This presentation is based on a workshop highlighting language as an often overlooked aspect of human rights. Participants explored the concept of linguistic human rights, which relate to the freedom to choose one's language of communication in private and public settings without discrimination. Peace education has a unique perspective that can contribute to addressing issues of linguistic discrimination, linguicism, language oppression and power dynamics, and the loss of heritage languages. Participants discussed ways in which educators can engage language learners through peace perspectives, such as valuing multilingual and multicultural voices, applying peace linguistics and sociolinguistics knowledge, building healthy communication skills in multiple languages, leveraging use of dominant languages for justice and peacemaking, bridging language communities, and gathering insights on peace and conflict from various linguistic and cultural heritages.

1. CherylWoelk
InternationalCRE Summit 2015
Arlington,VA, USA

2. Language Education
• Language acquisition
• Linguistics
• Methodologies
• Assessments
• Language planning &
policy
• Multilingualism
• Translation
• Etc
Peace Education
• Conflict resolution skills
• Mediation & negotiation
• Trauma healing
• Restorative justice
• Nonviolence
• International
development
• Organizational change
• Etc

3. Language Education Peace Education
• Global issues
• Intercultural communication
• Coaching & facilitation skills
• Community & relationships
•Value-based teacher education
• Identity transformation
• Narratives & social discourse
• Etc

4. Language Education Peace Education
Mutual
Learning

5. As you listen to the descriptions of linguistic
human rights and what happens in the absence
of these rights….
 notice any local or global situations that
come to mind,
 use spaces on handout for notes if you wish.

6. Linguistic Human
Rights (LHR) =
Basic human
rights

7. •To be recognised as a member of
a language community
•To the use of one's own language
both in private and in public
•To the use of one's own name
•To associate with other members
of one's language community of
origin
Individual
Individual

8. •For their own language and
culture to be taught
•Access to cultural services
•An equitable presence of
their language in the media
•Attention in their own
language from government
and socio-economic relations
Collective
Collective

9. • “Linguicism”
•Accents, dialects
•World Englishes
•Access issues
•Social capital
•Monolingual schooling
•Monolingual social norms
+
-

10. •Language policies
•Colonial legacies
•Educational policies
•Globalized economies
•Endangered languages
•Identity loss
+
-

11. •Active oppression
•Language ladder inertia
•English-only movements
•Language conflicts / wars
•Struggle for voice
•Power dynamics on micro
and macro levels
+
-

12. •Gatekeeper to knowledge
•Structures privilege certain
languages
•Agency through language
•Nuances of privilege in
institutions, classrooms,
relationships and
surrounding society
+
-

13. Valuing
multilingual &
multicultural
voices
Applying peace
linguistics and
sociolinguistics
knowledge
Promoting
healthy
communication
skills in
multiple
languages
Leveraging use
of dominant
languages for
justice and
peacemaking
Bridging
language
communities
Gathering
peace wisdom
from various
linguistic &
cultural
heritages

14. “In the unique settings of our ESL classrooms...
we have seen the immense power of narrative
to illuminate issues of war and peace,
and to reveal and forge connections among stories and
peoples
even when it appears that the historic political and
religious barriers among them
are nearly insurmountable…
…the kinds of learning that go on in these unique sites,
where students from vastly different backgrounds learn to
understand each other,
can contribute to the field of peace and justice studies.”
(Morgan &Vandrick, 2009)

15. What aspects of linguistic human rights relate to
your context(s)?
 Analyze your educational setting in light of
individual and collective LHR.
 Consider both negative rights and positive
rights.
 Ask yourself if there is any evidence of
absence of linguistic rights.

16.  Choose one or more of the opportunities
peace education presents for addressing LHR
in your context.
 Design a lesson plan outline for a class, or
other specific plan suitable for your setting.

17.  Continue the conversation at:
www.language4peace.org

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25. CherylWoelk
language4peace@gmail.com
www.language4peace.org