Lithuanian philosopher, professor and public figure Dr. Leonidas Donskis was teaching an intensive course at the University of Iceland at the beginning of this year.

Lithuanian Society in Iceland invited professor Donskis to meet Lithuanians in an informal discussion session. Professor told about his academic career, work in European Parlament, about his teaching in University in Iceland and his collaboration in book writing with philosopher Zygmunt Bauman.

Lithuanian Society in Iceland from the bottom of the heart thanks Móðurmál organization for hosting the event in their office at Ármúli 36.

Móðurmál started cooperation with SAMFOK, the association of parents of children in compulsory schools in Reykjavík, and W.O.M.E.N., the association of women of foreign origin.

Móðurmál hóf samvinnu með SAMFOK, Samtök foreldra grunnskólabarna í Reykjavík, og W.O.M.E.N., Samtök kvenna af erlendum uppruna, um fræðslu fyrir foreldra af erlendum uppruna sl. haust.
Samstarfið um menntun og velferð barnanna okkar einblínir á áhuga, áhrif og ábyrgð foreldra, samstarf foreldra og skóla, hlutverk foreldra skv. grunnskólalögum, mikilvægi grenndarsamfélags og samvinnu foreldra innan hverfis.
Haldin verða 6 undirbúningsnámskeið og 6 málþing í Reykjavík fyrir grunnskólaforeldra (og foreldra elstu leikskólabarna) með sérstaka áherslu á foreldra af erlendum uppruna. Málþingin verða haldin í janúar – mars 2016. Málþingin verða öll túlkuð, eitt pólskt, eitt litháískt, tælenskt osfrv. og með virkri þáttöku foreldra af erlendum uppruna. Haldin verða undirbúningsnámskeið fyrir fulltrúa foreldra úr hverjum málhóp, þar fer fram gagnkvæm fræðsla og miðlun upplýsinga, og undirbúningur fyrir málþingin. Foreldrar taka þannig virkan þátt í undirbúningi. Málþingin verða öll svipuð að uppbyggingu, en aðlöguð hverjum málhóp. Það verða erindi foreldra af erlendum uppruna, fulltrúa SFS, fræðsla frá SAMFOK og samtökunum Móðurmál og hópastarf. Málþingin verða ókeypis og öllum opin. Niðurstöður og umræður hópastarfsins vill SAMFOK nýta m.a. til að útbúa verkfærakistu foreldra í fjölmenningarlegu foreldrastarfi í samstarfi við 2-3 grunnskóla í Reykjavík.

The Latvian School in Reykjavík got the interesting request from kindergarten Hólaborg last autumn to help them collect books in different languages. The idea was to let children with different mother tongues borrow and read books at home. The Latvian School in Reykjavik decided to donate three of their books and we encourage other mother tongue groups to do the same if their language is on the list.

We find this very important because it is true that children of different origin often struggle with finding value in their mother-tongue and it might help a lot if this value is raised in kindergarten, the Icelandic environment they live in every day and where they want to belong. It is often on parents’ own shoulders to raise their child’s interest in learning, talking and reading their mother tongue. We are happy and proud that Hólaborg kindergarten is showing interest in children’s mother tongues and this is a wonderful example of positive interaction between a kindergarten and families with a multicultural background.

On Saturday 28.11.2015 the reading of the book No! Said Little Monster by Áslaug Jónsdóttir.

The language groups of Móðurmál translated the book into their languages –or used the existing translations– and bilingual children read in their languages for the visitors.

This time thirteen languages were represented: Icelandic, read by the author, Latvian, Czech, Lithuanian, Slovak, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Norwegian, Euskera (Basque), Catalan, Polish and Filipino.

The youngest readers were of preschool age. Special thanks go to 7-year-old Elín who read the whole book in Lithuanian.

We thank both children and adults for participating, the author of the Monster books Áslaug Jónsdóttir for her support, and Gerðuberg for providing the space and technical equipment.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Móðurmál has become a part of Almannaheill, the association of the third sector. Almannaheill works towards common interests of its members, on issues such as legal, tax and working environments, professionalism etc.

Móðurmál is now a member of Heimili og skóli, the National Parents’ Association, and of Almannaheill. It is important to get support and recognition within these established networks and to contribute to the ongoing discussions by adding our perspective.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Móðurmál presented itself at two multicultural events during weekend 31st October and 1st November.

On Halloween Saturday we introduced our activities at Multicultural Festival at Breiðholtsskóli, on Sunday we travelled by bus from Reykjavík to Borgranes, where the Festival of Nations (Þjóðahátið Vesturlands) was held for the 8th time.

During both events, we screened a presentation about Móðurmál, distributed bookmarks with information and presented heritage language classes in Breiðholt and other places.

Móðurmál was represented at the international conference Learning Spaces for Inclusion and Social Justice that took place in Reykjavík between 15th and 17th October 2015.

The conference was a conclusion of a three-year Nordic project and the key speakers were famous researchers in the fields of multiculturalism, heritage language education, social justice and citizenship education, James Banks, Jim Cummins, Anne Phoenix and Gert Biesta.

Móðurmál was represented with a booth on the first two days of a conference and two pieces of research on heritage language teachers’ views and long-distance heritage language teaching.

Móðurmál and the Multicultural Council of Reykjavík, represented by Renata Emilsson Peskova and Marina de Quintanilha e Mendonca, welcomed seventeen guests from German preschools and humanitarian organizations.

The mutual exchange of experiences and new ideas about inclusive multicultural education took place on October 8th 2015, in Gerðuberg, and was organized by CHANCENGLEICH in Europa e.V. / Equal Opportunities in Europe, an organization that promotes i.e. inclusive education, intercultural communication and transnational exchange.

This is the second time that Móðurmál and the Multicultural Council welcome guests from Germany and present their activities.

On Saturday 26th September, Café Lingua was held in the City Library in Gerðuberg.

It was devoted to a presentation of a wide spectrum of languages used all around Europe as well as in Iceland. Café lingua took place under the patronage of City Library of Gerðuberg, School and Leisure Department of Reykjavík and Móðurmál.

It started with the Lithuanian children’s choir that sang and taught visitors a traditional Lithuanian song. After that, a new Polish theatre group Pleikhús presented some toughest Polish tongue-twisters with a lot of humour. In the end, children and all guests were amused by the performance of magician Einar the Unique.
Czech, Lithuanian, Polish, English, Italian, Arabic and Móðurmál presented their languages and the computer platform of the Council of Europe devoted to the European Day of Languages.

The goal of the European Day of Languages is to highlight language diversity in Europe and the importance of learning more than one language.