Take a look at an overview of conferences, round table discussions and discussions organised by META between 2011 – 2015

An international conference The Education of Children with a different mother tongue: challenges and inspiration, 15 and 16 June 2015

The conference was held on 15 and 16 June in the Goethe-Institut in Prague and it was attended by over 70 representatives of various fields (but mostly teachers and headmasters, workers from educational and psychological counselling centres, teachers of Czech as a second language, deputies of Prague districts and regional authorities and other key participants).
Both days were devoted to speeches of foreign and Czech experts and then to deputies of the Regional Authority of the Moravian-Silesian Region (Mgr. Martina Plchová), the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic (PhDr. Helena Dluhošová), the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (PhDr. Hana Frýdová) and the Czech School Inspectorate (PhDr. Ondřej Andrys, MAE). Expert discussions and workshops were included in the programme as well.

On the first day, we focused on the challenges and inspiration from abroad, specifically from Saxony and Finland. In the speeches, we presented META’s new publication „Komparace národních politik“ (Comparison of national policies), which strives to compare the Czech system with the Finnish and the Saxon ones, and to define the challenges and inspiration in the education of pupils with a different mother tongue in eight categories. The afternoon programme was devoted to practical workshops and discussions under the leadership of Mrs MEd. Jenni Alisaari from Finland, the University of Turku and Mrs Friederike Schulz and Mrs Ute Reichel from the Competence Centre for Language Education from Dresden in Germany. In the end of the first day of the conference, more than 30 other guests gathered – winners of the language and literary competition „Čeština je i můj jazyk“ (Czech is my language as well) and their parents and teachers, and they were awarded prizes.

The second day was thematically and rhetorically varied. From connecting the key participants in this area at various levels through specific system recommendations, we listened to the experience of a parent of a child with a different mother tongue and then we introduced the audience to the topic of Czech as a second language (Mgr. Barbora Štindlová, Ph.D., UJOP). We dealt with this topic in relation with preschool children and we also presented the curriculum of Czech as a second language.

Thank you to all speakers and guests for an enriching gathering.

Selected presentations of some speakers can be downloaded below:
– alisaari_jenni_l2_learners_in_finland_15.6.2015
– alisaari_jenni_scaffolding_and_supporting_the_reading_comprehension_15.6.2015
– horackova_klara_prezentace_na_konferenci_Komparace Finsko_15.6.2015
– reichel_uta_schulz_friederike_endfassungprag_15.6.2015
– vavrova_petra_prezentace_na_konferenci__Komparace Sasko_15.6.2015

– radostny_lukas_konference_16.6.2015
– plchova_martina_role_kraje_podporazakusomj_konference_16.6.2015
– titerova_kristyna_vyzvy_a_inspirace_shrnuti_konference_16.6.2015
– stindlova_barbora_cilovy_jazyk_cestina_konference_16.6.2015
– linhartova_prezentace_ms_konference_16.6.2015

You can look at an invitation to the conference and the two-day event programme.

The conference was held under the auspices of PhDr. Marcel Chládek, MBA, the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, and with the kind support of the Goethe-Institut.

The conference was co-financed from funds of the European Fund for the Integration of Third-country Nationals.

A series of five regional round table discussions was realised by META between November 2014 and May 2015 as a part of the project The Theme of the Day: School – the basis of integration, co-financed from funds of the European Fund for the Integration of Third-country Nationals

Within the round table discussions, two publications were presented and distributed – Vzdělávání a začleňování žáků s odlišným mateřským jazykem. Systémová doporučení (Education and Integration of pupils with a different mother tongue. System recommendations), and Hledá se dvojjazyčný asistent (Looking for a bilingual assistant), which were updated by META for this project.

A round table discussion dedicated to the topic of the education and integration of pupils with a different mother tongue (DMT) in Liberec, 12 May 2015

The last one from the series of regional round table discussions took place on 12 May in Liberec. It was held under the auspices of Mrs Alena Losová, a member of the Regional Council, who manages the province of education, youth, sports and employment. Mrs Losová pleased us at the beginning with her presence and kind words she spoke to the audience.

