Reykjavík has for many years supported Móðurmál – the Association on Bilingualism by providing space for teaching on Saturdays, in Hagaskóli, Fellaskóli, and Hólabrekkuskóli, and in a few preschools. After the assembly ban was imposed due to the pandemic of Covid-19, Móðurmál groups stopped teaching temporarily. However, in April 2020 the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture and the Ministry of Social Affairs approached the association and offered support. Móðurmál received support to offer online teaching in various mother tongues, as well as support with homework for compulsory schools and Icelandic as a second language, and to provide social support in the times of isolation.
Móðurmál – the Association on Bilingualism has been run on a voluntary basis since 1994, and after it was formally established in 2001, it applied for various grants for projects, teaching materials, books and developing mother tongue education in Iceland. Over the years, it has provided teaching to thousands of children in around thirty languages. In the school year 2019-2020, twenty language groups are active. Thirteen groups took the challenge and the opportunity to provide online services to children, Arabic, Bisaya, Czech, Filipino, Icelandic as a second language, Japanese, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Spanish and Ukrainian, for all ages of children and youth.
For the first time, Móðurmál groups can provide service to multilingual families across Iceland, as well as develop new teaching methods. Many possibilities could open up through this welcome opportunity, for example finding new mother tongue teachers around Iceland and even beyond, offering services to families who cannot drive to Reykjavík on Saturday mornings, and starting new language groups.
The official news about the ministry support is here. In it, Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Education, says that Móðurmál – the Association on Bilingualism is in a key position to approach the group of immigrant children and that there is much trust towards the association in the society. Ásmundur Einar Daðason, Minister of Social and Children´s affairs, says that all children should enjoy equal opportunities and while the schools are providing limited service, it is important to secure the necessary support for children who need it. Móðurmál is in close contact with a number of children and parents of foreign origin and can offer an important support at this time.
From May 4, schools will start operating fully and the school in Breiðholt will also open for Móðurmál groups. However, some groups decided to continue providing online support til June 15, when the school year is over. All children and families are welcome to contact the association at modurmalsamtok@gmail.com for information, registering children for the coming weeks, or for the next school year. We also welcome new teachers in our groups and in particular courageous parents and individuals who want to establish new language groups.