EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Improving the language skills of Vietnamese and Chinese old comers

Improving the language skills of Vietnamese and Chinese old comers

Introduction

Vietnamese and Chinese people often have a poor command of Dutch pronunciation. There is not always sufficient knowledge or attention for this within the regular education system.

Problem

How can Vietnamese and Chinese people who have been living in the Netherlands for a long time be helped to master the Dutch language?

Description

The City of Purmerend has commissioned a private language institute to work with small groups at the NT2 level. The language course is an initiative of the citizenship and integration department of the City of Purmerend. The students, many of whom are women, have often lived in the Netherlands for ten or twenty years and yet still have an insufficient command of the Dutch language. The course has often enabled them to make great advances in understanding and speaking Dutch.

Approach

The target group is poorly integrated and is taught bilingually with focus on social orientation in Purmerend itself. The course is specifically designed for people who have been living in the Netherlands for a long time. An interpreter/translator attends the lessons to demonstrate pronunciation. A key aspect of the course is the intensive tutoring given by people from the same language background. There is also a high degree of individual assistance with pronunciation.

Results

In mid 2005 forty more old comers (i.e. individuals of 18 years or older born outside of the EU and in possession of a valid residence permit or Dutch passport) will begin this form of language study in Purmerend.
Participants are very enthusiastic. Many wish to follow up their study programme. After the summer forty more oldcomers will start language training in this form of language study in Purmerend at Fiolet language training.
The policy seems to be extremely successful.

Resources used

Old comers Regulation G25

Contact info

Purmerend Municipality
P. van der Wolk, tel. +31 29 9452478

Project start date

Links

Purmerend Municipality (in Dutch)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Keywords

Skills improvement