Building on Language Diversity with Young Children

Across Europe there is increasing concern that children from migrant families frequently under-perform in state school systems. The situation makes high demands on nursery and primary teachers whose initial and continuing professional development requires appropriate re-evaluation. The Socrates-Comenius project TESSLA (www.tessla.org) with experts in Estonia, France, Germany, Sweden, Turkey and the UK presents courses that comprise the relevant subject areas: bilingual language acquisition, intercultural and language awareness, language assessment, literacy development and parental involvement. Teacher educators are also provided with a discussion of appropriate methodologies, including problem-based and online learning.

Some of the course materials of the curricula published here will be made available on CD-ROMs in the respective national language. Please contact the authors of the curricula.