The round table discussion was arranged by META in cooperation with the Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners in Liberec (CPIC) and it was attended by thirty people from various institutions from the Liberec region who engage in the education and inclusion of pupils with a DMT. Among the attendees, there were representatives of education, i.e. kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, representatives of non-profit organisations, such as the Centre for Integration of Foreigners, o.p.s. (CIC), People in Need, citizens association D.R.A.K., and representatives of the department of education of the Regional Authority of the Liberec Region (KÚ LK), as well as of the Liberec City Hall (MML). The discussion was also attended by workers of employment offices, deputies of the National Institute for Further Education (NIDV) and the Department for Asylum and Migration Policy (OAMP) and others. Those people thus had the opportunity to exchange valuable experience across various areas.

After META’s introduction, three speeches were heard. First, it was Mrs Bc. Petra Sovová, the head of the Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners in Liberec, who informed those present about the number of foreigners in the Liberec region, about the centre’s activity and she pointed out that even though pupils with a DMT are not the centre’s target group, they actively pay attention to them, arrange Czech courses for them and cooperate with other institutions and organisations which focus on the education and integration of pupils with a DMT in the region.

Mrs Sovová also talked about the topic of interpreting and pointed out it is demanding to ensure interpreting services in the whole region and then she introduced the attendees to the situation in the Česká Lípa area, where a large group of Mongols lives with many children under the age of three. Therefore, the question of kindergartens’ readiness for this group of children with a DMT who will soon enter the education system was discussed.

The next speakers were Mrs Michaela Límová and Mrs Kamila Strachoňová from the Centre for Integration of Foreigners, o.p.s. (CIC). They stressed the comprehensive approach applied to clients of the CIC. The activity of the CIC also includes the support of children education and their integration in schools. They realise, for example, the innovative project “Rodinný kurz pro děti a rodiče” (Family course for children and parents), where parents are introduced to, not only the Czech language, but also facts about the Czech school environment and school terminology. The CIC representatives would appreciate the improvement of cooperation with schools, especially in spreading the range of services of non-profit organisations in the region and gaining contacts with other pupils with a DMT, so that the information would actually reach the target group. They also opened up, among other things, the topic of networking, clear communication among the key participants in the region, coordination of the process of integration of pupils with a DMT in schools. Finally, they pointed out that school’s role is crucial in this topic, but schools are not sufficiently prepared for their role.

The third speaker was Mrs Blanka Blažková from the Primary School in Trutnov, where one class for language preparation is currently open. She spoke about her experience from the perspective of a teacher at Secondary Medical School in Trutnov, where two Mongols entered the first year. Teachers went through the process of integration by themselves, without any help, they looked up materials and information by themselves. Both students finally graduated successfully. Mrs Blažková brought into the topic the perspective of a teacher, who encounters pupils with a DMT in regular subjects and at the same time, in lessons of Czech as a second language. She pointed out the need of motivation, a positive approach of schools and teachers themselves, and also a comprehensive approach, cooperation and awareness of all involved – the school, the headmaster, the teachers, the class teacher, the teacher of Czech ad a second language, and on the other side, the pupil, his parents and all involved institution. Mrs Blažková also positively assessed the engagement of classmates in the process of a new classmate entering the class in the form of so-called patrons.

In the course of the event, a discussion evolved among the representatives of departments of education of both MML and KÚ LK, and the representatives of CIC, CPIC, NIDV, headmasters and teachers. The discussed topics were, among others, the readiness of educational and psychological counselling centres for their new role being formed in an amendment of the education law, the awareness of schools, headmasters and teachers, the possibility of a bigger involvement of a guidance counsellor or a social educator. Some recalled stories of pupils with a DMT and their parents and the need of each individual’s development and the use of their potential. Mr Luděk Tesarčík from the department of education KÚ LK stressed, among others, that the measures that arise from the law are aimed for the compulsory education and he draw attention to the informational website for schools of the Liberec region edulk.cz.

In the end, Kristýna Titěrová introduced to those present the suggested system recommendations in specific areas of the education of pupils with a DMT, such as providing language preparation, lessons of Czech as a second language, the support of a mother tongue, coordination and concept of the process of integration of pupils with a DMT on the level of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Labour, the planned involvement of NIDV into the role of a regional coordinator from the Ministry of Education’s side.

