Leading Education and Social Research - Institute of Education University of London
Languages - Promoting Linguistic Diversity
Key London Issues > The Languages of London > Promoting Linguistic Diversity:

  • Key Documents:

    Positively Plurilingual:
    The contribution of community languages to UK education and society

    This document in its title uses the concept of plurilingualism which is the key concept of the current approach to language diversity and development of language skills advocated by the European Council. Plurilingualism represents a qualitative leap from approaches which treat skills in different languages in ‘separate boxes’ to an understanding that bilingual learners are not a quantitative sum of two monolinguals but that their overall communicative skills are different in a qualitative way. For further information about the European language policy click here: http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/lang/languages_en.html

    To download "Positively Plurilingual" in full please click here: www.cilt.org.uk/pdf/pubs/positively_plurilingual.pdf (11/01/2006)

    New toolkit for promoting languages

    A new toolkit for schools and businesses wishing to promote language learning has been launched by the Regional Language Network (RLN). The toolkit titled: Business Language Champions has praised by the Foreign Secretary, David Miliband. This toolkit is based on the programme with the same title which was funded by the DCSF and piloted in 11 London local authorities involving 400 students, some of whom had a chance to meet David Milliband and tell him about their experiences of the programme.

    For the full document and case studies please go to: www.rln-london.com/champions

  • Events:

    Celebrating the European Day of Languages

    The European Day of Languages (EDL) is held annually on the 26th September to celebrate linguistic diversity. This is a Council of Europe initiative that started in 2001.

    EDL aims to:
    • To alert the public to the importance of language learning
    • To increase awareness and appreciation of all languages
    • To encourage lifelong language learning

    There are a range of resources which can be used by schools and other organisations to plan activities for this day. EDL is celebrated throughout the UK and in 45 countries across Europe. View the Council of Europe Events calendar for details of planned activities in the UK and across Europe. Also you can add your own event, even if it is not open to the public.

    What do languages bring to London?

    According to the European Cities Monitor's (Cushman & Wakefield) annual survey:
    “London is the top rated city (for doing business in) in half of the 12 major rankings, including access to markets, the availability of qualified staff, international transport links, internal transport links, telecommunications factors and for languages spoken.”

    ‘The City of London has for centuries been a major trading centre, first for Europe and later for the whole world. It has also been a place where political and economic refugees from many different nations and background settled. These people invariably brought their own languages to London and although they eventually learned English,their own languages and culture continued to be reflected in business and this greatly contributed to the developing prosperity of the City, and over time to Greater London... When the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was set up in the capital there was a requirement for speakers of 38 different languages. All were found from within London.’
    (The Lord Mayor, City of London, in Baker and Eversley (2000) Multilingual Capital)

    Why do languages matter in the globalised world?

    "Languages are indeed essential to the identity of groups and individuals and to their peaceful coexistence. They constitute a strategic factor of progress towards sustainable development and a harmonious relationship between the global and the local context.... UNESCO therefore invites governments, United Nations organisations, civil society organisations, educational institutions, professional associations and all other stakeholders to increase their own activities to foster respect for, and the promotion and protection of all languages, particularly endangered languages, in all individual and collective contexts."
    (Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO)