Curriculum for Basic Norwegian for language minorities (NOR7-01)

Gjelder fra: 2007-08-01T00:00:00 +2

Gjelder til: 2020-07-31T00:00:00 +2

Purpose

The curriculum for Basic Norwegian for language minorities may be used in primary and lower secondary school and in upper secondary education and training. The teaching based on this curriculum is meant to promote adapted education in accordance with current regulations in the Education Act and to safeguard linguistic minorities’ need for special instruction in Norwegian. The school owner / the school decide whether mother tongue teaching shall be given in accordance with the curriculum for basic Norwegian for language minorities or in the form of special adaptation within the regular curriculum in Norwegian.

The Education Act section 2-8 (for the 10-year compulsory school) and section 3-12 (upper secondary education and training) states that pupils whose mother tongue is other than Norwegian or Sámi are entitled to special training in Norwegian until they are proficient enough in Norwegian to follow the regular school teaching. If necessary, such pupils are also entitled to mother tongue teaching, bilingual technical training, or both.

It follows from the premise for special Norwegian instruction that the curriculum for basic Norwegian for language minorities is a transitional plan, shall be used only until pupils are able to follow the teaching in accordance with the regular curriculum in Norwegian. The curriculum is level-oriented and not related to age and applies to pupils of different ages and with different experience backgrounds. Before the teaching begins, a decision shall be made for each pupil as to what level in the curriculum the teaching shall serve as a starting point.

One of the main goals for instruction in basic Norwegian is the development of linguistic confidence and self-assurance. The teaching shall promote development in the Norwegian language, so that pupils can be enabled to follow regular instruction in Norwegian and in other subjects taught in Norwegian. The teaching must therefore be seen in relation to the instruction provided in other subjects and in relation to the curriculum for Norwegian. Pupils shall be helped, through the development of good learning strategies and insight into their own language learning, to develop their Norwegian language skills as quickly as possible.

The teaching in basic Norwegian shall cover the instruction in reading and writing and help develop pupils’ vocabulary and grasp of concepts in a variety of subjects. Coordination with instruction in reading and writing in the pupil’s mother tongue and with bilingual technical training may strengthen the teaching in basic Norwegian. The teaching shall also promote intercultural understanding.

It will be natural to use pupils’ various experiences from previous language learning as a point of departure, inside and outside school. Thus, flexibility and individual and local adaptation are key elements in the organization of the teaching.

Main subject areas

Basic Norwegian for language minorities is a level-oriented plan not related to age. The competence aims are described for three levels and are largely based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which describes and defines six different language levels, from beginners’ level (A1) to advanced level (C2), and what skills and knowledge of languages are associated with each level.

The curriculum for Basic Norwegian for language minorities is structured into four main subject areas, with competence aims formulated for each area. Except for the main subject area Language and culture, the main subject are Listening and speaking, Reading and writing and Language learning were largely prepared with a basis in the four levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (A1, A2, B1 and B2).

The main subject areas complement each other and must be viewed in relation to one another. Pupils who follow this curriculum may be at different levels when the teaching begins, and it may take some longer than others to reach the competence aims. Since the curriculum is transitional, the achievement of goals must be seen in the context of the competence aims in the regular curriculum for Norwegian for the year in question.

This subject is a common core subject for all the upper secondary education programmes. Learning in this subject shall therefore be made as relevant as possible for pupils by adapting each subject to its education programme as much as possible.

Overview of the main subject areas:

Main subject areas

Listening and speaking

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Reading and writing

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Language learning

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Language and culture

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Listening and speaking

The main subject area Listening and speaking revolves around understanding Norwegian speech, expanding one’s vocabulary and concepts and making oneself understood in Norwegian. It involves listening and recognizing linguistic units such as words, expressions and concepts, and being able to use them when speaking. Furthermore, the main subject area includes the development of communication skills through the use of oral language in different situations and when working with a variety of subjects.

Reading and writing

The main subject area Reading and writing revolves around written communication and the development of reading and writing skills. Also included is the development and enlargement of one’s vocabulary and concepts in various subjects and themes. Furthermore, the main subject area includes the use of the written language to retrieve information and to develop and structure one’s thoughts and ideas.

Language learning

The main subject area Language learning deals with what it means to learn a new language. It also deals with language as a system and with the use of language. A comparative perspective of one’s mother tongue and Norwegian is also included in the main subject area. Also covered are communication and language learning strategies and the development of linguistic competence.

Language and culture

The main subject area Language and culture revolves around the cultural significance of the language. Various ways of using the language and linguistic variation in Norwegian are also included in the main subject area. Also covered are Norwegian language and text culture seen from a historical, multicultural and international perspective.

Basic skills

Basic skills are integrated into the competence aims, where they are part of the technical competence and assist in its development. In the main subject area “Basic Norwegian for language minorities,” basic skills are understood as follows:

Being able to express oneself orally in Basic Norwegian for language minorities involves listening to and understanding the content of oral language and being able to make oneself understood. It also includes adapting one’s language to a variety of conversation partners, themes and situations.

Being able to express oneself in writing in Basic Norwegian for language minorities involves learning to write in Norwegian and developing one’s writing skills. Writing is a means of developing and structuring one’s thoughts and ideas. This also involves the varied use of words and expressions, concepts, linguistic patterns and creation of text.

Being able to read in Basic Norwegian for language minorities involves reading Norwegian texts and perfecting one’s reading skills. It also involves expanding one’s vocabulary and acquiring experience in reading. Reading includes the development of strategies to understand new words, concepts and linguistic patterns. It also involves developing skills to understand and interpret the content of a variety of texts.

Numeracy in Basic Norwegian for language minorities involves understanding numbers and mathematical concepts. It also involves being able to read graphic presentations, tables and statistics, as well as logical reasoning and problem solving.

Being able to use digital tools in Basic Norwegian for language minorities involves mastering new kinds of text and forms of expression. It includes communication with others and producing, composing and editing texts. Furthermore, it also involves finding authentic texts from a variety of genres and making use of them. Also included are critical assessment and the use of sources. Showing due consideration for copyright and privacy protection are elements in the use of digital tools.