Diwan (school)

Diwan (pronounced , seed in Breton) is a federation of Breton language-medium schools in Brittany (France).

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 movement in Wales however as Diwan educates up to age 18 its schools are more like Welsh medium education schools in Wales.

From ages 2–6, Breton is the sole language of instruction. At the age of 7 and a half, French is introduced during 2 out of 26 school hours. When the students are 10, French (6 hours out of 23) is taught at the same level as Breton. This remains the same when they reach middle school, but English and a choice of Spanish or German are taught in addition.

History

The first Diwan school was created by a few parents in 1977 at Lampaul-Ploudalmézeau (Breton: Lambaol-Gwitalmeze) near Brest, because the centralized French state schools were unwilling to offer the Breton language in the curriculum. The initial nursery school was followed by the first primary school in 1980, the first collège in 1988 and the first lycée in 1994.

In 2003-2004, 2.761 pupils attended Diwan schools throughout Brittany at all levels from preschool to the Baccalaureat. A Diwan preschool opened in Paris in September 2004. The network included 35 primary-level schools as of the start of the academic year 2007.

In 2008, Diwan...
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