– My fellow students don’t like Nynorsk, they dread the exam. If Norwegian Nynorsk becomes optional, it could make school less stressful for people. That’s a good thing, actually. Ken Henrik Kvingedal (17) says so. According to Nordland county council, there are no New Norwegian students at secondary schools in Nordland. Apart from Kvingedal. Now Nordland county council wants the pupils in Nordland to be spared learning the language Ken Henrik prefers. A lousy idea, says the Language Council. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news The understanding of dialects will weaken Kvingedal comes from Masfjorden in Vestland. He has moved to Andenes to study space technology at Andenes secondary school. Together with other students, he learns to launch rockets into space. But while the other students write “I think space travel is exciting and challenging”, he writes “I think space travel is exciting and challenging.” – I have been writing Nynorsk all my life. If they take away Nynorsk, I think that the understanding of the dialect will also weaken, says Kvingedal to news. Number of pupils with Nynorsk as the main goal: Already last year, the local politicians in Nordland started toying with the idea of scrapping Nynorsk in secondary schools. On Wednesday, the case will be heard at the county council. The politicians must vote on whether they should apply to become a trial county for any side goal. The last time such an attempt was made was 17 years ago in Oslo. – With this case, we want to give the pupils a little more freedom of choice during the school day. We want to see if we can increase academic achievements in the Norwegian subject if one can opt out of the secondary objective, says county councilor for education and competence in Nordland, Joakim Sennesvik. Joakim Sennesvik believes that the pupils can have more time to spare if they skip two languages. Photo: Beth Mørch Pettersen / news He adds: – We want to see if this can create higher motivation, and we hope it can contribute to increasing completion in secondary school, Unlucky, is the clear message from the Language Council. The number of pupils with Bokmål as their main subject has increased: Norwegian is two languages - The Norwegian language policy assumes that Norwegian is Bokmål and Nynorsk, says Åse Wetås. The director of the Language Council is crystal clear. Norwegian is both Bokmål and Nynorsk, not just one of the two. – We have two Norwegian writing cultures, one for Bokmål and one for Nynorsk. It is the intention that all pupils in secondary school, when they have studied Norwegian, should become familiar with both languages and written cultures. – It is very important to focus more on the Norwegian subject, but Norwegian is both Bokmål and Nynorsk, says Åse Wetås. Photo: Oda Hveem – Can you not become familiar with Nynorsk without having it as a subject? – I don’t think it will be that easy to achieve. If one is not to have one of the languages, it will be difficult to find a place for it in the teaching. – What do you fear such a decision could lead to? – This will mean that not all pupils will be familiar with both Norwegian written languages. It may seem like an obstacle in later professional practice, replies the director and adds: – Taking away the one written language, I don’t think, will in any way make the students more competent users of Norwegian. Must learn to write Gun Rydland is a lecturer in Norwegian at Andøy secondary school, and is teacher to Ken Henrik Kvingedal. Gunn Rydland, lecturer at Andøy secondary school. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news She largely agrees with the director of the Language Council. – I think it will reduce language training if they are not going to learn to write Nynorsk. It is not only useful to read and learn about language history, I think they must learn to write Nynorsk. Rydland emphasizes that there are two written languages in Norway, and that removing the grade could simplify teaching for some. – If you move, for example to Volda or Vestland, Nynorsk is the main target. Then I think it is very nice to know how the language is structured. Ken Henrik Kvingedal is studying space technology at Andenes further education school. The other classmates speak Bokmål, while he speaks Nynorsk. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news On Wednesday, the Nordland County Council will probably decide that they will go for a solution without two languages. Joakim Sennesvik argues that the pupils can then immerse themselves in the main objective. – The Language Council believes it will reduce Norwegian education. What do you think about it? – Our starting point is to try to increase motivation for the main goal. There are many pupils who have reading and writing difficulties. Some people get an exemption, but not everyone has enough reading and writing difficulties to get an exemption. He adds: – It is 20 years since Oslo started the previous trial scheme. We believe that a lot has happened to Norwegian schools and our students who advocate that we can try this again now in 2024. Published 22.10.2024, at 20.43 Updated 22.10.2024, at 21.04
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