Teaching Lithuanian as a second/foreign language: Current practicies

Abstract

Following the restitution of the independence of Lithuania in 1990, one of the key questions of the national language policy in Lithuania was the development and enforcement of a successful language education model. Newly emerging needs have encouraged re- form in learning Lithuanian as a second language at all levels. This paper provides a broad overview of teaching, learning and assessment of Lithuanian as a second/foreign language – an important educational element of the language policy in Lithuania. It focuses on general principles and main problems as well as real practices and changes in 1990–2005.

Keywords

• anguage policy formation
• language education
• ethnic minorities
• language proficiency levels
• state language learning and testing
• Lithuanian