La Bressola
Encyclopedia
La Bressola is a cultural association founded in Perpignan
, France
in 1976 to promote a network of community-run schools engaged in Catalan language
immersion program
s in France
, particularly in the comarques of so-called North Catalonia. The first center was opened in Sant Galdric (Perpignan) in September 1976. Subsequently, other centers have been opened in El Vernet
, Pontellà
, Prada
, El Soler and Sant Esteve del Monestir
.
Since 1983, the schools of La Bressola have hosted students from two to eleven years. In 2005, they maintained eight educational centers for nursery and primary school children, one of them (El Soler) being, since 2003, the first to impart secondary education in Catalan in France. With seven primary schools and one high school, some 600 students are currently being taught.
Together with the Calandreta
s, Diwan
schools, the Seaskas (ikastola
of the French Basque country) and the association ABCM-Zweisprachigkeit (French
-Alsatian
bilingual schools), form a confederation of bilingual schools in France.
that is practiced is the so-called "active pedagogy" and it maintains a comparable level to its French-language counterparts. The administration's relations with the association, which since 1982 has tried to obtain government subsidies, have been difficult because of pressures for the introduction of bilingualism in equal parts. In 1995, the introduction of bilingual education at the end of primary school was agreed to. In 1987, the Generalitat
of Catalonia
awarded the Honor Award to Lluís Carulla.
In 1981, a split led to the creation of the association Arrels, directed by Laura Manaut and Pere Manzanares. The general director is Joan Pere Le Bihan.
, Lilian Thuram
and Oleguer Presas participated in the reading of a manifesto in defense of the Catalan language
and of these schools at a ceremony in Perpignan. The manifesto has been further supported by club president Joan Laporta
, the coach of the French national football team Raymond Domenech
, and the singers Manu Chao
, Cali
, the group Zebda
, and I Muvrini
.
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1976 to promote a network of community-run schools engaged in Catalan language
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
immersion program
Language immersion
Language immersion is a method of teaching a second language in which the target language is used as the means of instruction. Unlike more traditional language courses, where the target language is simply the subject material, language immersion uses the target language as a teaching tool,...
s in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, particularly in the comarques of so-called North Catalonia. The first center was opened in Sant Galdric (Perpignan) in September 1976. Subsequently, other centers have been opened in El Vernet
Vernet-les-Bains
Vernet-les-Bains is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It is a centre for visitors and holidaymakers. The village enjoys a sunny climate and is set in a sheltered valley in the foothills of the Canigou mountain - which rises to a height of 2,785 metres...
, Pontellà
Ponteilla
Ponteilla is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
, Prada
Prades
-Places:* Prades, Ardèche, in the Ardèche département, France* Prades, Ariège, in the Ariège département, France* Prades, Haute-Loire, in the Haute-Loire département, France...
, El Soler and Sant Esteve del Monestir
Saint-Estève
Saint-Estève is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
.
Since 1983, the schools of La Bressola have hosted students from two to eleven years. In 2005, they maintained eight educational centers for nursery and primary school children, one of them (El Soler) being, since 2003, the first to impart secondary education in Catalan in France. With seven primary schools and one high school, some 600 students are currently being taught.
Together with the Calandreta
Calandreta
A Calandreta is a bilingual school in Occitania in the South of France where the Occitan language is taught alongside the French language. These schools are based on the same principle as the Gaelscoileanna movement in Ireland, the Ikastolak movement in the Basque Country, the Ysgolion Meithrin...
s, Diwan
Diwan (school)
Diwan is a federation of Breton language-medium schools in Brittany .-Concept:The Diwan concept, which allows children to learn French and Breton through immersion was inspired by the Gaelscoileanna movement in Ireland, Ikastolak movement in the Basque Country and the Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin...
schools, the Seaskas (ikastola
Ikastola
An Ikastola is a type of primary and secondary school in the Basque Autonomous Community, Navarre and the French Basque Country in which pupils are taught either entirely or predominantly in the Basque language...
of the French Basque country) and the association ABCM-Zweisprachigkeit (French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-Alsatian
Alsatian language
Alsatian is a Low Alemannic German dialect spoken in most of Alsace, a region in eastern France which has passed between French and German control many times.-Language family:...
bilingual schools), form a confederation of bilingual schools in France.
