Developing instruments to promote language skills of migrants
Promoting the integration of migrants in Switzerland is a legislative objective of the Swiss Federal Council, and the ability to speak one of the country’s languages is regarded as a critical step towards realising this goal. This overarching aim and the federal model “Framework proposal to promote language skills” (Rahmenkonzept Sprachförderung) provided the basis for the Institute of Multilingualism’s “Framework curriculum for promoting language skills of migrants”, commissioned by the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) in 2009. The FOM has requested that the Institute of Multilingualism together with other partners develop further instruments to foster migrants’ linguistic abilities by the end of 2011. The emphasis lies on implementing and firming up the framework curriculum and working closely with people actively involved in the field. The entire project for developing the instruments has been divided into five subprojects which are coordinated by the Institute of Multilingualism.
Organisation chart
Coordinating the project
Project coordination comprises organising and managing processes for the duration of the entire project as well as harmonising both content and progress of the subprojects in order to ensure continuity and coherence in the development projects. Regular meetings take place (milestone meetings, project committee meetings) to regulate the content and the completion dates of the five subprojects and to guarantee the flow of information between the individual teams. As project leader, the FOM maintains direct communication with the project coordinators and reviews the interim results at the milestone meetings.
The Institute of Multilingualism Fribourg is in charge of project coordination and takes on content-related responsibilities as well as administrative and organisational duties.
Project management: Martin Müller and Lukas Wertenschlag
Administration: Susanne Obermayer
International advisory committee
An advisory committee made up of internationally distinguished experts from Ireland, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland lends its support during the project’s planning phase. The committee works towards clarifying the main issues in the project and is instrumental in assuring quality in the individual projects. In addition, the committee assumes an advisory role for the project coordinators and the directors of the development projects, and, together with project coordination, monitors progress. Based on how well milestones have been achieved, the committee then gives recommendations to the project’s leader on whether to approve a project. These processes and the ensuing feedback from the committee enhance the quality of work. The international advisory committee meets regularly at the milestone meetings and is directed by the Institute of Multilingualism Fribourg.
Project manager: Peter Lenz
Development project A: Analysing the communicative needs of various migrant groups – defining learning objectives
The primary objective of project A is to create a basis for optimising measures that lead to the linguistic integration of migrants. In working towards this goal, it is crucial to ascertain the actual communicative needs various migrant groups have for participating in everyday activities, but also for advancing their social and professional integration. Subsequently, specifying and describing associated linguistic knowledge and skills is necessary, including considerations of the significance of intercultural competence for everyday speech acts. Defining objectives and content can prove helpful when planning offers for migrants to learn the local language. In addition, an open system of goal descriptions permits a flexible transfer to other target groups and specific needs. The Institute of Multilingualism Fribourg is in charge of development project A. Work on the project began in February 2010.
Project manager: Martin Müller
Project associates: Séverine Beaud, Elio Lanari, Lisa Singh-Tscherrig
Student associates: Fausta Genazzi, Mathilde Grousson, Melanie Kutz, Annemarie Lazar
Information on the other development projects is currently being prepared:
Development project B: Illustrating learning objectives
Project manager: Mike Makosch, Urs Egli (MGB - Koordinationsstelle der Klubschulen KOST)
Development project C1: Tools for placement, on-going evaluation and documentation of learning
Project manager: Margrit Hagenow (IDEA Innovazione, sviluppo e assistenza in educazione)
Development project C2: Language portfolio for migrants in Switzerland
Project manager: Ernst Maurer (Language and Integration, Zurich)
Development project D: Training language teachers in integration work
Project manager: Bernhard Grämiger (SVEB Schweizerischer Verband für Weiterbildung)