Early education makes learning fun for indigenous children

UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund

Early education makes learning fun for indigenous children

The Association of Promoters of Bilingual Mayan-Ixil Education (APEDIBIMI), a non-governmental organization in Guatemala promote bilingual, Ixil-Spanish  education to encourage children to attend a happy and welcoming school.

Parents and teacher state that children are eager to go to school and participate in activities in their mother tongue instead of having to learn only in Spanish. Parents help at home to reinforce what children have learned at school.

The APEDIBIMI doesn’t train only young children. With UNICEF and  the Guatemalan Ministry of Education help, workshops for parents, teachers are organized to learn more in early bilingual education.

http://www.unicef.org/education/guatemala_41038.html

Why is it Important to Maintain the Native Language?

IDRA Intercultural Development Research Association

Why is it Important to Maintain the Native Language? 

Children have the same abilities whether their language is English or any other language.

It is important to maintain their mother tongue because children might lose their first language.

• Children’s first language it is part of their identity, culture and heritage.
• The family’s and community links might be broken if a child loses his first language.
• Students intellectual development might be affected when student is not fluent in the language learning is delivered.
• Higher achievement might take place in the later years when student continue to develop his first language.
• Better job opportunities for graduates who speak two or more languages.

Ref.:http://www.idra.org/IDRA_Newsletter/January_2000_Bilingual_Education/Why_is_it_Important_to_Maintain_the_Native_Language?/

GPE Global Partnership for Education

Children Learn Better in Their Mother Tongue

Parents might be reluctant to enroll children in school because of a fear of failure. Some children might drop out from school when instruction wasn’t delivered in their mother tongue in the early grades.

UNESCO advises since 1953 for the early years to be taught in children’s first language.

 It is important to get family, community, multilingual teachers, policy makers and schools involved to achieve better education for all.

Ref.: http://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/children-learn-better-their-mother-tongue

Mother Tongue Matters: Mother Tongue Matters: Local Language as a Key to Effective Learning

 UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

Mother Tongue Matters: Mother Tongue Matters: Local Language as a Key to Effective Learning

Research from UNESCO (2003) advises that the way to achieve quality education is by using the mother tongue.

The overall achievement of students taught in a bilingual system is superior.

The second language acquisition is almost at the same level of students in a one language system

The acquisition of linguistic competencies in their first language is a plus.

Children enjoy participating actively in the learning process.

Ref.: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0016/001611/161121e.pdf

Bilingual Education

The need of families for better economic opportunities and better education for their children cause the mobility of population. Sometimes it is from one country to another. Other times it is from rural areas to urban ones. The migration of population brings challenges to large communities. One of them is in the educational system.

Children enter schools where they are taught in a different language than their mother tongue language. There are two alternatives for these children. One is a bilingual education which is very expensive but has the advantage of a child speaking and writing in two languages since childhood. The other one is full immersion which might bring a delay in the learning process of the child.