Roland Verra
February 2016
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Roland Verra is director of the Ladin School Office in Bolzano, Italy. He also is the author of the Regional Dossier Ladin: The Ladin language in education in Italy, which was published March 2016.
What is your background in the field of regional and minority languages/education/ multilingualism?
My background in the field of minority languages/education/multilingualism: I have been a teacher at the multilingual schools in the Ladin valleys in Italy for 16 years, since 1992 I am responsible for the Ladin School Office in Bolzano; I have also held some courses in teachers' training at the University of Bolzano about integrated multilingual teaching and compared literatures (German, Italian and Ladin).
What do you think is the major challenge in your field of work?
The major challenge in my field of work is safeguarding the position and chances of Ladin language in a multilingual school system, where German and Italian (and also English) are perceived as more important.
What is one of the hottest new projects / items you are working on?
One of the most interesting projects I am working on is starting literacy in the three languages Ladin, Italian and German in the first classes of primary schools in the Ladin area and using them in an integrated way.
Are there any important references such as articles, links, etc. you would like to mention?
Some interesting information may be found under:
- Cultura y Intendënza Ladina - Ladinisches Kultur und Ladinisches Schulamt / Provinzia Autonoma de Bulsan Südtirol
- The Inovazion y Consulënza (ex IPL) is a research and a development department for the public education of the ladin localities.The IPL is a service place, which offers to the provincial government, to school administrations, schools and nursery schools as well as individual directors, teachers and nursery teachers, certain services.
- The most important tasks of the educational institute for the ladin language group is the school development and the promotion of the quality of the schools in the ladin localities of South Tyrol.
- Istitut Ladin Micurá de Rü
- The Istitut Ladin Micurá de Rü has a lot of activities such as : Library, Dictionaries, Ladin Spelling Checker, Language Courses, Events, Publications, Lexicography, Bookshop etc.
- Freie Universität Bozen – Università Liedia de Bulsan; Fakultät für Bildungswittenschaften, Driesprachig und Interkulturell