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Plurilingualism and plurilingual competence
saxelmwifo enis swavlebis sakiTxebi:
problemebi da gamowvevebi
Issues of State Language Teaching;
Problems and Challenges
In Europe today, plurilingualism defines the language policy of the Council of Europe, and is a fundamental
principle of language education policies in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Plurilingualism concept
has a close connection with language skill assessment and language teaching skill development. The Council
of Europe has developed a general description of language levels. Joining this scheme allows to assess language
skill according to an internationally understandable form (levels A,B,C), motivates to develop a united
language educations strategy, integrated language acquisition programmes and standards.
Developing Latvian language standard and program for minorities (2001) language learning competence
and its role in language acquisition was defined.
During the acquisition of languages, students use the learning experience and skills of previously
acquired languages: mother tongue skills – in the curricula for ethnic minorities, for the acquisition
of Latvian language (as a second language) and foreign languages; mother tongue and second language
skills – for the acquisition of foreign languages. The most essential requirements for the development
of language learning competence are summarised in the table below.
Compliance of L2 as a subject teaching approach to multilingual education process
Another important aspect during the transition to the multilingual education system is the appropriateness
of dominating second language teaching approach. Bilingual/ multilingual method is a new way to learn languages.
The goal of traditional second language programmes is the defined set of language skills. Language
programme generally remains a clearly defined sequence for introducing new language skills in the classroom.
New vocabulary, idioms, constructions and grammar are introduced in a more controlled manner.
Bilingual programmes, on the other hand, use the target language as the vehicle for instruction of other
knowledge and skills. Hence mathematics, history or geography will be taught using the target language as the
vehicle for instruction. The teacher uses all the language – vocabulary, idioms, constructions, that are appropriate
and necessary to the delivery of the content. The student is engaged in learning both language and content/skills
simultaneously.
In this respect, bilingual programmes are modelled more closely to the first language learning. Young
children acquire their native language through a natural process of communication with parents and caregivers
rather than through vocabulary lists and grammar lessons. Early attempts at expression are generally only approximations
of adult language but are met with praise and encouragement rather than criticism or correction.
Thus, bilingual programmes offer not only increased exposure to the new language, (i.e. more instructional
time), but a different approach to language instruction. The communication of ideas/concepts becomes
the key. The target language is used to communicate new content or new skills. Students are encouraged to
respond using the new language. Consequently, students must apply their developing language skills to communicate
about a broad range of topics related to the curriculum. Students are constantly engaged in an active
process of trying to figure out how the language works.
After regaining independence the audio – lingual approach, a typical feature of which was – memorizing
sentence models and dialogs, became popular in Latvia for a short period of time. It was quickly overtaken by
the communicative approach, which concentrating at developing four language skills. Looking back, focusing
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