Global Education
Global education is enabling young people to participate in shaping a better, shared future for the world. It emphasises the unity and interdependence of human society, developing a sense of self and appreciation of cultural diversity, affirmation of social justice and human rights, as well as building peace and actions for a sustainable future in different times and places.
Global education promotes positive values and assists students to take responsibility for their actions and to see themselves as global citizens who can contribute to a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.
Teaching Esperanto as the first foreign language is a way of providing a global perspective and an introduction to global citizenship whilst also establishing early bilingualism and a firm basis for later language learning.
Language and culture can be learned separately, of course, but there is some synergy in doing them together because both language and culture are much more interesting where there are real people involved - people you know by name.
The problem with that is that learning a language needs you to stay put and focus on one language to accumulate experience and understandings, where a broad intercultural perspective would be better developed by changing focus quite often.
A way to provide both effective language learning and a broad grounding for global citizenship is to teach Esperanto as the first foreign language. Esperanto is a language designed 125 years ago (that's 12½ in language-years!) especially for the purpose of being easy to learn. So it is easy, with straight-forward spelling, consistent grammar and word-building, much use of Latin and other familiar root-words. It sets your children up for success in their first foreign language, and also in success in formal English and in subsequent language learning. This is called the Apprenticeship Language Learning (ALL) effect. Esperanto takes about 100 hours to master to the same standard as it will take to master most Western European languages in 600 hours or Chinese or Japanese in 2200 hours. So, there is plenty of time left to make a start on a tougher language afterwards, perhaps with help from the nice foreign friends you have met using Esperanto!
Global education promotes positive values and assists students to take responsibility for their actions and to see themselves as global citizens who can contribute to a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.
Teaching Esperanto as the first foreign language is a way of providing a global perspective and an introduction to global citizenship whilst also establishing early bilingualism and a firm basis for later language learning.
Language and culture can be learned separately, of course, but there is some synergy in doing them together because both language and culture are much more interesting where there are real people involved - people you know by name.
The problem with that is that learning a language needs you to stay put and focus on one language to accumulate experience and understandings, where a broad intercultural perspective would be better developed by changing focus quite often.
A way to provide both effective language learning and a broad grounding for global citizenship is to teach Esperanto as the first foreign language. Esperanto is a language designed 125 years ago (that's 12½ in language-years!) especially for the purpose of being easy to learn. So it is easy, with straight-forward spelling, consistent grammar and word-building, much use of Latin and other familiar root-words. It sets your children up for success in their first foreign language, and also in success in formal English and in subsequent language learning. This is called the Apprenticeship Language Learning (ALL) effect. Esperanto takes about 100 hours to master to the same standard as it will take to master most Western European languages in 600 hours or Chinese or Japanese in 2200 hours. So, there is plenty of time left to make a start on a tougher language afterwards, perhaps with help from the nice foreign friends you have met using Esperanto!
Where are the Esperanto speakers?
This little map shows in green the countries which have national Esperanto associations. Actually there have been a couple more formed in the Middle East and Africa since the map was made in 2008).
Individual Esperanto speakers, smaller clubs and single schools also exist in other countries.
The number is not large, only a few million, but they represent the most diverse cross-section of the global populace that can be accessed in any one language.
Importantly for us, they include primary school classes in at least 26 countries.
You can see some of them in this short video.
Individual Esperanto speakers, smaller clubs and single schools also exist in other countries.
The number is not large, only a few million, but they represent the most diverse cross-section of the global populace that can be accessed in any one language.
Importantly for us, they include primary school classes in at least 26 countries.
You can see some of them in this short video.
How can I Teach a Language I Don't Know Yet?
Normally, it wouldn't be a good idea because normal languages have too many exceptions to their rules and you would be teaching things that turn out to be wrong, but this is the exception: In Esperanto it is possible to learn a series of simple lessons as you teach them so that you and your class become confidently bilingual together.
"Talking to the Whole Wide World" is a teaching package that will equip you to lead your class in talking, playing, singing and communicating your way to bilingualism. It will help you make contacts with classes worldwide by Skype, email or snail mail with little gifts. The highly respected Linguist and champion of Languages education, Professor Michael Clyne, and Professor Alan J. Bishop both recommend "Talking to the Whole Wide World" in the links provided.
You can explore "Talking to the Whole Wide World" in more detail, and order your copy, here.
"Talking to the Whole Wide World" is a teaching package that will equip you to lead your class in talking, playing, singing and communicating your way to bilingualism. It will help you make contacts with classes worldwide by Skype, email or snail mail with little gifts. The highly respected Linguist and champion of Languages education, Professor Michael Clyne, and Professor Alan J. Bishop both recommend "Talking to the Whole Wide World" in the links provided.
You can explore "Talking to the Whole Wide World" in more detail, and order your copy, here.