Thank you to all attendees for an enriching gathering, for inputs into discussions and expressing suggestions for improvement of the situation in the region and other needs

Take a look at photos from the event.

A round table discussion focused on the topic of education and integration of pupils with a different mother tongue (DMT) in Pardubice, 15 April 2015

On 15 April, under the auspices of the governor of the Pardubice Region Martin Netolický, the fourth in a series of META’s regional round table discussions about the education and integration of pupils with a different mother tongue (DMT) was held. The event was arranged in cooperation with the Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners in Pardubice (CPIC) and it was attended by 27 people from various institutions engaged in education and integration of pupils with a DMT. The attendees could therefore exchange valuable experience across different areas.

In the course of the meeting and during discussions, we have heard examples of good practice, and the existence of a functional coordination and supportive network in the region was pointed out, as well as the need to extend it and connect more initiatives and subjects to it. In the discussions, the attendees mentioned multiple times not only the need of an adequate language preparation for pupils with a DMT, but also the sociocultural differences of these children, for which especially schools and teachers themselves are not prepared. The possible role of social educators and the involvement of parents and the school community, and last but not least, interpreters were discussed. Representatives of organisations presenting their activity at the round table discussion and other attendees of the discussion also mentioned the fact that pupils with a DMT have a difficult situation particularly in small towns and villages in the region. Schools or families themselves often do not ask for help because they do not know who to turn to. Field works and monitoring in the region are already taking place but there is lack of means for it. The role of schools and teachers is sometimes on the borderline of social work. What permeated the entire round table discussion was the need to create regional concept and ensure an improved coordination of the process of integration of pupils with a DMT in the education system in the region.

Before META presented its system recommendations in specific areas of the education of pupils with a DMT (especially in language preparation and lessons of Czech as a second language), three speakers had spoken.

Mrs Ivona Baklíková, the head of the CPIC, introduced the organisation’s activities in the region and its role of a key partner for other institutions in matters of education and migrant integration. Mrs Baklíková also mentioned the long-term cooperation with the organisation MOST PRO, o.p.s., introduced those present to the migrant associations from the region and their functions, and stressed the comprehensive approach applied to clients of the CPIC. The CPIC in Pardubice is interested in strengthening its coordination and conceptual role in the region, expanding the opportunities of counselling, language preparation and mother tongue support.

The next speaker was Mrs Helena Grundmanová from the Pardubice organisation MOST PRO, o.p.s., who presented the organisation’s activities and services as well. She talked mainly about the activity of Multiklub pod Mostem. She pointed out the comprehensive approach applied by the workers, described the group and individual tutoring, and the functioning cooperation with teaching assistants. Mrs Grundmanová would appreciate, on behalf of MOST PRO, the coordination of schools and other institutions dealing with the education of pupils with a DMT in the region. In connection with this topic, she invited the attendees to a discussion meeting hosted by NIDV in Pardubice on 27 May 2015.

Mrs Jarmila Staňková, the headmaster of the Primary School Závodu Míru, introduced those present with the practice of the school, acknowledged the involvement of teaching assistants and pointed out that children with a DMT often come from a different cultural environment which influences the mutual understanding. The next speakers of the round table discussion were Mrs Zdena Netolická, who shared her long-term experience with educating pupils with a DMT and with the use of textbooks for special schools, and Mrs Gabriela Chalupníková from The Centre for International Cooperation in Education (DZS), who introduced the attendees to the opportunities of participating in activities of DZS and its connection with the topic of education and inclusion of pupils with a DMT. Mrs Irena Tužinská also acknowledged the contribution of teaching assistants and opened the topic of inappropriately set subsidy programs.

Thank you to all attendees for an enriching gathering, for inputs into discussions and expressing suggestions for improvement of the situation in the region and other needs.

The last in a series of regional round table discussions about the integration and education of pupils with a DMT will be held in Liberec on 12 May 2015.

