TENDENCIES OF MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION OF SCHOOLCHILDREN DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN EUROPEAN CONTEXT

Abstract

In the article the Western European experience of plurilingualism formation in the terms of school education is analyzed. Particular attention is given to further clarify the meaning of “tendency” as a category of comparative pedagogy. It is understood as a trend of educational changes, caused by numerous political, social, cultural and scientific factors that interact in society, often causing controversy, and has as a result the new quality of educational processes. The tendency in multilingual education of schoolchildren in Western European countries represents the direction of educational changes, which is the result of political, economic, socio-cultural, ethno-linguistic and pedagogical processes aimed at fostering schoolchildren’ ability to practice in their studies and daily life several languages. The author revealed the general and level tendencies in the process of schoolchildren multilingual education development in Western European countries (the second half of the 20th – beginning of the 21st century). The analysis of pedagogical experience of multilingual education in Western Europe identified the following main tendencies of this process. Diversification means: 1) expanding the range of languages offered for study, among them are the main European languages, as well as weight gain Asian languages; 2) globalization of English and use it as a lingua franca. Economization is implemented: 1) in forming the ability to inter-ethnic dialogue and understanding through study languages of close origin; 2) the application of the functional approach to learning multiple languages, which involves the formation of multi-competence and “linguistic capital”. Ecologization is to: 1) use in the learning process different languages, saving local dialects to preserve the linguistic landscape; 2) deep mastery of the every student’s mother tongue for the normal formation of thinking processes and the preservation of his/her cultural identity. Convergence is embodied in: 1) creation of a European educational space of language education through the use of common competencies and assessment parameters – European Framework of Reference; 2) applying the integrated curriculum of language subjects. Divergence is realized through the use of various technological approaches (immersion, receptive, propaedeutic technologies). Individualization is based on the position that plurilingualism is not a privilege of the gifted elite representatives, and can be formed by every person, 2) in opportunities for the creation of individual linguistic repertoire and educational route for each of the schoolchildren. Value dimension is provides by: 1) a focus on intercultural education and civic consciousness that is expressed in the formation of the ability to live together and interact effectively in a multilingual environment of modern Europe, recognizing the equivalence of all languages and cultures; 2) willingness to mediate in intercultural relations and to act as a citizen of the united Europe. These trends developed under the influence of general tendencies (globalization, internationalization, intercultural dialog) and have displays on: pan European (mega), state or national (macro), regional (meso), local (micro) and individual (nano) levels. The author identified the general and level tendencies of development of schoolchildren multilingual education in Western Europe, and invited to consider them as a platform for further reflection and discussion, experimental work development in the interests of national education system perfection.