Review on Migrant EducationReview on Migrant EducationAustriaAustria

First of all …First of all …

thanks to Deborah, Claire and Christian for the excellent thanks to Deborah, Claire and Christian for the excellent and comprehensive Country Note!and comprehensive Country Note!

ReviewReview raised and strenghtened the raised and strenghtened the debate on migrant debate on migrant education in Austriaeducation in Austria

A broad stakeholder process A broad stakeholder process took place took place

Further discussionsFurther discussions: NAP (National Action Plan on : NAP (National Action Plan on Integration – launched by the Ministry of Interior) and Integration – launched by the Ministry of Interior) and Discussion on the Green Book for Migration & Mobility Discussion on the Green Book for Migration & Mobility

Review on Migrant EducationReview on Migrant EducationAustriaAustria

The Austrian approach until 2008 The Austrian approach until 2008 (3 columns)(3 columns)

First language support for the most important First language support for the most important language groups language groups (20 mother tongues)(20 mother tongues)

Support in German as a second language (GSL) Support in German as a second language (GSL) + permanent extension of support measures+ permanent extension of support measures

‚‚Intercultural Education‘ as one of 13 Intercultural Education‘ as one of 13 Educational principles established (1990)Educational principles established (1990)

General ChallengesGeneral Challenges

Need for a Need for a coherent strategy coherent strategy in migrant educationin migrant education

Balance between universal and targeted measuresBalance between universal and targeted measures: : equity measures for all students irrespective of their equity measures for all students irrespective of their cultural / social origin - targeted measures for immigrant cultural / social origin - targeted measures for immigrant students (language support, mentoring, …)students (language support, mentoring, …)

Fragmentation of educational decision-makingFragmentation of educational decision-making (federal – provincial level)(federal – provincial level)

High High selectivityselectivity of the Austrian system – system of the Austrian system – system reproduces social / educational disadvantages reproduces social / educational disadvantages

Challenges at structural levelChallenges at structural level

Improvement of early childhood education Improvement of early childhood education (new (new compulsory last kindergarten year, more awareness compulsory last kindergarten year, more awareness concerning support for disadvanted children,…)concerning support for disadvanted children,…)

Changes in teacher and educator training Changes in teacher and educator training - need for compulsory modules in pre-service training, - need for compulsory modules in pre-service training,

more offers nessary in in-service-trainingmore offers nessary in in-service-training

Improved Improved collaborationcollaboration between institutions / between institutions / all levels of educationall levels of education

Challenges at school levelChallenges at school level

Schools and teachers are Schools and teachers are not enough prepared not enough prepared for linguistic/cultural diversityfor linguistic/cultural diversity

Diversity is often seen as a problem or deficit, Diversity is often seen as a problem or deficit, not as a resource or normal situation not as a resource or normal situation

Education Principle Education Principle ‚ICL‘‚ICL‘ is partly unknown or is partly unknown or insufficiently put into practiceinsufficiently put into practice

Quality of instruction and support differs Quality of instruction and support differs

Challenges at school levelChallenges at school level

Positive approachPositive approach is often missing, lack of is often missing, lack of knowledge about language acquistion & knowledge about language acquistion & plurilingualismus & multiculturalism plurilingualismus & multiculturalism

Quality/conditionsQuality/conditions of mother tongue teaching of mother tongue teaching

Schools differ in qualitySchools differ in quality and pedagogical and pedagogical answers across Austria answers across Austria

Good practiceGood practice is not always transferred is not always transferred

General RecommendationsGeneral Recommendations

Clarifying Clarifying responsibilitiesresponsibilities for the for the implementation of measuresimplementation of measures

FundingFunding must be must be earmarked earmarked to meet the to meet the objectives and the needs of students objectives and the needs of students

The The inclusivenessinclusiveness of the school system should of the school system should be increased – equity is a topic!be increased – equity is a topic!

