© Lisa Weisgerber
Luxembourg is preparing to expand its French-language literacy programme nationwide by 2026, giving families a choice between French and German instruction, while teachers express concerns about implementation, parental influence, and the evolving role of early education.
Following the launch of a pilot phase in 2022, the Ministry of Education plans to offer families a choice between German or French as the language of literacy instruction starting in the 2026 school year. Teachers from Cycle 1 were invited to an information session to learn more about how this new approach will be implemented.
The ALPHA project, as it is called, has so far been trialled in four primary schools located in Differdange, Dudelange, Schifflange, and Larochette. Starting next year, all Cycle 1.2 pupils across Luxembourg will begin being directed toward either the German or French literacy track based on individual orientation.
Although the initiative has drawn criticism from some quarters, Education Minister Claude Meisch remains optimistic. He explained that the government had begun testing French-language literacy nearly a decade ago in international public schools. He noted that a series of pilot schools has been involved since 2022, with the project accompanied by scientific evaluation. He expressed confidence that the gradual approach helped to build broad support by showing that the method works in real-world classrooms.
Still, the project has created some uncertainty among teaching staff, who are not yet fully confident in how to guide families through the new system. One teacher acknowledged that while training and information sessions have been helpful, the real challenge lies ahead as they begin engaging with families during the next start of the school year.
Some educators voiced concern that parents may disregard the professional guidance offered by schools when choosing the literacy track for their children. One teacher described this as a key hurdle: persuading parents to embrace the direction being proposed, whether French or German, as they ultimately have the final say.
According to the ministry, 68% of pupils starting school in 2022–2023 came from households where Luxembourgish was not the primary language spoken at home. The ALPHA project aims to support children more familiar with French, on the basis that early literacy is easier in a language where children already have strong phonological awareness.
Marc Schmit, director of the Centre de Logopédie, or Speech Therapy Centre, highlighted the importance of matching literacy instruction with spoken language skills. He noted that learning to read and write is already a complex process involving decoding and encoding. He explained that attempting to do so in an unfamiliar language doubles the challenge, since children must simultaneously acquire the language itself.
Meanwhile, some teachers expressed sadness over what they see as the gradual disappearance of the traditional preschool model. They observed that the growing number of new projects and expectations risk pushing creative play further into the background.
From next school year, Cycle 1 teachers will begin orienting pupils toward the ALPHA tracks. The following year, in Cycle 2, children across the country will start formal literacy instruction in either French or German.