Centers
- Càldegues (in the communeCommuneCommune may refer to:In society:* Commune, a human community in which resources are shared* Commune , a township or municipality* One of the Communes of France* An Italian Comune...
of Bourg-MadameBourg-MadameBourg-Madame is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.It lies right on the border with Spain. It abuts directly onto the Spanish town of Puigcerdà, and is near the Spanish exclave of Llívia....
, Alta Cerdanya - Nils (in the communeCommuneCommune may refer to:In society:* Commune, a human community in which resources are shared* Commune , a township or municipality* One of the Communes of France* An Italian Comune...
of PonteillaPonteillaPonteilla is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
, RoussillonRoussillonRoussillon is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrénées-Orientales... - PradesPrades-Places:* Prades, Ardèche, in the Ardèche département, France* Prades, Ariège, in the Ariège département, France* Prades, Haute-Loire, in the Haute-Loire département, France...
, ConflentConflentConflent is a historical Catalan comarca of Northern Catalonia, now part of the French Département of Pyrénées-Orientales. In the Middle Ages it comprised the County of Conflent.... - Saint-EstèveSaint-EstèveSaint-Estève is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
, Roussillon - PerpignanPerpignan-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
-Sant Galdric, Roussillon - Le SolerLe SolerLe Soler is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
, Roussillon - Col·legi del Soler, Roussillon
- El Vernet Perpignan, Roussillon
Educational system
The pedagogyPedagogy
Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
that is practiced is the so-called "active pedagogy" and it maintains a comparable level to its French-language counterparts. The administration's relations with the association, which since 1982 has tried to obtain government subsidies, have been difficult because of pressures for the introduction of bilingualism in equal parts. In 1995, the introduction of bilingual education at the end of primary school was agreed to. In 1987, the Generalitat
Generalitat
Generalitat is the name of the autonomous systems of government of two of the present Spanish autonomous communities: Catalonia and the Valencian Community. The term is also used for the government of the semi-autonomous comarca of Val d'Aran, the Generalitat a l'Aran.Generalitat refers to all...
of Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
awarded the Honor Award to Lluís Carulla.
In 1981, a split led to the creation of the association Arrels, directed by Laura Manaut and Pere Manzanares. The general director is Joan Pere Le Bihan.
Public support
In March 2007, the players of FC BarcelonaFC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, Lilian Thuram
Lilian Thuram
Lilian Thuram is a retired professional football defender and is the most capped player in the history of the France national team, and one of the twenty most capped players of all time.He played at the top flight in France, Italy and Spain for over 15 seasons, including ten in the Serie A with both...
and Oleguer Presas participated in the reading of a manifesto in defense of the Catalan language
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
and of these schools at a ceremony in Perpignan. The manifesto has been further supported by club president Joan Laporta
Joan Laporta
Joan Laporta i Estruch is a Spanish politician and former president of Futbol Club Barcelona between 2003 and 2010.Laporta is a lawyer with his own firm, Laporta & Arbós, which has important firms as clients. Laporta was married to Constanza Echevarría and has three sons, Pol, Guillem and Jan...
, the coach of the French national football team Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech
Raymond Domenech is a retired French footballer and the former manager of the France national team.-2006 World Cup:On 12 July 2004, Domenech was a surprise choice to succeed Jacques Santini after the country's disappointing exit from UEFA Euro 2004 by losing in the quarter-final match to the...
, and the singers Manu Chao
Manu Chao
Manu Chao , is a French singer of Spanish roots . He sings in French, Spanish, English, Italian, Galician, Arabic and Portuguese and occasionally in other languages...
, Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, the group Zebda
Zebda
Zebda is a French music group from Toulouse known for its political activism and its wide variety of musical styles. The group, which was formed in 1985, consisted of seven musicians of diverse nationalities, and the themes of much of their music involved political and social justice, the status...
, and I Muvrini
I Muvrini
I Muvrini is a Corsican folk music group who sing traditional Corsican music in their native Corsican language.-History:The group was formed in the early 1980s by the brothers Jean-François Bernardini and Alain Bernardini who were born in the village of Tagliu-Isulacciu in the north of Corsica...
.