Untitled

saxelmwifo enis swavlebis sakiTxebi:
problemebi da gamowvevebi
Issues of State Language Teaching;
Problems and Challenges
ready to perceive and understand such analytical correlations. Such a way of teaching of compliance with
grammatical rules leads to formalised lessons, in which both teachers and students concentrate on the formal
aspects of language, forgetting about its most important communicative function. The content of what is being
said is less important, than whether it is formulated correctly. As a result the students spend their intellectual
energy on formal aspects and are not developing their communicative skills in the target language. Traditionally
the target language is not used as language of instruction during the lessons. Thus the children never hear
the target language in a coherent way and naturally they cannot learn to use this language as what it is meant
to be: a means of communication. As a result after finishing school pupils are able to communicate freely both
orally and written only in the language, which has been for them the language of instruction.
With the differences in legal status of the different languages spoken in these countries – most of them
have only one State language – it is crucial for the individual as well as for the State to have most effective
ways for teaching the State language to minority language speakers. Georgia has been making serious efforts
in improving the methods of second language teaching in the past years, but nevertheless, even if the teaching
is on an increasing level, minority language speakers will stay behind in language competency in comparison
with mother-tongue speakers of Georgian, and only very few will achieve enough language competencies to
be able to fully participate in the educational, social and political life of the country.
The right of the child to relevant and good quality education
The Human Rights Framework, which the Convention on the Rights of the Child is an important part of,
provides a useful reference for assessing and developing forms of language education in different linguistic
settings. The Human Rights Framework takes into account both the needs of the individual, as well as the
needs of different groups of society, including the state as a whole, and thus provides a frame for constructive
discussions on continuous developments of education in an ever-changing world. In order for these inherently
held rights to be realised for all rights-holders, the state, as primary duty-bearer, is obliged to provide everything
necessary, starting from the national legal setting, up to definition of processes enabling the putting into
practise, such as budget allocations, decentralisation of decision-taking, sensitisation and human-rights education
for all.
The human rights-based approach is a useful and effective framework for development especially with
respect to emotionally and politically sensitive issues, such as the language issue. Language is one very strong
denominator of identity, and as such both a powerful means for state building, and at the same time a potential
factor of conflict in this process. Broad participation in discussions, developments of approaches and solutions,
as suggested by the human rights-based approach, can be the path towards overcoming the obstacles,
and making best use of existing opportunities.
Articles 28 and 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child specifically refer to formal education:
Article 28
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to education, and with a view to achieving this right
progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity, they shall, in particular:
a. Make primary education compulsory and available free to all;
b. Encourage the development of different forms of secondary education, including
general and vocational education, make them available and accessible to every child,
and take appropriate measures such as the introduction of free education and offering
financial assistance in case of need;
c. Make higher education accessible to all on the basis of capacity by every appropriate
means;
d. Make educational and vocational information and guidance available and accessible
to all children;
e. Take measures to encourage regular attendance at schools and the reduction of dropout
rates.
2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that school discipline is administered
in a manner consistent with the child's human dignity and in conformity with the present Convention.
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