More Luxembourgish in high school curriculum – Delano.lu

Written by Tracy Heindrichs
Published on 28.01.2022
Luxembourg students are encouraged to develop a deeper understanding of the national language and its culture.  Photo: Shutterstock
The language programme for Luxembourg secondary schools is changing, as Luxembourgish is given more importance.  
Putting Luxembourgish on the same level as French, German and English seems to be the goal of education minister Claude Meisch (DP). On 27 January, he presented the changes incorporated for the academic school year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.
“In the last years, the interest and the meaning of the Luxembourgish language have clearly grown,” Meisch said during a press conference: “With the integration of Luxembourgish in the upper secondary school cycle, and the introduction of Luxembourgish as the 4^th language, we are mirroring this change in schools too.”
The language has from September 2021 on become a subject taught in the 4^th year–when students are usually 16 years old–instead of the 7^th grade, when students have just graduated from primary school. The reasoning behind this change is that older students have the “critical thinking and assessment skills” to interact with the language and its culture. 
The subject–which will also include general knowledge about Luxembourg, its society and culture–will, from September 2022 also become the 4^th language for some students of the Michel-Rodange high school. A pilot group who chose languages and literature as its major, will learn about Luxembourgish literature, cultural history, linguistic and grammar.
The language will be an elective for Michel-Rodange students who have chosen another major. All students who have taken the module will at the same time be able to study for a Luxembourgish Language and Culture certificate (ZLSK) which will allow them to teach the language to adults or in communes.

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