A round table discussion focused on the topic of education and integration of pupils with a different mother tongue (DMT) in Ústí nad Labem, 18 February 2015

On Wednesday, 18 February 2015, the third in a series of META’s round table discussions took place in Interhotel Bohemia in Ústí nad Labem. We would like to thank the Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners (CPIC) in the Ústí nad Labem region. The round table discussion was attended by almost 30 representatives of various institutions from the region – besides teachers and school headmasters, the discussion brought together also workers from educational and psychological counselling centres, experts from the Faculty of Education UJEP, deputies of various departments of the City Council and the Regional Authority, teachers of Czech as a second language and representatives of non-profit organisations dealing with the topic in the region, such as the Counselling Centre for Integration (PPI) or Diocesan Caritas Ústí nad Labem.

After META representatives’ introduction, PPI nad CPIC presented their activity. Mrs Daniela Pettrichová introduced to the attendees, among other things, the numbers and national composition of foreigners permanently settled in the Ústí nad Labem region. Mrs Radka Janíková, the headmaster of the Primary School of Agnes of Bohemia in Ústí nad Labem, drew on the previous speech and presented the situation at this school and added her long-term experience from the area of the integration of pupils with a DMT to education process. Who shared their real-life experience as well were Mrs Martina Brhelová, the headmaster of the Special Primary School and Practical School, Mrs Marcela Prokůpková, the headmaster of the Primary School with Extensive IT Education in Teplice, and Mrs Jana Dimunová, the headmaster of the Primary School in Klášterec nad Ohří.

Other attendees, including representatives of the Regional Authority of the Ústí nad Labem Region Mrs Jarmila Svobodová and Miloslava Sobotková, joined the discussion on multiple topics (coordination and competence in the process of the education of pupils with a DMT, ensuring language preparation – Czech as a second language, the task of the consulting segment – methodical support of schools, the role of the institutions included in the integration process – legislative, financing etc.).

Mrs Bohdana Flanderková from the National Institute for Further Education (NIDV) presented a new concept with NIDV playing an important coordination role in the education of pupils with a DMT in the Ústí nad Labem region.

The attendees mentioned in the discussion they would appreciate an improvement of the situation of the education and integration of pupils with a DMT on a conceptual, system level. In the region, there is an insufficient communication among the schools, teachers themselves and authorities of non-profit organisations dealing with the topic. What is lacking is a regional concept of the integration of foreigners, a coordinator of the integration of pupils with a DMT to education, other tools and a methodical support (including diagnostic language tools and a sufficient language preparation). Teachers of Czech as a second language would also appreciate high-quality textbooks. One of the topics was even the lack of finances in this area and the need to involve more teaching assistants.

Those present at the round table discussion also emphasized the need to not only work with teachers and to support schools, but mainly parents of pupils with a DMT. According to words of the attendees of the discussion, the number of foreigners in the region is growing and from now on, it is not possible to deal with individual situations intuitively, but there is the need of system changes, sufficient support (financial and methodical) and professional teacher training.

Thank you to all attendees for an enriching gathering, for inputs into discussions and expressing suggestions for improvement of the situation in the region and other needs.

Take a look at a report from the event or read an article published in Ústecký deník.

The next in a series of regional round table discussions about the integration and education of pupils with a DMT will take place in Pardubice on 15 April 2015.

A round table discussion in Prague focused on the topic of a teaching assistant in the process of the education and integration of pupils with a different other tongue, 11 December 2014

On Thursday, 11 December 2014, another in a series of round table discussions took place in the Goethe-Institut, this time devoted to the position of a teaching assistant in the process of the education and integration of pupils with a different mother tongue (DMT), with emphasis on bilingual assistants. The event was held under the auspices of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Mr PhDr. Marcel Chládek, MBA.

The discussion was attended by 47 representatives of various areas that are directly connected to the integration and education process of pupils with a DMT and that are active mainly in the field of establishing positions and the subsequent support of teaching assistants of such pupils (teaching assistants, teachers and headmasters of kindergartens and primary schools, deputies of the Minister of Education, of the Ministry of the Interior and city authorities, and colleagues from many other non-profit organisations).

