Priešmokyklinio amžiaus dvikalbių vaikų lietuvių kalbos gebėjimų ugdymas
The system for teaching/learning of the Lithuania language as the statė language in the statė school and pre-school education institutions has been rapidly developed; education institutions have been in search for methods of teaching children of different nationalities to act as active citizens of Lithuania, simultaneously fostering and promoting their own ethnical culture. The Lithuanian Education reform emphasises formation of national minorities' civic and national identity, and the Law on Ethnic Minorities provides for all citizens' rights and possibilities to integrate into the cultural and sočiai life of Lithuania. Efforts to ensure teaching of the statė language are manifested in a number of laws, resolutions and programmes: the Law on the State Language, the Programine of Teacher Training for National Minorities Education Institutions, resolutions of the State Commission of the Lithuanian Language, activiry of Lithuanian language teaching centres, etc. The importance of the Lithuanian language learning itself is not questioned. Not knowing the statė language, a person has limited possibilities in the life of socium: to work with clients (in statė or private service), to receive and disseminate relevant information and materialise their abilities in the activity of interest circles and leisure centres. Knowledge of languages leads to tolerance and cooperation manifested through acceptance of ethnic, traditional and cultural practises, strengthening of ethnic communities harmony and establishment of close linkage between the statė and minorities. Thus, insufficient command of the Lithuanian language may hinder a successful integration of ethnic minorities into political, economic and cultural life of the county as well as to multicultural vvorld space. Integration processes of the modern vvorld necessitate communication with people of different nationalities speaking other languages but living vvithin the šame world. A constantly grovving variety of multilingual world, more and more children occur in a multilingual environment. The contemporary epoch is characterised by enhancement of close economic, scientific, cultural, technical and political contacts among countries and continents, which also promotes a wider analysis of multilingualism-related problems.