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Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Another "Wichita" in Navarre: Basque Language



Wichita is an American Language that is close to disapear. A documentary has been done aboid it (click on the title). This reminds me something is happening in my "country". The elections are close here in Navarra... and in the Community of the Basque Country. This morning I have heard a member of the UPN party (Union del Pueblo Navarro) talking about the Language Policy they are going to put into practice. He says they are going to promote the plurilinguism (English + Spanish + another "modern" language). They say that the "D educational model", the one which is "just in Basque" (his words), is a non-sense, so they are going to promote with their full heart English in the Navarrese Education System.
The thing is that Basque is one of the languages originary from this piece of land. The thing is that they have approved a law (1986) that was intended to promote this language in the public sphera: adminsitration, education, media. The thing is that the European Union is making observations to this Government in order to take care of one language that is suposed to be protected by this Government.
What is more painful is the manipulative language used by that candidate, telling us that the "D model" is just in Basque. This is false: the students belonging to this model finish their High School years speaking in Basque, in Spanish and in English and they achieve a higher level of competence (than in other models in the Navarra Education System).
It is well know that it would be good news for them that the Basque Language, spoken by the Bascones (the nave given to the peoble of the Old Kingdom of Navarre), becames another Wichita language (see the link in the title), here, in Navarre.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

My professional confession


I will tell you the truth: I am preparing a competitive examination. In the Spanish State it is called "oposición". Is the examination you have to pass in order to become Public Servant. I've applied to be an English Teacher in any Public School in Navarra. What kind of school? In my case I am applying in any school where Primary Education is mainly thaught in Basque Language (euskera), but English is also thaught as a Foreing Language. It is going to be tough. First, I am relatively new English Speaker. My mother tounge is Basque, but I did all the school and High School studies in Spanish. After that I obtained my degree in Basque Filology (Basque Language and Basque Literature) in Basque. After several years of -mainly- autodidactic training, maybe I am able to teach English in a Primary School. But the thing is that most of the time I have spent working in my career I have not been focused in English Language (although I have used it as biographical resource).
In adition to that, more than 100 people are trying to get one of those 18 positions available in the Navarrese Primary Education System.
Let us see how it is going.
If anybody is reading this, I'll let you know. By the way, I would appreciate to notice me the mistakes I have commited in this text... You will help me in this long and exciting way of me, of ours.
Thank you very much in advance.