Preliminary research. Policy makers identify the organizations and / or individuals who will be responsible for conducting preliminary research in each language community. They ensure that the research provides clear answers to questions like these:
•• What language( s) do students in each school understand and use at home? 3
•• What national, regional and local resources can be mobilized to support MTB MLE?
••
What national, regional and local factors might delay or hinder programme implementation and sustainability?
Realistic implementation plan. If policy makers are responsible for an MTB MLE pilot programme, they set the time frame for the pilot and ensure that it is implemented in a language community that has an established alphabet and MT speakers who can serve as teachers. After the pilot programme, policy makers identify the criteria for expanding the programme to new schools and then new languages. They also identify the agencies and organizations that will develop the expansion plan.
Acceptable alphabets. Policy makers identify institutions and / or organizations that will support communities in creating new alphabets( if the language has not previously been written) or revising existing ones if the alphabet is outdated or MT speakers find it too difficult. Policy makers also ensure that there is a process in place for testing, revising and approving new or revised alphabets.
Gawri student reads letters and words on his MT Alphabet chart.( Pakistan) © Forum for Language Initiatives, Pakistan
3 A“ language map” that identifies schools with students from only one or two language communities is a valuable resource for planning an MTB MLE pilot project and later for expanding the programme to new schools and then new languages. A report of the language mapping project in Viet Nam can be found at http:// www. unicef. org / vietnam / resources _ 20765. html
Booklet for Policy Makers
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