In primary schools in Alveringem (West Flanders), children are learning Dutch with the use of virtual reality headsets. The municipality regularly sees many children who are still learning Dutch as a result of the nearby asylum centre. Children don the headsets that allow them to experience different situations and see objects from everyday life, which they then learn to name in Dutch.
The children learn Dutch more quickly in this playful way and that is no superfluous luxury, as the children only get 2 to 8 weeks of lessons here.
‘The glasses were supplied by non-profit organisation Lerian Communications, which makes tailor-made language courses,’ explains Sofie Maes, director at a local primary school.
‘The children have just been to a virtual supermarket,’ says her colleague, Lynn Stekelorum. ‘We ask them to head for the fruit and veg aisle or to the checkout. The children then have an opportunity to describe what they see. It’s in practical situations like this that they are helped to learn Dutch, without us all having to visit the spot in question. In the short space of time they are here with us. More time is lacking.’
First introduction to Dutch
‘We only see the children for short periods. Usually there are five or six of them. They are resettled refugees, who couldn’t stay in their home country. Their first port of call is the Fedasil reception centre in Alveringem. After that, they are sent to local reception centres in other places in our country.’
‘Here they learn their first words of Dutch, the basics of the language. But they also learn what a school in Belgium looks like and how it works. They also learn to interact with other children. And using the VR headsets, they also become familiar with places they might not yet be familiar with.’