ELT&WhyL&LPolicy

__Cyprus__ __Language Policy__ English is very important in Cyprus. English as a second language has a major role in Cypriot society. English are not only used in classrooms but one can find them in everyday life as well. English is a compulsory subject for all students between the ages of 10 – 15, in public schools. Most of the private schools in Cyprus use English as the language of instruction in one or more subjects. English has prestige as a means of access to universities in the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere. It is probable that more English is used in Cyprus today than at any previous time. English functions as a ‘lingua franca’ for out-group communication for immigrant groups of non – speaking - English background.

__European Language Policy__ The European Cultural Convention’s second article assigns the states party to promote the reciprocal teaching and learning of their languages. This is what the Council of Europe is based on. The Council promotes policies which support linguistic variety and language rights, deepen mutual understanding, combine democratic citizenship and maintain cohesion. The Council’s aims are to promote: Plurilingualism, where all are unconstrained to learn a number of languages to carry out their needs, Linguistic Diversity, where all European languages are equally valuable for communication and identity forming. Mutual Understanding, here the opportunity to learn other languages is very helpful for intercultural communication and approval of cultural variation. Democratic Citizenship and Social Cohesion. Plurilingualism is highly important for the Council’s of Europe policy. All those different languages and language varieties are very important for an individual’s life. Some points that Plurilingual education promotes is the respect for cultures, a global integrated approach to language education in the curriculum and an awareness of and the ability to use transferable skills in language learning.