Wiki on Minority Language Learning

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====== About the Wiki on minority language learning ======


===== The Wiki on Minority Language Learning =====
Mercator’s Wiki on Minority Language Learning by [[https://www.mercator-research.eu/en/|Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning]] is an online factsheet system which provides information on regional or minority language education that have only a (very) small place in the national education system, or none at all. Mercator’s Wiki is to complement the [[https://www.mercator-research.eu/en/regional-dossiers/|Regional Dossiers]].
The Wiki provides information on language vitality, demographics, related legislation, history of its education, education in practice, as well as educational institutions and learning resources. Mercator’s Wiki allows for flexibility in its structure to accommodate for the various educational arrangements, which are susceptible for change. 

{{ :images:dsc02520_cropped_example.jpg?nolink&800 |Image showing someone visiting the Wiki on Minority Language Learning. Photo taken by Y.R. Scarse}}

==== Aim ====

The aim of the Wiki on Minority Language Learnings is to complement the Regional Dossier series and provide information on regional or minority languages in education which have no or a limited place in the educational system. The Wiki on Minority Language Learning mainly focusses on regional or minority languages in Europe.

The main goals of the Wiki on Minority Language Learning are to: 
  * share knowledge on regional or minority language learning, as education of the languages is a key factor for language vitality ((Lewis, M. P., & Simons, G. F. (2010). Assessing endangerment: Expanding Fishman's GIDS. //Revue Roumaine de Linguistique// 55(2), 103–20. [[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228384852_Assessing_endangerment_Expanding_Fishman%27s_GIDS]]))((UNESCO Ad Hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages. (2003). Language Vitality and Endangerment. //International Expert Meeting on the UNESCO Programme Safeguarding of Endangered Languages, Paris, 2003, // CLT/CEI/DCE/ELP/PI/2003/1. [[https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000183699]]))((Lee N.H. & Van Way J. (2016). Assessing levels of endangerment in the Catalogue of Endangered Languages (ELCat) using the Language Endangerment Index (LEI). //Language in Society//. 2016;45(2):271-292. doi:10.1017/S0047404515000962)), and inclusion of multilingualism and mother tongue education is important for the academic success and wellbeing of students ((Gaikhorst, L., Karssen, M., Zijlstra, H., Martens, E. & Duarte, J. (2023). De effecten van een meertalige interventie op zowel de sociaal-affectieve als cognitieve ontwikkeling van basisschoolleerlingen [The effects of a multilingual intervention for the social-affective and cognitive development of primary education students]. //Pedagogische Studiën, 100.// 10.59302/ps.v100i3.17634.))((Hélot, C. & Young, A. (2006).  Imagining Multilingual Education in France: A Language and Cultural Awareness Project at Primary Level. In O Garda,T. Skutnabb-Kangas & M. Torres-Guzmán (Eds.), //Imagining Multilingual Schools: Languages in Education and Glocalizacion //(pp. 69-90). Multilingual Matters.))((United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues. (2017). //Language Rights of Linguistic Minorities: A Practical Guide for Implementation.// United Nations.  [[https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Minorities/SR/LanguageRightsLinguisticMinorities_EN.pdf]]))((Van der Wildt,A., Van Avennaet, P., & Van Houtte, M. (2017). Multilingual school population: ensuring school belonging by tolerating multilingualism. //International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 20//(7), 868-882.));
  * reflect the institutional support for regional or minority language education in different contexts; 
  * collect and offer open resources for regional or minority language learning;
  * increase the visibility of regional or minority languages online;

The Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning uses the following definition for regional and minority languages, as stated in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML; 1992): "Regional and minority languages are languages traditionally used within a given territory of a state by nationals of that state who form a group numerically smaller than the rest of the state’s population; they are different from the official language(s) of that state, and they include neither dialects of the official language(s) of the state nor the languages of migrants"((Council of Europe. (1992). //European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.// CETS 148. Council of Europe. [[https://www.coe.int/en/web/european-charter-regional-or-minority-languages/text-of-the-charter]].)).

The Wiki on Minority Language Learning includes information on languages which are recognised via the ECRML, such as Saterfrisian in Germany, languages which are recognised via other means, such as Catalan Sign Language in Spain, and languages witout official (national) recognition, such as Bildts in the Netherlands. Additional to these regional or minority languages in Europe, other languages may be included if they are aligned with the Wiki’s aim.

==== Target groups ====
Mercator’s Wiki on minority language learning is relevant for anyone who wishes to explore developments in regional or minority language education in Europe. For example:
  * policymakers;
  * researchers;
  * students;
  * teachers;
  * journalists.

