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Discussion on Lithuanian as a Foreign Language at the Baltic Scandinavian Conference
03/14/2014
Kazickas Family Foundation while continuing Alexandra Kazickas Grant Program (AKGP) in support of the 37 Lithuanian Heritage Schools of the US, invited participants of the Baltic Scandinavian Conference at Yale for a discussion on Lithuanian as a foreign language.
Lithuanian as a foreign language is taught in 200 Lithuanian Heritage Schools and a dozen Universities in the World. Vilnius University, the oldest Lithuanian University, teaches Lithuanian as a foreign language, is a member of ALTE (The Association of Language Testers in Europe), but its certificates have no international value.
As global migration increases, attention to preservation of the Lithuanian increases. The internationally recognized certificates for language proficiency assessment would support the ambitions of both individuals and of the societies in which they live and work. The recognition would increase attention to the teaching and the assessment processes, and would preserve Lithuanian.
In coordination with Vilnius University and Lithuanian Education Council of the US, AKGP is pursuing recognition of Lithuanian as foreign language by the Ministry of Education and Science of Lithuania. If successful, this would allow Heritage language schools students take Lithuanian language proficiency tests, to receive internationally recognized certificates for Lithuanian as a foreign language and to get additional language credits.
Paricipants of the discussion at Yale:
Laura Ziliajevaite - Consule of the Republic of Lithuania in New York, US
Giedrius Subačius - University of Illinois, US
Meilutė Ramonienė - Vilnius University, LT
Violeta Kalėdaitė - Vytautas Magnus University, LT
Aušra Valančiauskienė - University of Washington, US
Giedrius Janauskas - Lithuanian Emigration Institute, LT
Gaila Narkevičienė - Lithuanian Heritage school of Boston, US
Snieguolė Furajevienė - A.Kazickas Lithuanian Heritage school, US
Neila Baumilienė - A.Kazickas Lithuanian Heritage school, US
Maksiminas Karaška - guest, US