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THE TRILINGUAL EDUCATION SYSTEM IN LUXEMBOURG
- Language Use in Society
- General Information about the Trilingual School System
- Language Use in School
- Immigrants in the Luxembourg School System
- Results and Future Prospects
- 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
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 well–developed 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
- 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
