Multilingual Early Language Transmission (MELT) - Mercator ...

in the overall toolkit. Some of the activities were offered bilingually (Breton-French). The
strategy ‘one person one language’ seems difficult to integrate in some provisions.
One setting mentioned that it was often difficult to adapt the activities to the smallest
children (1-2 years, if not under 1 year-old). The activities are too much intended for
‘schools’ (3 years and older).
According to one of the practitioners it would also be good to include new words and new
terms in the theme, either in the minority language or in both languages. During the MELT
project the amount of Breton vocabulary to be offered to all children has increased.
One setting will consider discussing what they do on an everyday basis for the language in
general and how the pre-school teacher who is able to speak Breton, can go ahead with this.
One setting mentioned that they learnt a lot regarding the consciousness of the
professionals and the importance of parents participating in the pre-school activities.
One provision recorded their own CD with songs in French and Breton.
The tutor stresses the fact that team work and a positive language attitude towards Breton
is essential. Some settings need to work on that. Team work has to be more focused and
practitioners have to agree with the strategies they use within their pre-school.
5.3 Skills of training staff: mentors and practitioners
There has to be good training programmes for both pre-school and immersion
practitioners/teachers. A training program focusing on three competencies: linguistic,
scientific and pedagogic (Obadia in Arnau & Artigal, 1998). The pre-school teachers of
nurseries/kindergarten are naturally present in all activities together with the children. They
help children to dress, undress, to eat etc. If the pre-school teacher uses a pedagogical
approach there is a more communicative role on the part of the teacher: more collaborative,
and more conducive to a varied input (Arnau & Artigal, 1998). The University of Barcelona
studied the Pedagogical Approach, Context and Language in Early Catalan Immersion and
came to the conclusion that a pedagogical approach, more pupil centred, provides a richer
mental ‘context.’ This approach promotes a more active use of the language, and also
develops the communicative competence of pupils. A pedagogical approach of the language
will promote a faster and more effective acquisition of the second language (Arnau & Artigal,
1998).
The profile of a good teacher in early language learning includes not only language
competence but also the specialist skills and knowledge of an effective nursery, infant or
primary teacher. The teacher has a central role as he/she is likely to be the main source of
input in the target language. He/she is also bringing an intercultural dimension to the
learners, helping them to learn about languages (i.e. developing language awareness, as well
as developing strategies for language learning which will help in later life. The teacher also
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