Early English Language Education in Basque Country: Benefits & Challenges

Society in the 21st century is increasingly multilingual. Recognizing this, the Ikastolas in the Basque Country felt the need to review and expand their linguistic objectives in 1990. This led to the creation of the "Eleanitz" multilingual project, a significant initiative in early language education.

The Eleanitz Multilingual Project: Key Characteristics

The Eleanitz project was designed with several core characteristics:

• It is an integrative model catering to learners from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Spanish, while the L1 (first language) for many students, was considered the L2 (second language) of the school and was introduced as a separate subject at the age of eight.
• L3 (English) was introduced at the early age of four. This approach was instrumental, focusing on using English for natural communication within the learning context.

Within the Eleanitz project, two distinct groups were established across 14 Ikastolas: one group began studying English at the age of four, while the other commenced at eight years old.

Integrated Language Curriculum for Multilingual Learning

The program incorporated a common curriculum, featuring shared general competencies and common frameworks for content. The fundamental purpose of language learning shifted; the aim was no longer to learn two or three languages in isolation from one another. Instead, the objective was to develop a basic linguistic repertoire in which all language skills could be expressed. This integrated curriculum emphasized common general competencies and content frameworks with complementary distribution across languages.

Project Outcomes and Results

The Eleanitz project yielded notable results:

• Children who started English at the age of four consistently demonstrated superior performance across various measures, achieving better overall results.
• The project did not negatively affect the development or proficiency of the Basque language.
• Students achieved good marks in subjects taught in English, indicating effective content delivery through the L3.

Advantages of Early English Language Introduction

The findings highlight several significant advantages:

• Children who began English at age four showed superior overall performance and better results.
• The early introduction of English did not negatively affect the acquisition or proficiency of other languages, including Basque.
• Young children possess a special innate ability to learn languages at an early age, making this period optimal for language acquisition.
• When implemented in an integrated way, early language learning offers advantages for the development of all languages within a learner's repertoire.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite the benefits, certain challenges and considerations were identified:

• If children do not have a strong command of their mother tongue, early introduction of a third language could potentially have negative impacts.
• There was a perceived lack of sufficient evidence to generalize findings broadly.
• Adequate resources (e.g., qualified teachers, materials) are crucial for successful implementation.
• Setting adequate and realistic objectives for early language learners is essential.
• Older learners often possess more developed cognitive abilities and better learning strategies, which can also be advantageous for language acquisition.