Plurilingual awareness and intercomprehension in the professional knowledge and identity development of language student teachers

Abstract

The study reported in this article is part of a research project which intended to attain a more comprehensive understanding of the growth and transformations of the professional identity and knowledge of a group of four future language teachers, as they expanded their awareness about plurilingualism and intercomprehension. Based on a central question: Are the student teachers able to develop a different self-image as language teachers based on a plurilingual conception of language teaching? Phase 1 of the research project focused on the language student teachers’ professional discourse. The developing representations about plurilingualism, intercomprehension and themselves as language teachers were analysed. The conclusions helped to conceptualise Phase 2 of the project and reflect upon the Language Didactics curriculum.