In the first part of the programme, after an introduction of META’s head and presentations of META’s pedagogy experts, the attendees had the opportunity to hear interesting speeches from Mrs Mgr. Michaela Vencová (the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports), Bc. Alena Jechová (the City Authority of Prague 12) and Mgr. et Bc. Daniel Kaiser (the headmaster of ZŠ Jižní).

A premiere of the new documentary Když se hledá dvojjazyčný asistent (When looking for a bilingual assistant) depicting our long-term work with bilingual teaching assistants.

We dedicated the second half of the programme to the presentation of an updated publication Hledá se dvojjazyčný asistent (Looking for a bilingual assistant) which contains experience of teaching assistants, including casuistries and comments from META’s experts. The publication serves as a methodical manual for educational institutions and it aims to explain the role and benefit of migrants working in education.

A total of five experienced teaching assistants shared their own observations from practice with the guests. Mrs Bc. Trang Nguyen Thi Minh (a teaching assistant in kindergartens in Prague 12) introduced the attendees to the tools to support pupils with a DMT in kindergartens. Mr Nikolay Demyanenko (the executive of a private kindergarten, a former teaching assistant at the Primary School Sázavská, Prague 2) presented the advantages of a multilingual assistant working with a pupil with a DMT. Mrs Marianna Kuzmovych (a teaching assistant, the Primary School Jižní IV – Spořilov) presented the role of a teaching assistant during the communication of parents and school. Mrs Tamara Lyubka (a teaching assistant, Masaryk Primary School, Prague – Klánovice) focused on the support of a pupil with a DMT during their social adaptation. And finally, Mrs Ivana Skuta (META worker) presented examples of a good practice of cooperation between teachers, teaching assistants and foreign parents.

Before the final discussion, Mgr. Marie Klusáčková (the manager of teaching assistants from the non-profit organisation People in Need) informed those present about the system changes in the position of a teaching assistant.

Thank you to all speakers and guests for an enriching gathering.

A round table discussion in Plzeň focused on the topic of the education and integration of pupils with a different mother tongue, 18 November 2014

The discussion took place on 18 November 2014, at the Regional Authority of the Plzeň Region, in cooperation with the Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners. It was held under the auspices of the Deputy Governor of the Plzeň Region for the area of education, sports, tourism and the project Plzeň 2015, Mr Jiří Stručka. The round table discussion was managed by META’s team of experts for 41 attendees. The aim of this gathering was mainly a discussion about the problematic aspects of the education of pupils with a DMT while taking different competences and perspectives into consideration (teachers, school administration, establishers, parents, authorities, educational and counselling centres, providers of social services and other institutions, experts and general public). The discussed topics were, for example: ensuring language support, financing of activities focused on the education of pupils with a DMT, according legislation, practical and problematic aspects of the education of pupils with a DMT, experience of the attendees etc.

Thank you to all attendees.

Approaches to the integration of foreigners to schools – Saxon inspiration. A conference in the Goethe-Institut in Prague, 2012

The first conference focused on the topic of the education of foreign pupils (pupils with a DMT) in schools took place on 14 June 2012, in cooperation with the Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners SUZ MV and in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut in Prague. The idea of holding a conference on this topic emerged after a one-week internship of META’s workers in Saxony, Germany, where we had the opportunity to get acquainted with programmes, concepts and examples from practice concerning integration and migration strategies in Germany and Saxony. The main guest of the conference was Dr. Christine Mäkert, the Regional Coordinator for Migration Issues in Sächsisches Bildunginstitut, who presented the Saxon concept of foreigner integration and the curriculum of German as a second language. In the afternoon part of the conference, a panel discussion was held, on the topics: Are we successful in integrating foreign pupils? / What kind of inspiration can foreign experience offer? / Perspectives and goals for future direction.

Nguyen-Dinh, pass me the pen! A public discussion in the Světozor cinema, 2011

In cooperation with the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, a screening of the Swedish document The Substitute concerning the education of immigrant children in Stockholm took place on 26 September 2011. After the screening, there was a debate attended by Lukáš Radostný from META, the headmaster of the Primary School Olešská Marie Trebulová and Yvona Kostelecká from the Faculty of Education UK.