The The quality of the instructionquality of the instruction and and teacher teacher trainingtraining need sustainable improvements need sustainable improvements

Policy OrientationsPolicy Orientations

Overview - Overview - Policy PrioritiesPolicy PrioritiesI Enhancing I Enhancing participation and quality in early participation and quality in early

childhood educationchildhood education and care and careII Providing II Providing adequate language supportadequate language support to all to all

studentsstudentsIII III Improving teaching and learningImproving teaching and learning

environmentsenvironmentsIV IV Engaging parents, communitiesEngaging parents, communities and and

schools to support immigrant studentsschools to support immigrant students

Enhancing participation & quality in Enhancing participation & quality in ECECECEC

Promote Promote participationparticipation of migrant children of migrant children

Improve the Improve the pedagogical qualitypedagogical quality and support and support for migrant childrenfor migrant children

Language assessments should include Language assessments should include mother mother tongue proficiency tongue proficiency

Offer targeted language stimulation in ECECOffer targeted language stimulation in ECEC

Involve and use the Involve and use the resourcesresources of the migrant of the migrant parentsparents and and communitiescommunities

Adequate language supportAdequate language support

Change the deficit oriented approachChange the deficit oriented approach into a into a positive orientation positive orientation > acknowledge the > acknowledge the linguistic/cultural diversity in schoolslinguistic/cultural diversity in schools

Strenghten language supportStrenghten language support and standardize and standardize the support programmes > the support programmes > legal right to receive legal right to receive support as long as a certain language level is reached support as long as a certain language level is reached

Integrate language and content learningIntegrate language and content learning – all – all teachers shape the acquistion of language teachers shape the acquistion of language

Adequate language supportAdequate language support

Improve mothertongue teachingImprove mothertongue teaching and increase and increase the benefits of itthe benefits of it

Improve the Improve the training, the status and the training, the status and the working conditionsworking conditions for mother tongue teaching for mother tongue teaching

Engage more teachers with another first Engage more teachers with another first language than German – language than German – role modelsrole models!!

Improving Teaching and Learning Improving Teaching and Learning EnvironmentsEnvironments

Accept Accept responsibility of school leadersresponsibility of school leaders for a for a positive approach to diversity positive approach to diversity

Strenghten the Strenghten the competenciescompetencies of teachers with of teachers with respect to diversity > teacher training must respect to diversity > teacher training must reflect diverse schools/classroomsreflect diverse schools/classrooms

Train the trainerTrain the trainer at teaching training colleges at teaching training colleges and universities – make them sensitive to and universities – make them sensitive to cultural diversity cultural diversity

Improving Teaching and Learning Improving Teaching and Learning EnvironmentsEnvironments

Identify Identify good practicegood practice across Austria across Austria

Make sure that Make sure that effective practice is effective practice is communicatedcommunicated and and transferred transferred

Make Make research results availableresearch results available for teachers for teachers

Strenghten the Strenghten the cooperationcooperation between ministry, between ministry, teacher training institutions, municipality level teacher training institutions, municipality level and schools and schools

Engage parents & communitiesEngage parents & communities

Improve the Improve the parental and community involve-parental and community involve-mentment, especially for those from weak socio-, especially for those from weak socio-economic backgroundeconomic background

Find Find new ways of communicationnew ways of communication with parents with parents

Recognize Recognize parents as equal partnersparents as equal partners in in education education

Promote local initiativesPromote local initiatives and provide outside and provide outside school support school support

Implement Implement more whole-day schoolsmore whole-day schools

Outcomes of Ad-hoc MeetingsOutcomes of Ad-hoc Meetings

Thanks for organizing it!Thanks for organizing it!

Networking at international level is Networking at international level is importantimportant, maybe more time for in , maybe more time for in dephts-discussions about comparable dephts-discussions about comparable challenges / strategies / solutions would challenges / strategies / solutions would be helpful for usbe helpful for us