yearbook Integration & acclimatization 2011, a publication of the Crossroads Migratie-Integratie .

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Antwerp does not appeal more on urban interpreter and translation service

Antwerp does not appeal more on urban interpreter and translation serviceThe city of Antwerp is no longer rely on interpreters and translators of the urban interpretation and translation service (STA). Instead of this the city will make use of what they called 'the existing market offerings: the interpreter and translation service of the province of Antwerp (THE APARTMENTS GUARANTEE) and freelance interpreters and translators. In addition, urban services and organizations which interpreter or vertaalondersteuning want, such as schools for oudercontacten, have to pay for them themselves.

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Polish for growers, French for footballers

Polish for growers, French for footballersIn the footsteps of their Flemish colleagues will now also Dutch growers Polish follow an intensive courses. In Kortrijk start football club KV Kortrijk with French lessons. 'At Kortrijk is French the language,' says coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck in Sport/Voetbalmagazine.

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The success of bilingual education (guide)

The success of bilingual education (guide)By publishing Acco (Leuven) is the book 'The success of bilingual education' of Elisabeth van der Linden and Folkert Chick yet published. This book is a guide for parents and educators.

In 'The success of bilingual education' (184 p. ) all important questions about bilingual education. Now it Is a good idea or not to educate children bilingual? How can parents a bilingual education than the best deal? It Is not difficult for children to learn two or more languages simultaneously? And what if they get their two languages by each other? What are the advantages of bilingualism? What does the scientific research on this? What role can kindergarten and school bilingual education play?

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Closing Conference European Universities Network on Multilingualism (Brussels)

Closing Conference European Universities Network on Multilingualism (Brussels)On thursday, October 18 in Brussels is the final conference of the European Universities Network on Multilingualism (EUNoM) account. The congresthema reads: 'Globalization, Modernity and Knowledge. Opportunities and challenges in a Multilingual world'.

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Meanwhile in Sydney (2)

Meanwhile in Sydney (2)Sydney, a halflandelijke municipality, twenty-five kilometers northwest of Brussels.

Moreover, 'On the successful annual fair in Mazenzele was a stallholder drawn up with monolingual French markings. He sold no snail. A mass onlookers turned up for the roofvogelshow.' Writes that correspondent Erik Gyselinck in the parc newssheet.

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Taaljournalist Gaston Dorren writes ode to Europe`s multilingualism

Taaljournalist Gaston Dorren writes ode to European multilingualismBy publishing Scriptum (Schiedam) is the book 'Taaltoerisme' of taaljournalist Gaston Dorren yet published. This book is a guide for a taalreis, a holiday, exploring the fascinating European taallandschap. In 53 stages the diminutive Gaston Dorren taalliefhebber from one to the other European language: 53 In total. The author considers that each of the 53 languages as an interesting landmark. And for each point of interest he knows the surprise of the tourist/traveller to generate. This book has nothing encyclopaedic or schools and nothing of a grammar or a textbook; it exudes the vote and the alternation of the carefree holiday trip: one day a beautiful landscape, the following day a art exhibition in a vibrant city, than a lazy days.

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Multilingualism in Belgium, The Netherlands and Europe anno 2012 (seminar)

Multilingualism in Belgium, The Netherlands and Europe anno 2012 (seminar)On friday, december 14 organise ABLA (Belgian Association for Applied Linguistics) and Anéla (Dutch Association for Applied Linguistics) in Liege a seminar on the theme 'Multilingualism in Belgium, The Netherlands and Europe anno 2012 '.

In this seminar are four aspects of multilingualism central: (1) multilingualism and second- /language-learning, (2) multilingualism and second- /vreemdetaaldidactiek and education, (3) multilingualism and translation, interpreters, terminology and vaktalen and (4) multilingualism and language policy.

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`The linguistic sector is gradually becoming adult.`

'The linguistic sector is gradually becoming adult.'On thursday, May 24 fell again of our seat. The happened when someone by the microphone spoke and said: 'The linguistic sector is gradually becoming adult.' Because the contact with the ground was handlebars, remind us not more whom the said. It does not matter. We do know why we still fell from the seat.

That day was held in Brussels The Language Industry Web Forum, a major ceremonial preaching for the whole European linguistic sector. For a few hundred invitees was the live in Brussels, for the home was to follow the via the internet. Not to miss a meeting for everyone of any significance in the linguistic sector, you know: the sector that Europe's unique multilingualism and linguistic diversity underpins, and you as a reader of the linguistic sector to follow.

Although the linguistic sector - please note the small letters - in all respects tried an adult to make an impression, he is still a child in the cradle. And in fact we might as well say that the linguistic sector in its development is still embryonic. But anyway, how can we say?

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The Taalstudio organises festival on multilingualism

The Taalstudio organises festival on multilingualismOn wednesday, september 19 organises The Taalstudio (Amsterdam) Drongo, a festival on multilingualism and Dutch in a multilingual environment. The Drongo-festival is seen as a place where everything meets on multilingualism, 'for everyone who lives in the modern multilingual world and the way to find. My language Is a problem or a solution? Where can I find booklets, expertise, courses, tests, schools? We have questions and answers, solutions, talenlabs, lectures, movies, experiments and many good contacts. We are not alone - almost the entire world is multilingual.'