==== Regional Dossier Series ====
With information on regional or minority language education with little or no place in the education system, Mercator’s Wiki complements the [[https://www.mercator-research.eu/en/regional-dossiers/|Regional Dossiers]], which provide concise descriptions of regional or minority languages which are taught in the formal education system. Aspects that are addressed in the Regional Dossiers include features of the education system, recent educational policies, main actors, legal arrangements, and support structures, as well as quantitative aspects such as the number of schools, teachers, and pupils, and financial investments. Mercator’s Wiki and the Regional Dossiers share a similar aim and target group. Together, they describe the education of more than 80 regional or minority languages. 

==== Contributors ====

Most people recognise a wiki as a platform to find and share information. Likewise, Mercator’s Wiki on Minority Language Learning allows for people to contribute to the Wiki, and share information about the education of regional or minority languages. Mercator European Research Centre manages, publishes and maintains this Wiki. The [[yscarse@fryske-akademy.nl|main editor]] of this Wiki enables people who wish to contribute, and entries are proofread before they are published online. This way, Mercator European Research Centre aims to publish accurate and up-to-date information. For more information, see [[manual:ownership_of_content|Ownership of content]].

Suggestions, new information or new contributors are welcomed. Please go to the page [[manual:become_an_author|Contribute]] for more information to contact us, and for an overview of previous contributors to the Mercator's Wiki on minority language learning.

==== How to cite ====

You may follow the reference guidelines for APA style, and cite the Wiki as:

Mercator European Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning. (Year, Month Date). // Language entry.// Mercator’s Wiki on minority language learning. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL. 
====  Co-operation University of Groningen ====
Since 2017, Mercator European Research Centre has had a co-operation with the MA-programme Multilingualism at Campus Fryslân, which is part of the University of Groningen. A lecture or workshop is given to explore the topics covered by the Wiki, and afterwards, the students are assigned to choose a regional or minority language (with a focus on Europe), and write a fact sheet on the education of this language. This way, students learn more on gathering (limited) information on minority or regional language education, international or European [[general_information:glossary_of_terms#European Charter for Regional and Minority languages|treaties]] which promote education, and of course, about regional or minority education. Afterwards, students can submit their fact sheets to be published online. 


If a workshop or such an assignment regarding this Wiki suits your educational programmes, please contact the [[yscarse@fryske-akademy.nl|the main editor]].



==== Mercator’s Wiki development ====

The Mercator European Research Centre aims to acquire, apply, and circulate knowledge about regional and minority languages in education, which is mostly focused on the regional and minority languages in Europe. An important means to achieve this goal are the Regional Dossier series and the Wiki on Minority Language Learning. 

Since 2016, the Wiki on Minority Language Learning provides information on regional or minority language education that have only a (very) small place in the national education system, or none at all. The Wiki complements the Regional Dossier Series. Currently, the Wiki has [[:start|39 language entries]]. If the language on the Wiki also has a Regional Dossier, the dossier is linked in the Wiki entry at the bottom of the page. You can read about new developments in [[manual:wiki_news|News]].

In preparation of the Wiki, a report was made with an overview of other platforms with information on minority or regional languages, as well as recommendations and an initial set-up for the Wiki. See: [[https://www.mercator-research.eu/fileadmin/mercator/documents/publications/2016-01-21_-_an_inventory_of_best_practices.pdf|Discussion paper]] //an inventory of best practices and potential partners for exchanging information on minority languages// by Buning in 2016.). 

Some large platforms focus on (socio)linguistic data and resources on (endangered) languages. Several calculate the language vitality of the listed languages, for which the education of the language is (one) of the key factors ((Lewis, M. P., & Simons, G. F. (2010). Assessing endangerment: Expanding Fishman's GIDS. //Revue Roumaine de Linguistique// 55(2), 103–20. [[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228384852_Assessing_endangerment_Expanding_Fishman%27s_GIDS]]))((UNESCO Ad Hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages. (2003). Language Vitality and Endangerment. //International Expert Meeting on the UNESCO Programme Safeguarding of Endangered Languages, Paris, 2003, // CLT/CEI/DCE/ELP/PI/2003/1. [[https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000183699]]))((Lee N.H. & Van Way J. (2016). Assessing levels of endangerment in the Catalogue of Endangered Languages (ELCat) using the Language Endangerment Index (LEI). //Language in Society//. 2016;45(2):271-292. doi:10.1017/S0047404515000962)). Information of such platforms are incorporated in the Wiki entries by means of the [[manual:colour_codes|Language Vitality Table]]. These are:
  *[[https://en.wal.unesco.org/discover/languages|UNESCO World Atlas of Languages]] with the  UNESCO’s Language Vitality and Endangerment framework
  *[[ https://glottolog.org/|Glottolog]] with the Agglomerated Endangerment Status (AES)
  *[[http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/|Endangered Languages Project]] with the the Language Endangerment Index (LEI)
  *[[https://www.ethnologue.com/|Ethnologue]] . The Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS)

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