400 Catalan program is aimed at couples language

About 400 volunteers from Mallorca participating in the program funded by the language pairs Govern, which is to contact a person who knows how to speak Catalan with another that has begun to learn.

The program is developed by the association Paraula-entity linked to the Work Cultural Balear (OCB) - with the support of the Directorate General of Language Policy of Government, which has brought almost 150,000 euros, said yesterday the Ministry of Education in a statement.

The initiative to contact a person who speaks Catalan with another who is studying and practicing what you want, with the aim of promoting awareness and use of the Catalan language among citizens.

The program, which works in Catalonia since five years ago, was selected in 2006 by the European Commission as one of 50 best practices of learning a language that are carried to term the European Union. In 2007, the association Paraula adapted the program for language pairs to the Balearic Islands and designed the necessary resources to manage a website to disseminate and make the registration of volunteerism, a notebook of support for couples and additional documentation.

So far have joined the program 60% of the municipalities of Mallorca.

Extension to Ibiza

The director general of Linguistic Policy, Margalida Tous, has expressed satisfaction at the success of the initiative and announced the intention to extend its promoters to the other islands, according to the statement, adding that it is planned to operate in Ibiza next year.

Paraula The association has developed courses for the municipality of Palma, the Consell de Mallorca and the Balearic School of Public Administration, and has provided training for teachers in Catalan to adults at the University of the Balearic Islands and has developed tests for the Directorate General of Language Policy.

This system has proved extremely useful in other languages. In cities such as Madrid or Barcelona is the creation of a common language pairs of English, French or German.

There are even bars that serve as a meeting point for people who want to meet people from other countries and practice with them the Catalan language. It is selflessly and served as learning for both, in addition to helping integration.