|
|
top
 |
THE TRILINGUAL EDUCATION
SYSTEM IN LUXEMBOURG
Language
Use in Society
- languages used are Letzeburgesch, German and French
- almost 100% of the people are trilingual
- about 26% immigrants, most of them with little
knowledge of Letzeburgesch
- Letzeburgesch: primarily for oral communication
- French and German: written languages (e.g. in courts
or correspondence)
- the more educated the inhabitants are, the more
likely they are to use French in oral communication

General
Information about the Trilingual School System
The Education System
- nursery school starts at the age of five, lessons
are offered on three mornings and two afternoons
- primary school from six to eleven, lessons are
offered on six mornings and three afternoons
- secondary schools are divided into complementary,
technical and general schools
- Luxembourg has no universities of its own
- all teachers have to prove their mastery of
Letzeburgesch, French and Standard German before they can begin their work at school
- See Appendix for table

Language Use
in School
Type
of School |
Medium
of Instruction |
Nursery
school |
only
Letzeburgesch |
Primary school |
first
years: Letzeburgesch |
transition to German by
the end of grade six |
German is taught as a
subject in the first year |
French is introduced at
the end of grade two |
Secondary
schools |
for the first three
years, most classes are taught in German |
- general and technical |
French replaces German in
the fourth grade |
some classes are still
taught in German |
-
complementary |
pupils have a less
welldeveloped knowledge of French |
- proficiency in French depends on the length of time
pupils stay in school
- German given primary emphasis in primary education,
French is primary emphasis in secondary education
- mother tongue is totally replaced by two languages
as the medium of instruction

Immigrants
in the Luxembourg School System
- high percentage of people from foreign countries
- Ministry of Education created special reception
classes, children are supposed to learn German or French
- after this one-year course, integration in the
normal school programme takes place
Results
and Future Prospects
- language of primary emphasis changes during the
school system
- Letzeburgesch remains unthreatened
- two major languages (French and German), one minor
language (Letzeburgesch)
- three-language policy in education can be successful
if certain conditions are met
- advantage for studying and working in Europe
|