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.

Preschools and schools in Iceland start working as usual on May 4.

We encourage families to read available information on why the authorities took this decision and why it is important that children attend preschools and schools.

Móðurmál and all its groups are doing well in the spring! Five big projects are running smoothly, each led by a devoted project manager:

• Allir með! tölum saman um skólamenningu á Íslandi (coordinated by Samfok)
• Listin Talar Tungum í listasafni Reykjavíkur →
• Heimsálfar í Borgarbókasafni →
• Mother Language Book of Móðurmál 2017–2018
• Library project of Móðurmál (Rósa Björg Jónsdóttir, bókasafnsfræðingur)

Individual mother tongue groups are teaching regularly on weekends, and occasionally they organize cultural events, welcome famous guests or take part in international projects. Thank you! ❤️ You are all doing a great job! for children, parents, communities and the whole society, in many ways.

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Móðurmál –the Association on Bilingualism– and mother tongue groups celebrate the international mother language day today, together with many in the world.

At the occasion of the day, the children who attend mother tongue classes in Móðurmál at this point were counted; the final number is 650 which means a decrease from the previous year. However, English, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Bulgarian and Indonesian will hopefully start. Also, a new Russian school is joining in the spring. Outside of Móðurmál, other languages are supported by playgroups and parent groups, i.e. Finish and Swedish in the Nordic house.

Móðurmál is celebrating the day on Saturday 24th February, in a collaborative project with the Reykjavík City Library, the School and Leisure Department of the City of Reykjavík, the Center of Language and Literacy, and the Cultural Center of Gerðuberg. Six choirs will sing songs in their mother tongues and then one Icelandic song together at the end, it will be possible to write a letter to friends and relatives in other countries and a language tree will be decorated with beautiful words in all world´s languages. There will be creative workshops and karaoke where languages will play the main role. Móðurmál will present its library project.

Vigdís World Language Centre held a symposium Dictionaries: Multilingualism, Translations and Terminology where the importance of dictionaries for linguistic diversity, multilingualism and the bridging of borders was discussed. Móðurmál was there, presenting various bottom-up dictionary projects!

Móðurmál is also taking part in the Finish initiative “Multilingual Month” which collects and highlight various language events and initiative in the Nordic countries. All Icelandic projects celebrating mother languages, registered at Multilingual Month, can be seen here

Happy Day and happy Multilingual Month! 🗣

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On Saturday 2nd December 2017 the Choir festival of Móðurmál groups took place in Gerðuberg. Sólveig Simha, the teacher from the French mother tongue groups, coordinated the project.

Children from nine groups took part and sang one to three songs in their language. Represented were the Czech, Filipino, French, Japanese, Lithuanian, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian and Thai groups. In the end, all children together sang two Icelandic Christmas songs.

The meeting was very well attended by children and their guardians and the milieu in the cultural centre Gerðuberg was exemplary.

Congratulations Móðurmál and thank you so much, everyone, who took part! ❤️

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The Lithuanian Ministry of Education invited the principal of Lithuanian mother tongue school in Iceland “Three colours” Jurgita Milleriene to hold a lecture about the foundation of mother tongue school abroad.

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There are numerous important things to keep in mind while establishing a mother tongue school and making it a successful working school. Jurgita shared some guidelines and talked about the good practice of Lithuanian mother tongue school in Iceland. Lithuanian mother tongue school “Three colours” is a very active, creative and innovative school that a lot of other schools here in Iceland and others abroad are looking at it as an example.

It is a real joy to share and learn from others.

Monika Franciszka Sienkiewicz, the headmaster of the Polish school in Reykjavik, got an honourable mention for promoting Polish culture in Iceland in 27th Zygmunt Gloger Medal and Award Contest (Konkursu o Nagrodę i Medal Zygmunta Glogera).

Congratulations, dear Monika! 🎉 All of us who work with you know how precious your contribution to the Polish school and the Polish community in Reykjavík is.