Page 13 - ELG1601 Apr Issue 435

ELIatefl special
April 2016 Page 13

of making mistakes – Kicking off in kindergarten As a secondary school teacher,

hildren are not afraid
had English before they enter
Cthey say anything and I notice that children who have
everything without hesitation! secondary school transition bet-
Such boldness contributes to the Nasy Inthisone Pfanner describes how many Austrian parents are ter than those who have not. For
assumption that when it comes example, in our first-year sec-
to language learning younger improving on state provision by giving their children a really early start ondary school coursebook we
is better, especially for pro- learn colours, days of the week,
nunciation. In second language numbers and so forth. The chil-
acquisition research the criti- of the children there have older dren who have had English have
cal age hypothesis claims that siblings, aunts or uncles who went already been exposed to these
the optimal period for language to the school. In essence, it is Eng- themes, however fleetingly. For
acquisition stops at puberty. lish combined with the method of example, my second graders,
In Austria, English language teaching and caring that win par- aged eleven or twelve, all had
learning doesn’t officially begin ents’ hearts and wallets. some English before entering
until the beginning of second- Michaela Präg, who put secondary school and they found
ary school, so to give children a both of her children in the only it to be helpful. English was
head start many primary schools English-speaking nursery and already a part of their lives, not
hire a native English speaker kindergarten in the state of a foreign language to be feared.
to teach several hours a week. Vorarlberg ten years ago, said, Education is one of the most
Children learn through fun activ- ‘Yes, it definitely was worth important investments parents
ities such as singing and reading. it. I was amazed at how much can make in their children.
The state does not pay for these Courtesy Nasy Pfanner and how quickly the children Given that English is mandatory
programmes. learned, and the environment of in secondary schools and that
So if primary schools want broad-mindedness.’ it is a world language, parents
English learning, they have to Today, most nurseries and want their children to be exposed
finance it themselves. To earn WAIT A SECOND Nasy Pfanner (centre) finds her secondary students do best if they start young kindergartens are fully booked, to it as early as possible. Many
money for this project, schools with long waiting lists. Parents parents know how difficult it is
hold fundraising events like put- dren to learn English even earlier kindergartens in Austria. Some tries. These are private sector, who still hope to get a place for to learn a foreign language as
ting on an English language play, than primary school. There are a are English-only. Others are so they’re more expensive than their child must act fast as – sur- an adult and want their children
which are usually well attended few English-speaking nurser- mostly English speaking, but the state-run nursery schools. prisingly – these kindergartens to make the process easier, with
by the communities. Or, in some ies and several English-medium offer some basic German lan- However, some are subsidised have no plans to expand. more fun. n
schools where the regular sub- kindergartens throughout the guage activities to children by the government. Most of the
ject teachers can speak English country. The nurseries accept whose native language is not children come from middle class
(even though they may not be babies from as young as eight- German in an effort to prepare or wealthier families or are the
formally trained), they arrange een months to three years old. them for German-speaking children of international couples
English lessons. Such lessons are The kindergartens accept chil- schools. And some are bilingual. who communicate with each
informal – children learn simple dren from three to six years Kindergarten staff are not other in English.
words and vocabulary, and they old. Some of these institutions always native English speakers. English is a big draw, but it’s
do not get a grade. Basically, opened their doors in the 1990s For example, certain kinder- not the only one. For instance,
it is up to the schools to decide with a small number of children. gartens are run by international the Children’s House Interna-
whether they want to offer Eng- Vienna, the capital and Aus- teams, many of whom have a tional Montessori Kindergarten
lish and how to best go about it. tria’s most cosmopolitan city, lot of experience gained from in Vienna attracts many parents
Many parents want their chil- has the most English-speaking living in English-speaking coun- because of its curriculum. Some

French face ELT revolution

Jane Ryder reports on a dramatic government clampdown on training
and its consequences for English language teaching throughout France

FL is going through gered a veritable horse race France and in-company training the community divisions that
a minor revolution in between ELT players jockeying offered by Celta and Delta train- are brought into schools by the
EFrance, not because for political favour with the all- ing centre the ELT Hub. children, and this has only exac-
the peasants are revolting but powerful trade lobbies in Paris. So, while the British press erbated the problem.
because English language train- First off the block was ETS with has been absorbed by the Jun- As always, that small stretch
ers have been caught up in a Toeic, closely followed by Cam- gle refugee camp in Calais, of water called the Channel
mini-tornado of government bridge with Bulats. Consultants this has hardly even featured demarcates two very different
paperwork and new legislation. close to the trade lobbies and the on our horizon here in France. worlds. France is a fascinating
As of 1 January this year eve- government have been eating Between dodging bullets and place to be at the moment. n
rything has changed. France has out at fancy restaurants for quite beurocratic missiles, the byword
long been awash with multi-bil- some months now. for us is survival. Many of us Jane Ryder is president of
lion-euro training funds handled Tesol France has been watch- knew, either directly or indi- Iatefl affiliate Tesol France
by semi-public, semi-private ing this tidal wave come for quite rectly, people who were killed and owner of the ELT Hub, a
bodies called OPCAs. For dec- a while and we are mobilising in Paris in November. We were Cambridge teacher-training
ades these funds have constituted to meet it. We have organised deeply affected and I think we centre in France
a sort of feeding trough from several workshops to inform have reached a sort of emotional
which every citizen has effec- members about the Réforme, overload. Calais is just one step
tively been able to finance and our Spring Day conference too much for us to take on at the
whatever course they fancy, be in Paris in June will be entirely moment.
it flower arranging for the boss’s dedicated to helping members In terms of the state sector, the
secretary or, very often, English tackle the thorny question of good news is that this continues
classes for the workforce. quality, in collaboration with to open up to trainers whether or
All that has now changed. Cambridge English Assessment. not they have the French state
With the Réforme (they could Furthermore we have forged a teaching qualification. Certain
have called it the guillotine strategic partnership with a small education authorities are so
since it’s talked about with trade union called SYCFI, which desperate for English teachers,
the same dread and awe) only will be able to offer our members particularly in ‘hot’ areas of
trainers with a government- access to a quality label which the Paris, that last year they were
approved quality label will have government has approved. In our asking parents if they could
access to OPCA money, and opinion this is the silver lining to come and take over some of the
they can only offer courses that the whole messy business. For classes, including English.
are on a tightly controlled gov- the first time, trainers in France It is possible to get work from
ernment list, ominously called will be obliged to sharpen up, primary level up to lycée (high
the Inventaire. The flower- professionalise further and will school) in many areas of the coun-
arranging courses have stopped. generally be more respected as a try as the national educational
The result has been, firstly, a result. France will move closer to system is straining at the seams.
significant drop in training of the situation in Germany, leaner State teachers can get up to five
any kind last year. Tesol France but more professional. years’ sick leave for depression
estimates this at 20 per cent to This is already happening and burn-out in France, and as
30 per cent down for ELT in the as we note an increase in train- social problems and violence in
second half of 2015. Companies ers going to the UK for short schools go up the teachers sim-
have gone into freeze mode as professional development short ply go out the door. The terrorist
HR managers try and understand courses. There are hardly any killings last year have created
what they’re meant to do. providers of these in France, out- tension in many schools as teach-
The Inventaire has also trig- side workshops offered by Tesol ers struggle to find solutions to