February 24, 2023
As part of our efforts to inform the public about important issues having to do with the education of multilingual children -- in particular the key role that community language groups play -- Heritage Language Education (HLE) Network provides information sessions about heritage language education. We address why it is important, how it can be supported, and the impact of positive attitudes.
Information sessions about these and related topics are part of HLE Network's Outreach Services, which now appear on Brainport's page listing *possible teacher training options. Brainport's list is meant to inspire schools to build expertise surrounding the theme of internationalization.
What is Brainport?
"Brainport" is a cooperation between government, business, and education in the Eindhoven metropolitan area. Its goal is to form a cohesive strategy and vision on behalf of the 21 member municipalities, companies, and educational bodies. (See HLE Network's 2020 interview with the Project Leader for Internationalization of Education in Brainport.)
Brainport acknowledges that the home language of multilingual children plays a role in their overall education.
A vision for internationalization
One of Brainport's goals is to prepare all children in the region well for a future that is becoming increasingly international. In 2020, Brainport renewed its vision for internationalization of schools in the region and acknowledged that the home language of multilingual children plays a role in their overall education.
Expertise-building for teachers
Brainport has set a goal that by 2025, all schools in Brainport Eindhoven will have embedded internationalization into their policies. In order to reach this goal, Brainport offers support in developing the expertise of teachers in the region: "If teachers have the right competencies, they can then pass these on to their students."
On Brainport's "Internationalisering Onderwijs Deskundigheidsbevordering" webpage about language skills, examples of training courses have been listed as inspiration for a possible expertise request within the framework of the "Regiodeal Brainport Eindhoven." HLE Network's presentation about "9 Myths of Heritage Language Education" has been listed as an example on Brainport's webpage, but the content of information sessions can be customized as needed.
Many thanks to Brainport for recognizing the value of this topic!