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Social interpreters and social translation - how does that really mean?

Social interpreters and social translation - how does that really mean?The Crossroads Migratie-Integratie has three short films about social interpreters and translation. Two movies show how social interpreters working - both locally and through the Flemish Tolkentelefoon. The third movie shows how social translation work. The Crossroads M-I also has a new guide to help and service providers on social interpreters and translation ready.

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Urban multilingualism and education (conference)

Urban multilingualism and educationOn Thursday and Friday, 7 and March 8, 2013 in Ghent the 'International Conference on Urban Multilingualism and Education' (UME) place. The day before, on wednesday, March 6 in Ghent is also a Flemish seminar Urban Multilingualism and Education (SMO) account.

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  1. Multilingualism speaks for itself (30 years multilingual education in Brussels)
  2. Own and strange. Multilingualism in The Netherlands
  3. Multilingualism is here to stay (thesis)
  4. Eat it or beat it! The latest and greatest English frost
  5. Meanwhile in Sydney
  6. Tests of multilingualism in Brussels
  7. About the people who not only speak in Dutch
  8. Lego Lingua: new taalprikkelende spellendoos
  9. An instrument to measure to Europe`s multilingualism
  10. Dealing with multilingualism in the Flemish education
  11. French Lyceum in Antwerp start in september with bilingual education NL-FR
  12. Despite reassurances Smet thuistaalprojecten abandonment will not explained
  13. Preventive and remedial measures working around typical errors in Dutch
  14. Seminar evaluates ten years multilingual education in Brussels
  15. More taligheid in the les
  16. `More investment needed in taalkampen, placements and exchanges`
  17. New web site unifies fragmented know-how on multilingualism
  18. Interpretation and Translation Service Gent celebrates tenth anniversary with trefdag on multilingualism in the city
  19. Multilingualism in your organization (formation)
  20. Language in the border area (colloquium)
  21. Athenaeum Sint-Pieters -Woluwe would like to be the first offer immersieonderwijs
  22. K. U. Leuven offers accommodation for homeless young people who want to learn English
  23. The Colors of Languages (expo)
  24. How can you help immigrant parents to the multilingualism of their children to develop? (Workshop)
  25. Dealing with linguistic diversity at school (education)
  26. Third edition Leuvens Talenfestival on 19 February
  27. What brings about learning a new language in our brains? (Publiekssymposium)
  28. Are the way to immersiescholen languages to learn?
  29. The power of emotions and attitudes to multilingual growing children (seminar)
  30. Talenfeest extra attention for German, French, Dutch, Spanish and Arabic
  31. Perhaps Malik has problems because he speaks Polish at home?
  32. No independent portfolio more Multilingualism in Barroso II
  33. Day of the mother tongue / Day of the Thuistalen
  34. Communication with speaking parents (seminar)
  35. Dutch Taalcoach must encourage as the working language at COURCELLES CENTER Halle
  36. Multilingualism in your organization (formation)
  37. `Linguistic Sector has little load of crisis`
  38. Open Vld calls for recognition English as onthaaltaal in Brussels
  39. Europe evaluates `mother tongue +2 ` -principle
  40. Limited animo for European Day of Languages
  41. The Netherlands meertalenland
  42. New: Bilingual moedertaalverwerving
  43. The multilingual reality of the city
  44. What is the main language that your children should learn?
  45. Languages, my thought! In Brussels
  46. Lezingenreeks Language and Community
  47. UNESCO set new Atlas of endangered languages online
  48. EU emergency number 112 is insufficient multilingual
  49. International Day of the mother tongue
  50. UZ Brussels wants to expand with multilingualism doctors if asset
  51. 1 On the 8 pupils speaks no Deposit home­lands
  52. Four days Talenfeest in Brussels
  53. Need more money for language students with typical Brussels multilingual profile
  54. Second vertaaltoets for young translators
  55. Languages my thought!
  56. Erasmushogeschool or­ganiseert cause­rieën on multilingualism
  57. ´Multilingualism is an asset for Europe´
  58. If you do not speak Dutch, ...
  59. American elections are good for language­sector.
  60. Premiums for Walloon ge­meenten­ligen easily make the andersta
  61. 1.4 Mil­Runs Anderlecht onvolle­joen wrong because similar translation?
  62. Child not to kindergarten because Dutch is not thuistaal
  63. Multilingualism of sit back (conference)
  64. Open VLD meertalenonderwijs would like to promote.
  65. Ask any Sort subtitles on RTBF.
  66. We must know if we Dutch wants to work in Flanders?
  67. Moroccan young people use language as verkleedmateriaal
  68. Communicate in a an­specific language: cultural, language­skillful and didactic aspects
  69. First intergouvernemen­tele conference on multilingualism in the EU
  70. Urban multilingualism and intercultural assessing­order

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