IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 1

Key challenges

Workshop on ICTs for learning the host country's language by adult migrants in the EU Seville, 1-2 October 2009

The views expressed by the authors are not necessarily those of the EC

IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 2

IPTS: Part of DG JRC of the EC: 7 Research Institutes across Europe

Mission: “to provide customer-driven support to the EU policy-making process by researching science-based responses to policy challenges that have both a socio-economic as well as a scientific or technological dimension”

Institute for Prospective Technological Studies

IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 3

Extremely heterogeneous students & the complexity of teaching

• Educational background

• Language and culture

• Personal conditions (duration of residence, migration project, mobility)

• Integration context and related aims to acquire L2 -> motivations and goals

• Work and family life commitments -> opportunities and constraints

• Spatial distribution of M.

This leads to:

• Need to work with small groups/individuals, but difficult to have homogenous

classes

• Difficult to stick to course calendar and high turnover

• Standardized teaching materials are inappropriate

IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 4

1. Illiterate/ poorly educated migrants, mostly women

(need special attention)

• Traditional family structures isolating women vs. the dream of getting a job and

desire for greater individual autonomy

• Learning to function in a highly literate context and society takes time

• They should not be left behind, even when L2 education is not compulsory

• However, low educated M. need a long time to reach compulsory integration

level A2 + cost a lot of money

• Need to develop IT material for illiterate/ poorly educated migrants

IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 5

2. Motivations, incentives, obligations

2.1 Low participation to courses

2.2 Incentives (learning requires a major effort from adults …

what is the reward?)

•Money?

•Work?

•Socialization?

2.3 Setting L2 levels and testing their achievement

IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 6

3. Teachers' preparation

• In Sweden, 50% of teachers in SFI courses lack proper qualification -> need

training

• Need to shift from group to 1-2-1 teaching

• In Spain, we lack specific L2 education training for teachers / lack of specific

skills to teach Spanish to adult migrants

• In Denmark, tools and teachers' preparation for summative evaluation are OK,

but need more tools and capacity for formative evaluation, esp. to support

individual learning paths

• Overcome teachers' technophobia or low awareness and trust towards ICT

• Teachers need skills in e- and m-learning

IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 7

4. Adapted/new courses: towards personalization of learning

• Customize tuition on individual's characteristics (capacities, needs etc.)

• Examples of targeted courses: L2 in preparation of jobs in specific economic

branches / L2 for housewives focused on school, health, shopping and other

aspects

• In Spain, very few appropriate teaching materials + little known by teachers

• We need greater flexibility in delivery (where, when, duration) -> use ICT for

this

• Functional (task-based) approach is needed. Very short starter L2 courses,

then L2 education integrated in other learning domains

• How to implement context learning?

• We need to integrate language tuition and language assessment for more

powerful learning environments

IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 8

5. Beyond (initial) L2 courses

5.1 Continuity of learning in time, beyond initial courses (use it or loose it) • How to ensure continuity in L practice/learning after the initial courses end?

• How to integrate L2 in everyday life for those without a job / how to give additional

learning opportunities for those who work (little time)?

5.2 Beyond L2 courses: formal instruction is not enough

–Combine SFI and internship at a workplace

–Combine L2 adult education with other integration measures:

•Link L centers to community life

•Link to leisure activities (esp. for isolated migrant workers)

•Linguistic mentorship in everyday and work life

•Link to children's education

IPTS workshop on ICTs for learning the host country language by adult migrants in the EU Seville 1-2 October 2009 9

6. ICT in support of L2 education• ICT for flexible and distant training delivery

• IT materials for illiterate migrants

• Flexibility and on-demand learning is supported by various forms of e- and m-learning

• How could content and concepts of digital learning be adapted for users with no ICT-

enabled learning experience (but possibly with some ICT skills)?

• How can migrants with no ICT experience become familiar with them in the context of a

language courses?

• Digital inclusion of M. might be an obstacle, esp. in rural areas, in terms of access to

infrastructures (computers, broadband connectivity), and lack of digital literacy, skills and

trust, creating a barrier in exploring ICT as a means of language learning

• Choose media/technologies that M. use in everyday life: mobile phones, but also other

media (TV, radio, potentially also some internet media) - > How can possibilities of digital

communication (much used by M.) be integrated in language-learning concepts?

• Address teachers technophobia and lack of awareness, skills and trust of ICT for L

education