Education: the future of Dutch
Proper education in Dutch ensures that the language will remain an effective communication tool for new generations of users. Although the Netherlands, Flanders and Surinam each has its own policy on education, they have many things in common and share many interests.Harmonising and sharing
The Netherlands and Flanders have both acquired a great deal of expertise in recent years in teaching pupils whose native language is not Dutch. Schools and teachers within the Dutch language area would benefit from being able to access each other's knowledge and encourage each other to develop sound policy measures in this area. It used to be much more difficult for the Netherlands and Belgium to share their expertise with each other, because they applied different attainment aims, basic competencies and evaluation tools. To ensure greater harmonisation, the Taalunie drafts common policy principles, for example on integration, early second-language acquisition and language competencies for teachers. Once the basic principles have been agreed, it is much easier for the two countries to work together on developing good teaching practices.The language passport
Language competency can make the difference between integration and isolation, between acceptance and rejection, between success and failure. The social aspects of language are therefore high on the list of priorities of the Taalunie. It is concerned about people who have not mastered the Dutch language sufficiently well, and its policy is intended to help this group function more effectively in the community. The main tool that the Taalunie uses is education in Dutch as a second language. For immigrants living in the Netherlands and Flanders, language competency is a passport to a better future. Language can be a problem for many Dutch and Flemish people as well, however, especially those who are illiterate or who have trouble with reading and writing. This is another area in which the Taalunie is trying to achieve closer cooperation.Sharing resources and information on the Internet
The new media, and in particular the Internet, are helping to disseminate new insights and ideas about the Dutch language. The Internet is a powerful tool for teachers and other persons involved in education, offering a lot of information at very little cost. The Taalunie has made ICT one of the focal points of its policy. Its website, www.taalunieversum.org, already offers an abundance of information and that will only increase in the future. For example, teachers and researchers can consult an entirely digital list of research projects and programmes carried out in the past decades that have focused on Dutch as a school subject. Another useful tool is the notification service with which the Taalunie refers interested parties to articles in professional journals on teaching Dutch.Out of the drawer
Lots of good things are happening at schools these days. Many creative teachers are coming up with exceptionally effective projects related to learning Dutch. The problem is that such projects often stay firmly within the four walls of the relevant school. The Taalunie wants to take such projects out of the drawer and into the classroom. One way that it does this is by awarding the Taalunie Onderwijsprijs. This prize is presented every two years to a primary school and a secondary school. Another educational prize is the Scriptieprijs, which the Taalunie awards for the best thesis written in Dutch on a topic related to Dutch language and literature.Digital treasury: the Taalunieversum
The Taalunieversum is a gateway to the Dutch language. Behind the digital doorway www.taalunieversum.org lies Ali Baba's cave, full of wonders for researchers, teachers, text writers and anyone with an interest in Dutch. It contains everything from children's stories to literary translation, from geographical place names to literacy courses: in short, a treasuretrove of articles, teaching materials, research results, visual images, references and links. Teachers of Dutch and other people working in education will find research summaries, professional journals and educational terminology. One of the most popular sections of the site is the language advice service (Taaladvies), where anyone with a question about correct grammar or usage can consult over 1200 FAQs. ©
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Wegwijzer – Colofon – Contact – Vrijwaring – Opmerkingen en reacties
Wegwijzer – Colofon – Contact – Vrijwaring – Opmerkingen en reacties
