Multilectal Literacy in Education (MultiLit) - RCN (2020-2024)

The MultiLit project explores several aspects of the Norwegian language situation with a comparative eye to the Frisian language situation in Fryslân. The main objective of the project is to investigate the contribution of diverse language internal literacy skills to academic achievement. The project highlights the acquisition of the two written Norwegian standards and the widespread practice of writing “in dialect” among Norwegian children and adolescents. The comparison with Frisian is interesting since  Frisian, albeit an official language in the Dutch province of Frysiån, is less institutionalised than Nynorsk, the lesser used Norwegian language.

The project will be based in the research group on Reading, Writing and Language Development at the Sogndal campus of Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) and led by professor Øystein A. Vangsnes. It includes both national partners from different Norwegian institutions and international partners from various Dutch institutions.

The project consists of the following four work packages (WP leaders in parentheses): 

1. Language separation in multilectal and monolectal adolescents (Björn Lundquist, UiT)
2. Written norms among multilectal and monolectal adolescents (Unn Røyneland, UiO)
3. Early standard language stimulation in multilectal and monolectal contexts (Eli Bjørhusdal, HVL)
4. Developmental effects in multilectal and monolectal adolescents (Göran Söderlund, HVL)