Applied Languages

    Posted by Jaiken Struck on February 10th, 2009

Learning their community language outside the home enhances the development of children from minority ethnic groups, according to research led by the University of Birmingham. The study also found that the parents believed that bilingualism had economic benefits for their children as it improved their chances of success in the global jobs market.

Complementary schools provide out-of-school-hours community language learning for children and young people from minority groups. They aim to develop students’ multilingualism, strengthen the link between home and the community, and connect them with wider social networks.

“It is rare to find an environment where two or more languages are used in teaching and learning,” says Angela Creese, Professor of Educational Linguistics at the university, who led the research. The new study builds on an earlier study that found significant evidence of the value of complementary schools. The findings highlight the general view among minority communities that children need to study language, heritage and culture at school rather than in isolation at home.

Read more: Birmingham Post

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